The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-03-01
SHOWN FMLACY OF POSITION.
Ia Proposition to Rob the Ranges Of
Riqhtful Revenues.

In Proposition to Rob the Ranges OF
Ri9htful Revenues.
The Legislative tax commission,
accompanied by other members of
the house and prominent range
citizens from other points, were
guests of the Virginia Commercial
Club Saturday afternoon and even
ing in their trip over the ranges in
search of information relative to
the troublous tax problem, and
their reception at this point was
indicative of the fact that the
citizens of Virginia are alive to the
situation which would confront
them should the southern Min.
nesota legislator win his fight for a
tonnage tax.
The delegation was met at the
train with rigs and driven around
the city, visiting the new Johnson
school, the plant of the Virginia
Lumber Co., the new brewery and
other points of interest, after which
they were escorted to The Fay for
dinner, members of the Club acting
as hosts.
In the evening program at the
auditorium of the Roosevelt, the
finest school building on the iron
ranges, including music by the
Wilson Orchestra and patriotic
numbers by the seven or eight
hundred school children in attend
ance, preceded an address to the
assembled delegation by Super
intendent Bliss and responses by
mem bers of the committee.
The address of Superintendent
Bliss was replete with interesting
facts and figures from the range
point of view, showing the valua-
ton and present rate of taxation
with the mines assessed as is other
property and showing what our
citizens and school patrons would
be forced to face should the mines
|
and made to pay a tonnage tax in
stead.
On behalf of the delegation re-
sponses were made by Senator L. O.
Cooke, of Wabasha county, Senator
johnson, of Chisago county, Senat-
or George Laybourn, of Duluth, and
l L)oS> k,a<i IL ~E
Lac Qui Parle.
Senator Cooke stated that the
visit of the committee to the ranges
was for the purpose of seeking in
formation; that they had already
seen many things which had given
them better understanding of the
situation, and gave to the ranges
great credit for the apparent in.
terest in the cause of education.
He stated that it was not, in his
| opinion, the intent or purpose of
the committee or of the Minnesota
legislature to do aught to harm the
! local interests or schools of the
range country, and felt safe in
assuring his hearers that the com
mittee would report adversely on
any proposition to interfere with
the present municipal, school and
county tax derived from our natur.
al resources.
Senator Cooke was followed by
Senator Johnson of Chisago
county, who averred that the trip
had thus far been a revelation to
himself and to the committee as a
whole, and that for one he should
never favor any measure which
would tend to deny an education to
any boy or girl. Senator Johnson
took occasion, however, to impress
upon his hearers that he was not
from "southern" Minnesota.
Representative Rachie, of Madi.
son, while being forced to an ad.
mission that he was from that sec.
ton of the universe 80 frequently
mentioned as "southern" Minnesota
stated that while he was making no
promises that he felt that after hie
trip to the ranges he could act more
intelligently on the proposition. He
also gave unstinted praise to the
patriotism of the ranges in provid.
ing schools and competent teachers
and stated that he had never seen a
more impressive demonstration OF
the American flag than in the
schools at Virginia. Mr.. Rachie
has the honor of having more de-
grees conferred upon him by the
University of Minnesota than any
other graduate of the institution
and also appreciates school wor1
from the fact of having taught fo,
several years.
Senator Laybourn, not a new
figure to the ranges, expressed hit
regret that the entire 1872 memberi
l1