Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-03-30
VOTE Eyes" ON ALL The AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY CHARTER
THE C0NSERVA-
TI0N CONGRESS.

llUN CUNUkEOO.
Hon. Thos. J. Meighen. of Pres
ton. gave out the following inter-
view regarding the Conservation
Congress. and which was printed
in the St. Paul Daily News of
March 20:
"The Minnesota Conservation con-
gress was a farce.
''There is nothing left in the
state which the interests have not
gobbled up to conserve.
''The congress ignored the SUBJ
ject Of greatest Importance to the
state, namely that of taxes.
1.-The committee on resolutions
was packed by members from the
northern part of the state and the
Twin Cities, so that this matter
would not be considered.
1.-THE only way Minnesota can
conserve anything at this late date
is to get back in taxes from the steel
trust somewhere near an equitable
return on the ore being taken out.
and by fair tax on lumber, now
that the forests are almost gone.
"The so-calIed conservation con-
gress' was nothing more nor less
than a lot of hot air and an attempt
to throw dust in the eyes of the
people,
This is the way Thomas J.
Meighen, Forestville, MINI. former
member of the state board of equali-
zation, sizes up the conservation
congress that came to an end at the
Auditorium Saturday evening.
Mr.. Meighen attended the various
sessions of the congress and attempt
ed to take part in Saturday. after
Moons meeting to suggest including
some recommendations as to taxes,
when he was waved aside, together
with resolutions bearing on the SUBJ
ject of taxation, which he desired
the congress to consider,
It was while M. Nj. Williams,
recently appointed member of the
regents Of the state university, was
presiding that Mr.. Meighen
attempted to bring up the matter of
taxation.
There Is matter of deepest con-
Germ to the welfare Of the state"
said Mr.. Meighen, addressing the
chairman, (which believe is not
touched upon in the resolutions pre-
sented by the committee on resolu-
lions. | should like to be informed
if this is correct, If the matter of
taxes is given any place on the reso-
buttons,
MIR. Melghen held the floor for a
moment, while Chairman Williams
replied slowly:
IF the gentleman wishes to see
the resolutions he may step upon
the stage and examine them.' then
proceeded with the order Of business
next.
Mr.. Meighen took this to be his
quietus and pressed the matter on
further, subsiding in his seat, with
the resolution concerning state
tonnage tax for the Iron Range
mines. and a tax on cut lumber,
instead Of tax on standing trees.
Speaking of the incident after the
meeting Mr.. Meighen said:
1T is a mystery to me how people
can be so deluded by the 'hot air.
of this conservation congress. 1t
has been nothing more than blind.
Speakers from everywhere have dis
cussed big subjects in oratorical
flights, and the auditors have
applauded.
cts bowling farce. There isn't
anything left in Minnesota to con-
serve The steel trust has control
of the mines. and the timber barons
have taken the forests. Just dust
to blind the people. that's what the
whole thing amounts to.
with what / believe to be an
avowed purpose, the congress has
ignored the subject of taxes, when
as matter of fact, it is only by
taxation the state can get anything
back from the interests which
have gobbled up and taken perman-
ent possession of every natural re-
source Of any value in the state.
IF this congress wanted to really
benefit the state, why not command
a tonnage tax on ore from state
mines and tax on lumber after it
is cut. As things now stand the
tax on standing timber is a premium
on razing the forests.
During the earlier part of the
congress there were many farmers
in attendance, but when the reso-
lutions, which ignored the subject
Of greatest importance to the state,
were adopted, it was largely a
gathering Of Twin City and Iron
Range delegates who hurrahed when
the resolutions were adopted.
otis all right to talk about rota-
ton of crops and tell farmers how