Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-04-29

commended a royalty tax on the "Htr?'t of these mines. He did not gel il, bat the United States Steel corpo"atiuH bound itself as q substitute to eStah'i~h a S2O,OOO.OOO steel plant at Duluth
 The newly created tax commission together with the state board of equal iZation. which preceded it Uhe mem bers of which were appointed by Gov crnor johnsom, have ill the four years of Governor Johnson'S administration increased the assessed valuation of the steel corporations iron ore holdings iI Minnesota from $32 100000 to Sl9o,- 100000
 The sleeping car computes of hlia nesota had never paid taxes in MinEc- sota in proportion to their earnings, The governor recommended q change in the system of taxing these conpa- nies, and a satisfactory law was en- acted. Similarly a rational law as to mortgage taxation was enacted. I Railway Regulation.
 Taking up freight rates, Governor Johnson in q powerful speech so eS haustively and conclusively barred ex-
 
 that the railway companies voluntarily W3de a reduction of 10 per cent on grain rates on their lines in northern Minnesota. By order of the railway commission, re-enforced by subsequent legislation, this voluntary reduction was followed by a horizontal reduc- tion in maximum freight rates of about 13 per cent. and there was created q new class of merchandise tariff in which the rates were reduced about 20 per cent. The railways took these re- ductions into the United States courts by cnioi0ing the attorney general of Minnesota from enforcing the law. This action has opened tip some of the most imHortant litigation involving constitutional interpretation that h2> come before the supreme court in this generation.
 The Two Cent Law.
 Tnc enactment of thc two cent pas senger tariff law was an example of Governor ,Iohnson's celebrity of action Invited to address the Minnesota E,Gi toriaI association. instead of making the usual platitn1nnuS address on such oecasiahS "ne exploded the two cent t,o.nb, aud urged that an rild be put to the giving of llsses. !le talked Oh the same .u1.,tct 10 a con> Clifton ui commercial tr;tN r'rt% lmmelliatr!y he state was allamc with tkis innovation in railway legislation. When ,hr !cgs lat,!Yc met he asked for |! law euhod3. ing this idea. an, he legiSiatur, iulc. ly responded Ntighhori,l2 StatcS t"i lowed with reductions. and HOW throughout the middle northwest the two cent rate prevails.
 About the time Governor Johnson came into office there was q wide spread agitation for reciprocal demur- rage laws which would compel rail ways 10 allow shippers demurra@e charges for failure 10 deliver ears on time. Governor Johnson. ever abreast of popular progress. recommended such d law and got it.
 Thanks to his initiative. the orders of the Minnesota railroad and ware house commission are now immediate ly effective pending appeal.
 In Defense of Labor.
 Governor Johnson, in consonance with his thorough democracy and be- Iieving ill equal rights. has not been neglectful of the interests of labor He desired a free state employment bu rcau designed to eliminate the many abuses that have marked private em- ployment bureaus in the great labor centers of Minnesota. Such a bureau was created and has been thoroughly helpful and widely efficient.
 Since time immemorial that relic of fcudalism. the common law doctrine Of nonliability of employer to employec for injuries occurring through the negli- gence of fellow servant. has prevail ed in Minnesota as well as in many other states. This ancient rule of the common law" said Governor Johnson, coupled with the other rule generally referred to as the doctrine of the as sumption of risk by employees. has cast upon the individual laborer risk and responsibility out of proportion to the wages he receives"
 During his term of office Governor Johnson has had to deal with one great conflict between labor and capi. tal-namely. the strike of the miners , on the Minnesota iron ranges By di. rect personal intervention, by advice to the employers on the one hand and the strikers on the other. the governor succeeded, without the use Of state troops, in preventing violence and bloodshed.
 In the forests and praires of north, ern Minnesota ale great eNtents of fertile lands which, owing to lack of drainage, have not been available for cultivation. Thanks to Governor John son, additional legislation on this sub ject was secured. and hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land will be added to the rolls of the states wealth.
 Governor Johnson believes in. the