The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-02-08
TONNAGE TAX IS STRONGLY OPPOSED

TONNAGE TAX IS STRONGLY OPPOSED
Citizens Protest Any Against Possible
Change in Method Of Ore Taxation.
The people of the Mesaba range
have finally awakened to the fact
that there is grave danger of the
mining taxes being diverted from
the local communities to the state
fund, and at mass meetings held at
various range points during the
week have asserted themselves
against the radical and unjust
measures affecting the taxation of
our mines proposed by the granger
members of the state Legislature.
Such meeting was held respon-
sive to call by the Commercial Club
at the Fay Opera Monday evening,
and while misconception of the
importance of the subject to be
discussed was doubtless response
BILE to great degree for the seem
ing back of interest displayed by
many of our business men fairly
representative crowd assembled and
took decided stand in opposition
to the proposition of our granger
cousins from the sand dunes of the
south.
+. NJ. Tredway, as president of the
Commercial Club was chosen chair
man, and addresses were made by
County superintendent of Schools
Gilpin, Supt. Lafayette Bliss, Judge
John NJ. Martin, Attorney Poirier
and others, the address by Supt.
Gilpin dealing largely with taxa
tion figures and showing the pros
pective hardship to which St. Louis
county taxpayers would be sub
jected should the mode of mine
taxation be changed to a tonnage
basis. The address by Supt. Bliss
was reduced to writing, and deals
clearly and concisely with every
phase of the proposition, and that
all may carefully study the ques-
ton and digest the noxious potions
to which they would be subjected
we reproduce his remarks in full
herewith. Judge Martin dealt to
degree with the legal status of
the proposition, and while contend.
ing that he does not see how the
Legislature can make it work to
apply the proposed tonnage tax
system to the iron output by
segregating that class of property
from all other property advised
that the people must be active to
thwart the evident intent of those
who, through ignorance of the situ-
! alton, would cut off the greater
source of Our local tax revenues,
| and solid opposition to the pro-
posed measures was asserted by
each speaker.
! Responsive to motion the chair
! appointed committee of four,
composed of Messrs. John NJ. Mar
tin, O. A. Poirier, S. w. Gilpin and
Lafayette Bliss to draft set of
resolutions for prosecution to the
| legislature, and committee of
three or more will be named later
to appear before the body in behalf
of the interests of our citizens in
the matter.
A committee of twelve, compris-
ing Mayor Eaton as Chairman,
Messrs. F. J. Hughes, W. E. Hanna
ford, D. +. Cuppernull, John NJ.
Martin, O. A. Poirier, c. B. Lenont,
L. Bliss, S. w. Gilpin, A. N. Thomp-
son, Edward Johnson, Jos. Roman
and John Costin, Jr., was also ap-
pointed to meet and confer with the
joint Legislative committee which
is billed to visit the range at an
early date. AS two St. Louis county
members are included in the per.
sonnel of this committee the people
of the ranges should certainly re:
ceive some encouragement at their
hands. +. NJ. Tredway, as president
of the Commercial Club, will also
be an ex-offcio member of this
committee, adding strength to the
method of placing the question be-
fore the visitors in proper light.
The meeting did not deal with
the possibility of an error in the
contention of the passage of the
amendment making possible these
radical changes in the taxation
laws, but considered the question
on the assumption that such law
had passed. 1t is more than pro.
bable, however, from the recount