The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-01-21
HITS THEM HARD
Anti-Pass Laws Make Legislators
Very Weary
MUST PAY AS THEY GO
Compelled to Lei 90 of Good Money
For Railroad Fare and Several
Other Things

ST. PAUL, Jan. 2O.-Thel anti-pass
law strikes the Legislators in more ways
than one. Among other things they
are finding out that the franks with
which the telephone companies pre-
sented them two years ago constitut-
ed substantial favor. Paying out
money Is very convincing. 1t is con-
ceivable that this may have it's effect
when the legislative committees come
to consider bills to regulate telephone
service. 1t would, I believe, also rc-
suit in making the house committee
more representative of the people and
better able to consider questions af-
fecting telephone companies without
bias If it was carefully reviewed by
the speaker, and persons interested
in or owners of telephone plants, ex-
cluded therefrom. In justice to the
people this ought to be done.
Questions relating to the taxation
of mineral properties and affecting
also the states interest in such prop
critics continue to absorb the atten-
ton of members of the legislature.
One important measure vests the right
to minerals under meandered lakes
in the state. Another proposes
the levying of a uniform tax of ten
FER cent on lessons of iron ore royal
ties. The objection to this is that the
tax So Tvied would prove inequal and
therefore unjust. For instance, the
royalties on the States iron lands
are at the rate of 25 cents ton on
the ore produced. On the other hand
the steel trusts contract with the
Great Northern Railwy company in
wolves royalties to three or four times
that amount, the ore in both cases
averaging approximately equal value.
Thus the more the mine owners paid
in royalties the more they would have
to pay in taxes which is manifestly
unjust.
The bill introduced up to the pres
ent time which best represents the
views of those who favor tonnage
tax was presented by Mr.. Bjorge. His
proposition to divide iron mines into
two classes, those yielding ores con-
tanning over 40 per cent iron to be
known rs class A, those mines pro-
ducing ores containing less than 49
ner cent iron to be known as class B.
The class B mines he would leave
to the operation of the present law.
The class A mines would also be sub
ject to assessment and taxation as at
present, with this important excep-
ton, that no advalorem tax should be
levied on them for State purposes.
Instead of that a specific tax of five
cents a ton would be exacted on all
iron ore produced. The tax in ,prac-
tice would, am told, apply to prac-
tically all ores mined In the Mesaba
range, it not being considered profit
able there under present conditions to
mine ores which have an iron con-
tent of less. than 40 per cent. A large
proportion of them are very much
richer than even go per cent iron.
Assuming that all ores mined and
shipped are over 49 per cent iron and
that the overage annual production
is 30,000, 900 tons. this tax would yield
to the State a revenue of $1,500. 900
annually instead of about 100000 as
at present. At the same time condi-
ttrrc ;r, Cf Tanuis countv wo,,ld mt he
materially changed. as mining prop
erty except ore mined would be sub
ject to assessment and taxation for
local purposes as at present. While
speaking Of this subject it may be