The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-04-22
BRATO, GOYERNOR JOHNSON.

mage tax bill. True, in exercising the
veto power conferred upon him by
the constitution he simply performed
his plain duty. Had he done less he
would have been recreant to his oath
of Office. Nevertheless he is entitled
to great praise for his courage in re-
fusing to give his assent to a measure
that had been demanded by his party
in it's platform, measure that he
himself had formerly Indirectly advo-
Gated, when he became convinced that
the measure in question was wrong in
principle and would injuriously affect
the material interests of thousands of
his fellow-citizens in northeastern
Minnesota. Governor johnson has
demonstrated that he is big enough
to rise above party, that his mental
vision is not obscured by sectional
lines and that he can consider legisla-
tion from state wide viewpoint.
There may be some who will condemn
the governors action, small-souled
individuals who will accuse him of
being actuated by sinister motives,
but time will justify his course and in
the meantime he will not lack for de-
tenders.
! The u n i has criticized many of
Governor Johnson's utterances and
official acts in the past and doubtless
will in the future, but we meant what
We said when we wired him this mes
sage on Tuesday noon: GAS a citi-
zen of Minnesota, with all my heart I
congratulate you on your brave
action.''
While demagogues may denounce
the governor he has made for himself
thousands of new friends in north
eastern Minnesota who are not of the
forgetting kind.
We would like to publish the
governors lengthy veto message in
full, but the four principal reasons
set forth below must SUFFICE:
"First, Notwithstanding the able
and sincere labor bestowed upon it by
it's author, Mr.. Bjorge, the bill re-
mains, both in principle and admins
trative features, more or less un-
certain and ill-digested experiment,
not fully understood even by it's
friends, and intensely feared by the
sections of the state to which it spe-
cially applies, while in application it
threatens to violate the fundamental
principle of taxation, that of equali-
ty, at the same time that it fails to
meet the constitutional requirement of
uniformity in taxing the same class
of subjects. ~. .:. ...--.
"ESecond, it is certain that the
moral, industrial and practical effect
of the bill, if made law at this time,
will be to strike a severe blow at the
development and prosperity of all the
great mineral-bearing counties of
Northeastern and North Central Min
nesota, affecting alike the agricul-
tural, manufacturing, commercial,
financial and educational growth and
success, as we'll as the settlement of all
our northern lands, both public and
private, and the investment of both
home and foreign capital therein.
Third, the passage of the proposed
tonnage tax measure at this time,
when both it's provisions and the
principle upon which it is based, are
SO little understood and indeed so
generally misunderstood, has plunged
the whole subject of taxation under
the new state constitutional amend
ment into sea of political and sec
tional feeling and prejudice, which
not only makes just, efficient and
scientific measure impossible of enact
ment at this time, but threatens Sec
tional hatreds which may disrupt and
endanger the future best DEVELOPMENT
of our great commonwealth, besides
making the subject of just taxation the
mere football of partisan and Sec
tional politics.
Fourth, Minnesota is achieving
marked success in the assessment and
taxation of iron ore lands under the
present ad valorem system; so that
there is no urgent and vital public
need of measure of this kind at this
time, and nothing to prevent the state
from taking ample time under the
provisions of the new constitutional
amendment, and with the aid of the
state tax commission, to work out a
| system OF taxation on a thoroughly