West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-05-07

were largely I'm the hands OF tho Unit-
ed States Steel corporation. and the
state was receiving only an insignifi-
cant income from its royalties. The
governor advised the Withdraw wal of
all such lands from mineral leases, and
the legislature concurred.
Minnesota has enjoyed but scant In
como from the wealth or the privately
owned iron mines. The governor rec
commended royalty tax on the output
OF these mines. lie did not get Il. but
the United States Steel corporation
bound itself MS a substitute to establish
n $2OOOOOO0 steel plant Mt Duluth.
The newly created tax commission.
together with the state board OF equal
ization. which preceded II Cthe mem.
bers OF which were appointed by Gov.
ernor Johnsonj. have I'm the four years
OF Governor Johnson's administration
increased the assessed valuation OF the
steel corporations iron ore holdings In
Minnesota from 32.OoO.O0o to $780,.
oO0Sp
The sleeping ear companies OF Min.
nesota had never paid taxes In Mime
sofa In proportion TO their earnings.
The governor recommended n change
In the system OF taxing these compa-
nles. and satisfactory law was en-.
acted. Similarly rational law ms TO
mortgage taxation was enacted.
Railway Regulation.
Taking up freight rates. Governor
Johnson I'm n powerful speech 30 ex.
haustlvely and conclusively barred ex.
isting unequal aud rxorbltant rates
that the railway companies voluntarily
made reduction OF 10 per cent OH
grain rates on their lines In northern
Minnesota. by order OF the railway
commission. REINFORCED by subsequent
legislation. this voluntary reduction
was followed 10y II horizontal rcduc.
ton In maximum freight rates OF about
l3 per cent. aud there Was created a
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 enjoining the attorney general of
Minnesota from enforcing the law.
This action has opened up some of the
most important litigation involving
constitutional Interpretation STAT has
come before the supreme court in this
generation.
Tho Two Cent 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 Ed
torial association. instead OF making
the usual platitudlnous address on such
occasions, "he exploded the two cent
bomb" and urged that an end be put to
the giving OF passes. he talked on
the same subject to n convention of
commercial travellers. immediately the
state was afame with this innovation
In railway legislation. When the legls.
lature met lie asked for law embody-
Ing this idea. and the Legislature quick
ly responded. Neighborlng states fol-
lowed with reductions, and now
throughout the middle northwest the
two cent rate prevails.
About the time Governor johnson
came into Office there was n wide
spread agitation for reciprocal demur-
rage laws which would compel rail.
ways to allow shippers demurrage
charges for failure TO deliver cars OH
time. Governor Johnson. ever abreast
OF popular progress. recommended such
a 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-
lieving In equal rights. has not been
neglectful OF the interests of labor He
desired q free state employment bu-
reau designed TO eliminate the many
abuses that have marked private en-
ployment bureaus in the great labor
centers or Minnesota. Such a bureau
was created aud has been thoroughly
helpful and widely efficient
Since time immemorial that relic of
feudallsm, the common law doctrine of
nonliability of employer TO employee
for injuries occurring through the negIl-
gence of fellow servant, has prevail
ed In Minnesota as well as I'm many
other states. "Thls 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 a 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 capt.
tal-namely. the strike OF the miners
on the Minnesota iron ranges. BY d.
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 prairies OF north
ern Minnesota are great extents OF
fertile lands which,. owing to lack OF
drainage. have not been available for
cultivation. Thanks to Governor John
son, additional legislation on this SUBJ
/ Ject was secured, and hundreds of
thousands Of acres OF fertile land will
DO added TO the rolls OF the states
wealth.
Governor johnson believes in the
municipal ownership of public utilities.
and, following his suggestion. a modi.
fed form OF the Illinois Mueller law
was adopted by the Minnesota Iegisla-
| ture. Under its provisions n municipal
| ity may bond its street railways or
| other public utilities TO pay the cost OF
D aas.Naa