The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1917-03-22
AGAIN FAILS TO
GO ON STATUTES
TAX MEASURE FOR TONNAGE
TAX ON IRON ORE MEETS
DEFEAT IN SENATE
Differs FROM FORMER BILLS
BILL WOULD HAVE ESTABLISH
ED NEW PRINCIPLE OF
TAXATION IN STATE

st. Paul, March 19.-The proposal
to impose a tonnage tax on iron ore
went the way of it's predecessors when
the upper branch of the legislature,
by a vote of 40 to Fl, decided that
it should not have a place in the stat
utes of the state. It's demise was spec
tacular and the obsequies of charac-
ter that conveyed much. Representa-
tive Warner of Aitkin county, its au-
thor, who successfully piloted the
measures through the house, was a 81
lent witness at it's passing, but he did
not indulge in any regrets. ''The fight
is not over, was his only comment.
When the bill faded into the cleaning
it marked temporary passing-and
the word temporary is used advised
ly-of an issue that has featured ev-
cry session of the legislature since
1905. Like prohibition, tonnage tax
has been biennial event and half the
legislation introduced had its fate
wrapped up, in this particular issue.
Tonnage tax has been traded to q
standstill. Once it got by both houses
but was vetoed by Governor. Johnson
His action, however, did not stop its
re-introduction, nor will it's defaet by
the senate this time head it off two
years hence. That majority of the
people would not know tonnages tax
if they met it in the road doesonot
matter--like the poor it is always with
us and will be until the end Of time.
Popularity it is supposed to hitnbig
business-in plain language the Unit
ed States Steel corporation-and that
is sufficient. The fact that few poor
devils are dragged in between the
rollers does not count. 1t is the north
against the south-sc pething many
decry and vehemently deny-but it is
true and the vote each time comes
pretty near being verifcation.
That the voters of the state who BIZ
ennially are witnesses of the struggle
covering the tonnage tax issue in the
two legislative houses are no longer
to be permitted to remain in ignorance
regarding it's merits and dement's is
more than certain. The general &C.
ceptance of the term tonnage tax is
that it is an exaction by the state OF
a certain sum of money for each tor
of iron ore mined within it's confines
which is true, and is also in meas
ure true of the Warner bill, which ha:
just gone to its death. The. Warner
bill, however, was different from the
others, in that it constituted super
or additional tax, which, if adopted
would have established principle Of
taxation new to Minnesota. In effect
it was a license covering production
and would have been just as applica
BILE to the raising of cabbages as tt
tie mining of iron ore. 1t proposed g
2 per cent tax on every ton of ore al
the mouth Of the mine.
In addition to 100000 appropriated
by the house and awaiting approval
by the senate for distribution among
the members of the Minnesota nation
al guard which saw service on the
Mexican border, Senator A. S. Camp
bell of Austin would give them $685.
900 more. This money is to cover the
period between mobilization on June
16 and 80 when the guard was sworn
into the federal service. The amount
is to cover the difference in pay. Sena-
tor Campbell has offered bill calling
for the payment of the amount named
Next month will mark the close OF
calendar day in the supreme court. A
bill just signed by the governor and
now a law does away with the time
honored term system and makes The
sessions continuous, or as long as
there is business to engage the courts
attention. The law, fathered by Sen
ator G. H. Sullivan of Saltwater, is