The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-20

They would oftentimes allow the farm
er lower grade and charge him with
more dockage than they themselves
terminal points This condition was in
tolerable and there arose cry for some
remedy and relief from such practices.
while was governor, with the aid of
Mr.. Clausen, then chief grain inspector,
and now secretary Of the Railroad and
for the inspection and regulation of
country elevators and grain ware
houses, and procured the introduction
co same hs
panies, but finally passed both houses
iy an marrow ar majority in each eas body It
erect August 9a 11pf 1888 TSis i law ' %as
some amended and enlarged in
some SON of its details and thus reenacted
1895. which is practically on the same
lines and of the same scope as the act
Of 1893. and is now the law governing
all country elevators. This law has
proved to be valuable and helpful to
the farmers marketing their grain at
a restraint upon the inclination Of the
agents operating these elevators to give
incorrect and undue weights and
grades. and to make unreasonable dock
harmony with, and are checked up by,
the grading and inspection at terminal
points, and any errors committed by
may further add in this connection that
this law has run the gauntlet of and
been sustained by the supreme court of
Ample provision has also been made by
legislation for the shipment of grain in
carload lots, for the construction and
operation Of elevators on or adjacent to
Of rot dc Gov
track connection with the same, for
suitable track connection between in
tersecting railroads to the end that cars
line to another. and for suitable load
ing platforms and cattle yards. AS
supplemental to, and in aid of. the laws
of grain at terminal and country eleva-
tors, the legislature has also provided
for q grain inspection board of three
and at pau TT to % eas of appe
may be taken and who have a regula-
tive voice and control in the matter Of
Prior to 1899 there was no law to
regulate and control commission mer-
chants dealing in farm products, and it
often happened that some of these mer-
est; and shippers were often defrauded
by some of these merchants and in con-
sequence often sustained great losses.
It was not easy for a farmer or shipper,
pass upon the credit or character Of the
merchant at the terminal, and it was
9 9fsInd difficult to determine the
To relieve farmers and shippers from
act, of April "A, 1899, for the licensing
chants. selling agricultural products on
commission, and placing them under
the jurisdiction and control of the Rail-
road and Warehouse Commission All
n WI T a xyfs
thus briefly called your attention, have
been enacted by Republican legislatures
and administered by Republican of
interest and to promote the welfare of
the farmers, the producers, and the
shippers of our state. No other state
and helpful code of laws relating to
the shipment and marketing of all kinds
of grain and country produce as that
of Minnesota. Our railroad laws and
our elevator and warehouse laws are
the first, the best, and the foremost in
the, entire country, models for other
agricultural states to follow.
me. to which 1 will briefly call your at
tention.
In 1903 an act was passed increasing
the the gross ross, earnings tax on RAILROADS DAD.
hitting the act for approval to vote of
law has been tested in the supreme
valid by that court. The legislature of
1898 by joint resolution appointed a
committee of three senator's and four
frauds committed in connection with
the sale. disposal or spoliation, of any
of the lands of the state, or the timber
were directed to make. a report upon
their investigation to the governor be-
fore the first day of January, 1895. AS
one of the results of this Investigation
Nd orf 1nc ic1o INV no
act of April 22.- 1895. most important
law prescribing with much detail the
methods for the appraisal and sale of
the same, and providing drastic pen
alties for timber trespassers and other
violations of the law. The act created
a board of timber commissioners con-
sisting of the governor, the auditor, and
the secretary of state. Before any pine
timber can be sold. the sale must be
authorized and approved by this board.
due notice, to the highest bidder. The
law gives treble damages in case of
wilful trespass and double damages in
other cases. Many suits have been in
the attorney general of the state under
the law to recover damage for timber
trespasses, and treble and double dam
ages in large amounts have been recov-
cred in number of cases. The validity
Of the law has been drawn in question
especially on account of its drastic pen
tanned by the supreme court Of the
United States.
Attorneys General Young and Simpson
deserve great credit for the vigor with
which they have so successfully prose-
cuted these very important cases. The
act Of 1895 has been amended and
strengthened by the supplemental act
of April II, 1908.
After passing other inheritance tax
laws. which had been held invalid by
the courts, the legislature finally passed
tax on inherftances and requests, and
prescribing the rate Of such taxes The
validity Of this law, like that of it's
predecessors, was questioned, but the
supreme court, and under it over one
million dollars in taxes have already
been collected. Through the efforts of
the present attorney general and the
state auditor portion of these taxes
have been collected from the estate of
non,residents. A notable case of this
kind Is that Of the estate. of John S.
Kennedy, of New York. who owned a
considerable amount Of stock in the
Great Northern Railway Company. Over
$345,000 were collected from this source
alone.
Under the state constitution, before
amended as hereafter mentioned, no
earnings Of railroads, and taxes for
local improvements, could be levied ex-
cept on the basis Of the assessment and
valuation of all kinds Of property. This
system was inelastic and failed to pro-
perly reach certain kinds of property
other methods. To obviate these and
other valid objections that were made.
the legislature passed the act of April
13, 1905. proposing an amendment for