Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1907-01-11
proper listing of property and the bet

proper listing of property and the BET
ter equalization of existing values.
The governor then declares that
sleeping car companies, telephone
companies and express companies 90
not pay their just proportion of taxes
and suggests some different system 0I
taxation and he also recommends
semi-annual payment of railroad taxes.
Evasion Of Personal Taxes.
While on this subject Of taxation
would call your attention to the IN
efficiency of the present personal tax
system and the necessity of a consld'
Grafton of providing for some reason
able method of the taxation Of credits
generally, including stocks and bonos
and moneys, all of which are pre-
sumed under our present law to pear
proportion Of the burden OF taxatlon'
but which have almost entirely es-
all personal property in the state OF
Minnesota, as returned by the asses
sors in 1906, was approximately S17o,-
100000. During this same time there
was on deposit in the banks OF Mime
sofa over 65,0O0,000 in money alone.
1t is clear that there has been gen.
eral failure to make proper return OF
the personal property schedules. 1t Is
recognized fact that the man VINO
does not pay into the treasury that
which belongs in the public treasury
is in the same class as the man who
would take out of the public treasury
that which does not belong to him.
Various suggestions have been made
as to the best method of reaching this
class Of property and some students
Of taxation have recommended grad
uated income tax. If this is attempted
it should be approached very cautious
~ because of the fact that under any
system of taxing incomes reliance
would have to be largely upon the
statement of the person taxed and
even under the most rigid and honest
administration of the law there would
be the usual evasion by false returns
and thus be a fruitful source Of per-
jury and result finally in system that
would be unequal in its operation ana
bear more heavily upon the honest
than the dishonest. However, the sub
ject of graduated income tax is
worthy Of your most careful and hon.
est consideration.
State Department Of Mines.
BY reason of the vast interests Of
the state in mines and mineral prop
critics I herewith submit to you the
advisability of organizing a new state
department devoted to that subject
and the creation of the position OF
state commissioner of mines, giving
such official powers and duties sim
liar to those Of the commissioners Of
insurance, labor, railroads and ware
houses, dairy and food, game and fish,
or the superintendent of banks. TO
this department might be entrusted
spection and regulation laws, the ex-
animation of the mineral resources of
the state school and other public lands,
the protection of the states interests
in iron and royalties and mineral con-
tracts and leases, as we'll as the main
tenance of bureau of statistics and
general information in regard to the
sources Of the state for the aid and
use of the state legislative and various
executive departments.
The state has a large area Of land
containing iron ore and in the past
has leased on terms wholly out of
proportion to just and proper condi-
lions. The statute now provides that
from all iron ore taken from state
lands the state shall receive a fixed
royalty of rs cents per ton, each ton
to be reckoned at 2,240 pounds. In
the light of the leases made between
private parties this fixed sum is an
absurdity and should be changed
without further delay. I would sug-
gest that the provisions of the law be
changed, fixing minimum royalty on
state leases of not less than so cents
per ton, and authorizing a board con-
s1st1ng OF the governor, attorney gen.
eral and the state auditor to dispose
of mineral leases at public auction to
the highest bidder without fixing
maximum price by law.
Railroad Legislation.
No problem with which you have to
deal is of more vital concern to you
and the people you represent than that
OF railway transportation and proper
adjustment of transportation rates.
Some idea of the Importance of this
question to the people of the state
may be gathered from the fact that
the total gross earnings of railroads
within the state of Minnesota, as re.
ported by the companies to the rail-
road and warehouse commission for
the year ending July 81, 1906, was
$81 ,619 ,640.S5. The relative impor-
lance of this matter may be more
clearly understood when we realize
that the total gross earnings in Min
nesota is over so per cent of the esti-
mated farm productions of 1906. The
basis OF our wealth is agriculture and
the total estimated agricultural prod