The Princeton union., 1911-02-16

tionality. In view of the proposed
one-mill tax for good roads there is
less reason at this time for the pas
sage of a tonnage tax bill than there
was two years ago. Towards this tax
the iron properties will necessarily
make a very large contribution. Nor
is there now any longer any question
that within comparatively short
time extensive iron works will be es-
tablished at Duluth which will make
the state an important center of the
iron industry, and Indirectly prove
at least of as great benefit to the state
at large as the levying of a tonnage
tax could. Conservative men in the
legislature, at all events, seem gen.
orally to regard, for the reasons l
have stated and others, the present
time inopportune for an attempt to
pass tonnage tax bill even we're it
made in good faith. The probability,
therefore, that anything can be done
in the matter is remote.
To add to the troubles of the CASH
man distance tariff bill, the railroad
commissioners and the legal represen-
tatives of the state oppose it's passage
at this time. The ground they take is
that it will prevent a decision being
reached by the courts of last resort on
the important issues involved in the
Minnesota rate cases now in process
of litigation, and which have already
involved the expenditure of the
peoples money. It is more important
at this time, in the opinion of ex-
Attorney General Young, to find out
what the powers of the railroad CON-
mission are to the end that it may act
intelligently in the future in prescrib-
ing rates, than to enact additional
legislation. Attorney General Simp-
son adds: 81 can see no advantage to
be gained by the passage of any act
affecting the subject matter of the
pending litigation except to further
embroil the state in further litiga-
tiOn.''
MIR. Youngdahl of the Anti-Saloon
league claims that four of the mem
bers of the house violated their
pledges in voting against the county
option bill. Representative Lundeen
of Minneapolis is in especially bad.
A letter from him written to the
officers of the league, dated last
August has been published. In it be
professed to be one with the county
option people, but didn't want the fact
advertised because it might lose him
votes he otherwise might get. Mr..
Lundeen claims that afterwards the
league opposed him, and justifes his
vote against a policy in which he pro-
fessed to believe on that ground.
The result shows that the officers of
the league had him sized up about
right. Mr.. Lundeen's present atti-
tude is the more surprising because he
professed to be an apostle of ad-
vanced political righteousness. He
had the right, of course, to vote
against county option if he wanted
to, but it was almighty poor political
morals to vote against a measure he
professed last August to believe to be
right.
+.
Senator Elwell has introduced a
bill designed as supplementary to
the Dunn good roads measures. It is
expected to prove specially advan-
tageous in northern counties where it
is necessary to construct long and
continuous roads for the protection of
settlers from forest fires, and where it
is desirable to undertake the con-
struction of roads on an extensive
scale. for transportation purposes.
In such cases it is proposed that the
county undertake to finance the deal.
Money is to be provided by the
Issuance of ten-year certificates of in
debtedness. Under the terms of the
bill the state is to pay one-half the
cost of the work projected. The other
half is to be paid into the county
treasury in ten equal annual INSTALL
ments. It is further provided that
donations to such work may be made
by Interested parties or by the state.
The effect of the law and it's main
feature is, of course, the spreading
over ten years the expense which,
under our present system, would have
to be paid in one. In some cities
assessments for local improvements
are paid for in this way and the plan
is found to work we'll. The machinery
Tor carrying out the provisions of the
F,lW6l1 hill iS c,,beto ,+;oI1- ~.