The Princeton union., 1911-02-16
STATE LEGISLATURE
Tonnage Tax Bill Similar to the BjOrge
rleasure Vetoed by Governor
Johnson is introduced.
Senator EIWeH Introduces a Bill De-
signed as Supplementary to
r. G, Dunn'S Road Bills.

r. G. Dunn's Road Bills.
Unions Special Correspondence.
St. Paul, Feb. l5.-The house of
representatives is divided on the effect
of the reciprocity treaty with Canada.
Farmers in the house generally object
TO giving away the protection the
tariff gives them from their only close
competitor. Those who represent the
commercial and manufacturing in
terests think it would be good thing.
It would bring grist to our flour mills
and help, in their opinion, to build up
our commercial centers. John Len
non, who is travelling man, spoke of
the advantage it would be to extend
the field of travelling men into the
Canadian northwest. S. N. Lee, Mr..
Harding and others, viewing the
matter from their own standpoint as
farmers, objected to taking away pro-
oection from them just as it was be-
O'Neill of Pennington, while ad-
mitting that, as farmer, his interests
might suffer as result of reciprocity,
vas willing to submit to temporary
disadvantage for the sake of the bene-
fits conferred on the nation at large
Others had not studied the question
and we're willing to leave it to the
congressman who had. That is what
the house ultimately did. It refused
10 instruct the Washington delegation
20 oppose the Canadian reciprocity
treaty.
While the bill requiring public SER
vice corporations to pay their en-
ployes at least twice a month went
through the house without serious op-
position, it is not having so easy a
time of it in the senate. At a public
hearing before the committee the rail-
road attorneys were out in force to
interpose objections. There was also
present delegation of foremen from
she railroad shops, protesting to rep
resent the workmen there, but, it was
charged, really representing the rail
roads themselves. The foremen pro.
TESS to believe that to pay railroad
employees more than once a month
would be bad thing for them. The
objection to more frequent pay days,
besides the additional bookkeeping
shey would involve, is the additional
time men would lose consequent upon
moro frequent occasions for celebrat-
ing the pay day event in way it is
100 often celebrated. To have their
men unreliable is a serious matter
sometimes for the railroads, but pos.
sibly not greatly more so than in me.
chanical pursuits. Employees engaged
N these are generally paid weekly,
and there is little question that, not.
withstanding this, they are, to say the
least, quite as thrifty and as little
given to excess as railroad employees
or those engaged in numbering or
other industries where pay days are
few and far between.
Messrs. FranksOn of Fillmore
county, Moriarity of Scott and John
son of Candy have reintroduced at
this session the Bjorge tonnage tax
bill with a few inconsequential amend
ments. Two years ago Mr.. Bjorge
introduced his bill the first chance he
had, and, at that, it was only by fore
ing its consideration at every point
that 1t was possible to reach vote in
the senate before the close of the
session. With the course of the bill
Mr.. johnson at least was familiar.
and under the circumstances it's intro
duction at this time is open to the crit
ticism which has been made that it is
not in good faith and that it's pro-
moters have some ulterior purpose.
That is the view taken by many who
favor reapportionment. They think
the tonnage tax bill is intended to be
a stumbling block in it's way. That
its consideration will make the pas
sage of reapportionment bill more
difficult there can be no question.
Possibly its promoters have in mind
making the passage of it the price of
reapportionment, and thus hope to
iogroll it through. If this is the case
1t is unfortunate. A tonnage tax bill
is eminently one which should be con-
sidered on it's merits.
+ l.:
The bill in question proposes to as
sess iron property as other property
IS assessed for local purposes and to
levy tonnage tax on the ore for
state purposes. Governor Johnson
vetoed the bill two years ago, it will