The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-01
ome from the wealth Of the prIvateI,


come from the wealth OF the privately
owned iron mines. The governor
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 n substitute tc
establish s200O0,0 900 steel plant al
Duluth
The newly created tax commission
together with the state board of equal
ization. which preceded 1t (the mem
bers of which were appointed by
Governor Johnson), have in the four
years of Governor Johnson's admins
tration increased the assessed valua
tion of the steel corporations iron ore
holdings in Minnesota from S32, 900, ,00C
to $190,000,00O.
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, n rational law as to mort
BdBe ldAdtlOn was cndCtCu.
Railway Regulation.
Taking up freight rates, Governor
Johnson in q 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
IL per cent, and there was created
a 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.
eral OF Minnesota from enforcing the
law. This action has opened up some
of the most important litigation in.
volving constitutional Interpretation
that has come before the supreme
court In this generation.
The Two.cent Law.
The enactment of the two.cent mas
senger tarin law was an example OF
Governor J0hnsoas celerity of action
Invited to address the Minnesota Edi.
torial association, instead of making
the usual platitudinous address ON
such occasions, "he exploded the two,
cent bomb and urged that an end be
put to the giving of passes. lie talked
on the same subject to q convention
of commercial travellers. Immediate
ly the state was aflame with this limo
vation in railway legislation. When
the legislature met, he asked for law
embodying this idea and the leglsla.
ture quickly responded. Neighborine
states followed with reductions, and
now throughout the middle northwest
the two.cent rate prevails
About the time Governor Johnson
came into Office there was wide
spread agitation for reciprocal demur
rage laws, which would compel rail
ways to allow shippers demurrage
charges for failure to deliver cars on
time. Governor Johnson, ever abreast
OF popular progress, recommended
such law and got It.
Thanks to h.3 lA.....,yc, tho orders
OF the Minnesota Railroad and Ware.
house commission are now immediate,
~ effective, pending appeal.
In Defense of Labor.
Governor Johnson, in consonance
with his thorough democracy, and
believing in equal rights, has not been
neglectful OF the interests of labor. He
desired a free state employment bu,
reau designed to eliminate the many
abuses that have marked private EN-.
ployment bureaus In the great labor
centers OF Minnesota. Such a bureau
was created and has been thoroughly
helpful and widely efficient.
Since time immemorlal. that relic
OF feudalism, the common law doc.
tdne of non-liability of employer to
employe for injuries occurring
through the negligence of a fellow.
servant has prevailed in Minnesota. as
well as In many other states. This
ancient rule Of the common law" said
GOV Johnson, coupled with the other
rule generally referred to as the doc.
trine OF the assumption of risk by
employees, has cast upon the indiyid
ual laborer risk and responsibility
out OF proportion to the wages he re-.
ceives."
During his term Of office Gov. John.
son has had to deal with one great
conflict between labor and capital
namely, the strike of the miners ON
the Minnesota iron ranges. BY direct
personal intervention, by advice to the
employers ON the one hand and the
strikers on the other the governor sue.
ceeded, 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 land, which, owing to lack of
drainage, have not been available TO,
cultivation. Thanks TO Gov. johnson
additional legislation on this subject
was secured, and hundreds of thor
sands of acres Of fertile land win b
added to the rolls OF the state
wealth