The Twin City star., 1912-06-08


gross earnings taxes and that is the
law taxing estates. In Ave years the
Minnesota inheritance tax law has
added over $2.0o0,0OO to the states
strong box. This year alone the
amount collected will not be far short
OF $750,000. Attorney General l.. A.
Smith, who Is in charge Of the en-
forcement Of the law, says he expects
TO see the collections reach $1,000, 900
o year. The other day he forced one
wealthy New York estate, holding Min
nesota property, to hand over $4,000
and sums of $4,000 and $4,000 from
titled deceased Europeans are almost
Of daily occurrence. Most of them
are holders of Great Northern stocks.
+ + +
Twin City political circles were
somewhat startled last week by the
sudden descent of State Chairman Ed
Smith and a quartette of his followers
upon the headquarters Of Lieutenant
Governor g. Y. Gordon In the Mer-
chants hotel The visit was following
dinner held at a local restaurant
Immediately after the holding Of the
/ special meeting of the central CON-
mittee and Ed, who was greeted by
the surprised lieutenant governor, an
nounoed that the call was simply one
Of respect. I'VE dared your manager,
Mr.. Arenson, to invite US to visit you,"
said the chairman, "and he called
our bluff" Mr.. Smith assured Mr..
Gordon that he was for Governor Eb-
erhart first, last and all the time. but
that his preference did not prevent
him from respecting the opposition.
+ + +
The call for the state nominating
convention was rescinded at q meet
ing of the Republican state central
committee last week. Efforts were
made to rescind 1t conditional on the
passage Of the proposed statewide
primary by the legislature, but the
members refused to sanction the
scheme. Rather reluctantly the pas
sage OF statewide primary act was
endorsed, but beyond that tho few
members refused to 90. The discus
sion was on the question whether the
law to be passed should be mere ex-
tension Of the present law or one
based on a first and second choice.
Senators Sullivan and Stephens, who
were present, thought this was going
too far and they successfully headed
of any action other than that taken.
+ + +
A first and second choice and even
third choice provision In the primary
law now under consideration Is due to
be fought out with vigor by the mem
bers Of the legislature and there is
no telling what will be the outcome.
but the general feeling Is that some
thing along this line will be ipcorpo-
rated. Those candidates now outside
the pale of the administration are de-
manding it and are starting a cam
paign for its adoption. Governor Eb-
erhart and his followers are credited
with opposing this first and second
choice feature, but State Insurance
Commissioner Preus, who is as close
as anyone to his excellency, says this
is not so. He holds that Governor
Eberhart would be benefited and
bases his belief on talks had with OFF,
cials in other states where such .
law Is in force. He holds that the
man in Office has the best OF 1t under
. Hrst and second choice provision.
+ + +
With Governor Wilson tho bens-
fciary Of the coming Democratic dele
gate convention it looks az II Frank
A. Day, he of king making fame, had
come back into his own and there are
those who say he will again be on the
Job this fall. Another winner was f.
B. Lynch, national Democratic COM
mitteeman from Minnesota. Mr.
Lynch's scalp was sought by r. T.
O'Connor and D. w. Lawler Of st..
Paul and he distanced them without
effort. His only comment at the close
was that the contest might have been
closer had any other men than D. w.
Lawler and former Labor Commission
OF w. w. Williams Of Minneapolis
been in charge. The intimation was
that the public did not have any conh-
dence in the two. The only district
carried by the Clark forces was the
Fouth and there Mr.. O'Connor was ON
the job.
f. + /.
A miscarriage of the conventions
instructions would be without prece-
dent, but It does look as II I. A. Cas-
well, manager Of the Roosevelt cam
paign in Minnesota, would have to
fight for the honor conferred upon
him-Republican national committee
man. The action Of the convention
IL only a recommendation, which has
to be ratified by the delegation when
It meets at Chicago, and from all &C
counts that ratification will not be
permitted II a few now after his scalp
can prevent It. Andy Rain, who man
aged the Hennspin end Of tho Roose-
vsk campaign, Is said to be opposed
to Mr.. Caswell and Is openly fighting
him. II is hardly likely that the
delegation will disregard the wishes
Of the convention in tha matter Of the