Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-01-16

placed upon the properties by the COM
panies themselves for practical CONNER
cial purposes.
IRON ORE RoYALTvrAx.
-, IN Under the new constitutional amend
your duty, to provide some system Of tax
alton which will give the State at least
an approximately fair share Of its just
Weaap nGo from this great iron
1t occurs *Se to me, would be an income tax
on the ROYALTIES or mineral rights. which
are not now listed for taxation.
se,5oo,oo Of royalties estimated to have ave
peer Deen 31 received by fee holders of Mime
sofa sofa, from iron lands during the year 1906
10 per cent tax would net $3.50, 600.
A royalty tax, were the total thereof
ent tonnage Of $4,000, 900 tons shipped
net sl,25O,00O, or somewhat exceed the
present tax revenue derived from direct
ia Of tangible property. This royal
sesa e. e to ota e s sata e s
intangible property or rights of mining
companies and fee holders; leaving the
greet 81 e. realty tax, as now, for the support
=, AS much Of the inequality arising from
the application of the tax laws is due
to. nethcient machinery for assessment.
you may find the following change worth
your consideration, namely, the abolition
of the office of assessor in cities, villages
and towns. and in their place establish
either q tax commissioner for the county.
or in the larger counties. a tax commits
sion of three or five persons, to be am
ployed annually with a view Of the proper
listing Of property and the better equal
lzation of existing values
Taxation of sleeping car and telephone
companies on gross earning basis is
TAXATION OF EXPRESS COMPANIES.
Your attention is directed to the feast
;a and .propriety Of making change
companies: Our statute now provides for
the taxation Of express companies, based
on 6. per cent Of the receiptsson business
tSe n p ehs S te ssg
tor the transportation Of freight within
the state: This practically makes the
rat rate o OF taxation Of express companies
SO per cent Of the revenue. Express com
panles do not include, any proportion Of
b the earniq 4Es or receipts on
mates in and terminates outside ,of Min
nesota, and vice versa, and business pass
ing through the state Railroads doing
business nrnma,t IN this state pay per cent on
On mira state earnings, and I believe
Minnesota IS the only state where the
statute st provides for the collection Of taxes
ance. after deducting the amount paid
to railroads. Express companies should
not t; be treated differently from other COM
practical to take the total earnings of the
express companies and ascertain Mime
sofas proportion of such revenue for
taxation taxation purposes based on the ratio of
companies which the. mileage bears to
the total operated mileage; or, in lieu of
some som such provision. adopt the excise
Plan obtaining In the state Of Ohio with
which reference has already been made.
to LICENSE TAX ON CORPORATIONS.
Your attention is likewise respectfully
called to the following resolution of the
state board of equalization adopted Oct
4, 1906: in favor of levying an annual Ii
of which heartily concur:
"RESOLVED. BY the state board Of
equalization tT that the governor is respect
law. by the next legislature fixing an
annual license fee of, say, So, for each
and every corporations. whether local or
foreign, doing business in the state Of
Of failure to pay said. annual fee, the
offending corporation be barred from
the courts Of this state: and their char
ter ter be considered s;. annuled. said license
Zee when paid to be accompanied by the
address Of the principal office. the names
OF the officers and the amount Of capital
PAID pal d. in Of said aid, corporation: The fees
arising to be paid to state treasurer and
be covereds into the state general fund.-
STATE DEPARTMENT OF MINES.
BY reason Of the vast interests of the
state In mines and mineral properties. I
herewith submit to you the advisability Of
organizing new state department devot-
position Of state commissioner of mines,
giving such official powers and duties
similar to those of the commissioners of in
surance. labor. railroads and warehouses,
ivy md MN Cab A.
perintendent Of banks. TO this depart
ment might be entrusted the enforcement
Of the state mine inspection and regula-
resources Of the state school and other
public lands. the protection Of the states
interests Sin iron ore royalties and min
era! contracts and leases. as well as the
general information in regard to the min
ing industries and mineral resources Of
the state for the aid and use of the state
legislative and various executive depart
ments. :"
The fact that Minnesota today holds
reserve OF the United States. and that
stitutions have greater mine mineral Ru Roidings
than those of any other, state in the
Union, show the propriety and public
value Of such department to- the state,
the necessity Of additional state execu-
tive authority and machinery in the reg
ulation and protection Of its mineral In
terests. - ~ - -
= MINERAL LEASES. r.
The state has large area Of land con-
leased on terms out Of propor t ITO 70 JUST t
and proper conditions. The statute now
provides that from all iron ore taken
from state lands, the state shall receive
ton to be, reckoned at 2,240 pounds. i. In
the light ct the leases made between pri-
xate parties this fixed sum is an absurd
ity: ana a, should be changed without fur.
BY the United States Steel Company to
the owners Of land on the Masabi range
Is Is more than 81 cents per ton. and upon
55nf Iii, f ef hats
negotiated a lease with private parties at
IS cents per ton, with q contract, to mine
not less than 10000 tons per year. An
important lease sim more recently has.
royalty. and this Is likely to he the
Masabl range basis for the future. Irl
view OF this condition, the state cannot
posnr is s. rdn tRs Rt9b's a
less than that paid to private individuals.
7 would suggest that the provisions OF the
law /. be CHANGED AZ fixing minimumsroyalty
per ton, and authorizing a board COM
sisting Of the governor, attorney general
and the state auditor to- dispose Of min-5
bidder without fixing q maximum price. 81
law. Rather than to con tinue issuing min.
eral leases at the price now Fixed Z 1Dys
law, 1t would; be better Iar to withdraw
al. state mineral lands from the market
OF securing to successive general Ions rs
fair share OF this rich heritage with Which
by nature we have been endowed
RAILRoAp5 EEGIsLATIo
No problem Won have to-