The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-04-13

come from the wealth OF the privater
owned iron mines. The governo
recommended a royalty tax on the out
put of these mines, He did not get il
but the United States Steel Corpora
ton bound itself as substitute (,
establish a s20.000,00O steel plant a
Duluth.
The newly created tax commission
together with the state board of euual
| ization, which preceded it (the mem
bers OF which were appointed by
Governor Johnson), have in the foul
years OF Governor Johnson's admins
! tration increased the assessed valua.
tion OF the steel corporations iron ore
| holdings in Minnesota from s32, 600, coo
to $4,000 900.
The sleeping-car companies of Min.
nesota had never paid taxes in Min
nesota in proportion to their earnings
The governor recommended a change
in the system Of taxing these compan.
les and a satisfactory law was enacted.
Similarly, rational law as to mort
gage taxation was enacted.
Railway Regulation.
Taking up freight rates. Governor
Johnson in powerful speech SO ex-
haustively and conclusively barred ex.
listing unequal and exorbitant rates
that the railway companies voluntarily
made reduction of ten per cent. on
grain rates on their lines in northern
Minnesota. BY order of the railway
commission, reinforced by subsequent
legislation, this voluntary reduction
was followed by a horizontal reduc.
ton In maximum freight rates of about
ID per cent, and there was created
new class of merchandise tariff in
which the rates were reduced about
20 per cent. The railways took these
reductions into the United States
courts. by enjoining the attorney gen.
erai OF Minnesota from enforcing the
law. This action has opened up some
OF the most important litigation in
Volying constitutional Interpretation
mat has come before the supreme
court in this generation.
''N "S-SNHk Law
The enactment of the two-cent pas.
senger tariff law was an example Of
Governor Johnson's celebrity of action.
Invited TO address the Minnesota Edi.
.orial association, instead of making
the usual platitudinous address on
such occasions, he exploded the two.
,ent bomb and urged that an end be
put to The giving of passes. He talked
)n the same subject to q convention
II commercial travellers. Immediate
Y the state was ahame with this limo
alton in railway legislation. When
ne legislature met, he asked for law
'mbodying this idea and the legisls.
ure quickly responded. Neighboring |
tates followed with reductions. ana |
low throughout the middle northwest
ne two-ceRt rate prevails.
About the time Governor Johnson
anne into office there was a wide
pread agitation for reciprocal dem,r.
age laws, which would compel rail.
'ays to allow shippers demurrage
harges for failure to deliver cars on
ine. Governor Johnson, ever abreast
popular progress, recommended
ach a law and got it,
Thanks 10 his initiative. the orders
the Minnesota Railroad and Ware.
nnse commission are now immediate.
effective, pending appeal
In Defense of Labor.
Governor Johnson, in consonance
18th his thorough democracy. and
'lieying in equal rights. has not been
2glectfnl of the interests Of labor. He
'slred free state employment bl-
an designed to eliminate the many
uses that have marked private en-.
oyment bureaus in the great labor
nters OF Minnesota Such a bureau
as created and has been thoroughly
'lpful and widely efficient.
Since time immemorial, that relic
feudalism, the common law doc.
inc Of non-liability of employer 10
nploye for injuries occurring
rough the negligence Of fellow. I
rvant has prevailed in Minnesota. as
FL as in many other states. This {
Client rule of the common law" said
" Johnson, coupled with the other
lie generally referred to as the doc.
me OF the assumption of risk bv 6
lployes, has cast upon the indiyid-
] laborer a risk and responsibility
I of proportion to the wages he re- 7
ives"
D@ing his term OF office Gov. John
n has had 10 deal with one great
niiict between labor and CAPITAL -
mcy Ire lttibe of the mlne-s on IS
2 MiE21'c'l IRON ranges. BY direct s.
rsonal Intervention. by advice to the ri
Iployers on the one hand and the
ikers on the other the governor sac
1ded, without the use of state troops. =
preventing violence and bloodshed.
n the forests and prairies of north
Minnesota are great extents OF
tile land, which. owing to lack ot
image have not been available for
tivation. Thanks to Gov johnson.
iltional legislation on this subject
5 secured. and hundreds Of thou.
IDS Of acres OF fertile land Will be
led TO the rolls of the states
alth.
iOv. Johnson believes In Tho ,,,,,,;