The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-01-11

stituents rs honest men after all that has
occurred in this state during the last
ing disregarded the plain mandates thus
received from the people
In urging particularly the enactment of
the subject at much length. Ali the rea-
sons for the enactment Of such measure
are most thoroughly
THE demand for
legisla ton of this
character arises from the abuses which
caucus and convention system. The aim
OF this legislation is to overthrow the
party boss and dictator and to shake of
great potca OF upon fPe state
The great enterprises of to-day are car
ried on by artificial creations of law
Of corporations. Frequently they become
SO powerful that they attempt to fix and
control the prices of the necessaries of
ire III s the prices Ices; OF What the masses haHe aye
masses must buy in order to live.
we have come to the point where they
competition. and where they stubbornly
resist all attempts upon the part of the
laW-making power to check abuses of
Which Whsh they are guilty or to place them
the field OF politics for the purpose of
controlling the declarations Of political
ana the SclectlOU OF CanUludteS
for public Office and by many and divers
ways use their vast power to corrupt the
action of public officials
The political machine and the public
service corpora t1onS are in partnership
everywhere. The purpose of the primary
election In nominating a ticket Is to get
a strict expression of choice of candi-
dates from the people.
The duty Is upon you, gentlemen. with
all the light and assistance you can get.
to formulate and enact a practical and
nv
should be made effective by an emer-
gency clause. because it's enactment has
been demanded from authoritative
sources without conditions. Nearly nine
thousand of your constituents petitioned
for it's enactment and submission two
years ago. Its enemies were opposed to
submission then. This year every polit-
lcal organization in the state by over
whelming majorities in party conventions
has emphatically declared in favor not of
the enactment and submission of the law,
but In favor of the enactment of the law.
Its enemies who two years ago opposed
It's submission now attempt to defeat its
enactment with an emergency clause on
the plausible claim that the right to In
woke the referendum should not be
barred by such a clause.
Enemies of the referendum two years
ago may now-if they receive encourage
ment-pose as it's most Jealous defenders.
Under the cloak of pretense, however,
proposed law and desire to defeat the
demands made in party platforms by de-
lay and covert opposition. You were
commissioned not to enact a primary and
allow its enemies to suspend its effect
Tor two years. but to enact primary and
make it at once a live and effective stat
ute
The passage Of fellow servant law is
strongly recommended. as is also a law
regulating the hours OF labor of railway
The subject OF freight and passenger
rates is next taken up by the governor.
He saws:
"Under the law of 1897 the board OF
railway commissioners has full and COM
Freioht and Pas. plste power .nora; to make
inspection and in
Seh9er HdteS. vestigatiOn of ex
listing rates and TO
promulgate and enforce new schedule
rattle 1t is unfortunate that the board
has delayed action in the matter until
the last moment, and did not enter upon
It in time to give the results to the pub
lie before this legislature convened, so
that it might supplement- the action Of
the. board with any further legislation
that might appear necessary.
1T is to be- hoped that the board will
take action sufficiently early to- enable
you to thoroughly examine the results
and to take such further steps as the sit
uation may require.
The demand for revised rate sched-
ule is growing stronger and very thor
must be made by the board OF railway
commissioners at once. and a new sched-
ule promulgated with such reductions in
freight and passenger charges as present
conditions require Otherwise. the duty
OF taking the necessary steps Tor relief
win rest upon you"
that the law recurring railroads to build
connecting tracks at points of intersec-
ton is in need of amendment to make It
effective. The present law has been held
hv the supreme court to be invalid for
fatal uncertainty. The governor recom-
mends the enactment Of the Minnesota
l.,vu m, L., s~l
tanned by decision of the United States
supreme court
Our revenue laws are crude and in
adequate and the governor believes that
the time for action has come. He says:
"The franchise of public service corpor-
ations organized in this state and the
pess and to So,d 90 r"n 6usi
erty in this state
granted by it's laws to nonresident pub
lie service corporations are of verv great
value, and the law prescribing rule for
assessing the property OF these corpora
tions whose property is a kind possessed
Of marvellous earning power. omits all
and in fixing values. no reference is made
to increased value Of that part + the
erty of these companies lying within
towns and Cities where they nave del IS.
machine shops, enlarged grounds, side
tracks, general offices and personal prop
erty OF great value.
1.-THE statements which railway compa-
IASS OaV tSNAiiON W 80 - c>.AS
for an assessment omit all side. passing
and switching tradks, warehouse lots
and terminal, grounds and franchises.
The assessment must be made by fixing
the value per mile of the main line and
branches and by a pro rata distribution
per mile Of such assessment among the
counties through which the road passes.
'The state board levies all the tax
which Is at all levied upon the property of
telegraph telephone, express and sleeping
car companies in the state.
THE statute says that the tax so levied
shall be equal to the average assessment
of the state, county. school and municipal
taxes levied upon other property for the
preceding wear. and shall be apportioned
by the state treasurer between the state
and the various counties IN which the
company 50 assessed is doing business.
the amount to which each cocnty is en-
titled being determined by the state board
Of equalization The statute does not au-
thOrize the board to include the average
equivalent Of the road tax levied upon
other property the preceding year. At this
time when a cry Is coming up from all
over the state for better roads, these cer-
porations are enjoying absolute immunity
from road taxes. 1t is q well known fact
that local assessors fail to assess moneys
and credits and q vast amount OF property
never gets upon the tax rolls.
The law enacted two years ago, giving
tn hrNo r~7