The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-05-01
NJ 0Rk WELL DO Ne
Concluded from first pages

sance companies in this state, but
upon lines which will make their
policies as secure as those issued by
any stock company. If these expec-
tations are fulfilled the result should
be lower rate for fire insurance.
The law regulating mutual hail
and tornado companies has been
amended so as to include a limita-
ton upon the expenses of those
companies upon practically the same
basis as that provided for assessment
life and casualty companies.
Considerable care has been taken
to make all of these bills fit into the
present insurance laws and conform
to the arrangement of the revised
laws Of 1905. and the result has
been to provide practically new
insurance code for the state of Min
nesota, more complete and compre-
hensive that this state has ever had.
No provision has been inserted in
any of these bills requiring anything
of insurance companies which has
not been proved to be entirely prac-
teal from the experience of many
of the best companies doing bust
ness in this state. so that it cannot
be claimed that these provisions will
work a hardship upon any well
organized or honestly conducted
fcompanies.
Too much praise cannot be given
for the work done in this behalf by
insurance committees Of the house
and senate. Necessarily the great
burden Of this work fell upon the
chairmen Of those committees, SEN
ator Laybourn and Mr.. Undertake,
and it is believed that when these
laws are properly arranged and all
of the. insurance laws Of this state
are published together, that the
excellence of their work will be en-
tirely apparent.
! For years past Minnesota has suf-
fered from the evils of tax Unequal
ity, and the efforts of individuals at
various sessions came to naught.
This year tax commission has been
created, and it is now up to Gov.
| Johnson to name three commission
ers, whose duty it will be to get at
the vast amount of property in this
state, which has heretofore escaped
taxation, and place the same upon
the assessment rolls. 1t is sighifi-
cant, this placing the appointment
of these three important offices of
the state in the hands Of the COVER
nor. 1t was done primarily to give
the people Of the state a tax COM
mission that will undoubtedly chal-
lenge the confidence of the people,
In Michigan and New York the tax
commission has been a magnificent
success-a commission that sees to it
that the hidden and corporate wealth
of the great cities is properly listed
and made to pay its fair share of
| the taxes. The commission may also
prepare measures for the considera-
ton of future legislatures. and if
the body does as we'll as in Michigan
and New York the people will have
every reason to applaud the efforts
of the 1907 session of the legislature
in creating the body.
And here it may be said that the
wide open tax amendment, definite
and certain as to taxation of church
property, is once more to be sub
mitted to the people. Certain cor
poration interests have been en-
gagged, ever since the last election,
in proving that the amendment was
not ratified by the people. These
interests have been recanvassing the
vote of the state at their own ex-
pense, and their action should prove
to the people that they cannot afford
to listen again to the paid oppon-
ents of the measure at the next
election. The corporations wish the
amendment defeated. They realize
| that if it has been adopted, or is
adopted at the next election, the tax
commission will be in position and
necessarily will have to pay their
/ share of the taxes. People should
not forget this. and when the cleo
i ton Of 1903 rolls around, they should
give the amendment their unani-
NOUS vote.