Morris tribune., 1909-03-27
TONNAGE TAX
NOT IMPROBABLE.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT WILL
INFLUENCE SENATORS
Tax Commission States That
1t Will Assess Property at
Its Full Cash Value and
the Legislature is in Guam
Diary Joker in the Street
Car Bill.

NaF DILL
(Heatwole's Legislative Letter..
st. Paul, March 24.-It is not at all
improbable that the ore mined in Min
nesota in 1909 will be taxed on ton
mage basis. While the bill barely
squeezed through the house it is the
general opinion in the State capitol
that public sentiment in it's favor is
growing. With that public sentiment
senators seeking re- election or ambi-
tion for even higher honors, and there
are not few, are believed to be keep
ing in close touch. On this assump-
ton the passage of the Bjorge bill is
freely predicted, and the sincere
advocates of it, and there are quite a
number of them in that body, are in
clined to be jubilant over the prospect.
1t is now pointed out that ma
jority of the Democratic representa-
tives in the house were among the
supporters of the Bjorge bill, although
some of them had been counted upon
as being certainly opposed to it and
are represented as having pledged
themselves to the St Louis delegation
to aid in it's defeat. While by some
their change of heart is attributed to
the PERSISTENT campaign for the ton
mage tax made by Representatives
Fitzpatrick of Olmstead and sCarley
of Wabasha, it is now alleged that
where obstacles were met they ap-
pealed to the Kitchen Cabinet to bring
pressure to bear upon wavering mem
bers and did not appeal in vain. The
assertion is made, and it finds ready
credence, that the prevailing Demo
cratic attitude was due quite as much
to a desire on the part of those high
in the confidence of the governor to
get even with leading officials of the
steel trust, who made an active and
effective campaign in St. Louis county
against Governor Johnson as to de-
termination to carry out the promises
made in the Democratic platform. +
Some surprise is expressed in ST.
Paul at the announcement made hard
on the heels of the passage of the
tonnage tax bill in the house that 10.
seph M. Cotton had resigned his po-
sition as attorney for the United
States Steel corporation, and there is
an inclination to consider these events
in connection. Mr.. Cotton has for
some years been the political agent of
the steel trust, and is. believed to
have planned its legislative campaign
this year and to have prepared the
brief presented against the tonnage
tax bill on behalf of the st. Louis del
egation by Mr.. Congdon. Evidently,
people say, the steel trust have no
further use for political agent who
has proved incapable of manipulating
legislative body which he was given
carte blanche to control.
1t is not yet known who will have
the charge of the tonnage tax bill in
the senate, but it is believed the
choice lays between Senators Gunder-
son and Clague, both of whom pos
sess in high degree the confidence
and respect of the membership of that
body. Neither of them has exhibited
partisanship, and Democrats who fa-
vor the tonnage tax would be glad of
the opportunity to cooperate with
them.
The senate by narrow margin has
decided to establish normal school
at Cass Lake, and the measure is up
to the house, which has already ex-
pressed itself in favor of that village,
for final action. The opponents claim
that they will beat the bill, having
recruited their strength since the last
vote was taken I doubt this. The |
only change I have heard of is in |
Cass Lakes favor. This Cass Lake |
bill is in charge of couple of the
shrewdest politicians at the capitol,
and feel sure that confidence in Mr. |
McCarry's ability to engineer the bill
through the house is not entirely un-
warranted. At all events he is work
ing and scheming for it every work
hour with zeal and earnestness
worthy of larger, if not a better
cause.