The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-11-07

nonpartisan act for all state officials
outside of these housed at the state
capitol. Throughout, the statewide
primary, together with amendments
since added, has been minority prop
osition pure and simple. They are
responsible for the nefarious Nom
partisan crowd of today and unless
curbed will put over worse things. 1t
is agreed that Minnesota can not pro-
gress in legislative way unless a
change is made and the fervent
wish of everyone interested in the
states future is that the required
change will come this session.
One of the celtainties this session
will be tonnage tax bill. Two bills
providing for such are due in the
Senate and it is sure thing that half
dozen members will contest for the
honor in the House. The Nonpartisan
League is committed to tonnage tax
and will rally all its legislative MEM
bers to its passage. Ever since the
late Governor Johnson's time, a ton
mage tax act has been on tap. The
only legislature to give. it passage
was that of 1909 but Governor john
son wiped it off the statute books
through the medium of an emphatic
veto. That veto endeared him to
Northern Minnesota, and later
brought about his reelection. In the
minds of some, it is question II a
tonnage tax law is advisable at this
time. With the United States at war
with Germany and Austria, the gen.
eral opinion is that nothing should be
done to hamper the country's produc-
ton of iron ore. Perhaps it is not
generally known, but Minnesota has
contributed over two-thirds of the
crude iron entering into the manu-
facture of munitions in the United
States. While a settlement of the
war seems to be in sight, there is
nothing certain regarding it's end and
any legislation tending to discourage
the production Of ore would certainly
be looked at in the light of a pro-Hun
act. The average man may not view
it in the light that some do, but
Minnesota has a Mason and Dixon
Line and it is just as instructive to
the best use of the state as was the
line resulting from the conflict be-
tween the North and South, better
than fifty years ago. For some I'M
known reason, Southern Minnesota
has been inoculated with the idea that
Northern Minnesota is land of rich
es. There is no doubt that Northern
Minnesota has wealth of inestimable
value but at the same time, this
wealth has only been wrested from
Mother Earth through the expendi-
ture of millions of dollars. Through
this vast expediture, resources, prac-
tically unknown quarter OF a cen
fury ago, have been sent into the
markets of the world, and the state
has prospered accordingly. Through
the medium of ore, nature has given
Minnesota the name of "North Star
State" and has enabled her to more
than do her bit in the winning of the
war. Owners of iron productive land
are now paying their obligations to
the state on an advalorem basis. In
the minds of tax experts, it is
question if this particular taxing basis
brings to the state what it should.
Some believe that tonnage tax
would settle the question but, it is
largely an experiment. What the next
legislature will do in this particular
matter is question but the general
hope is that the controversy will be
equitably settled.
United States Senator Nelson has
figured in many a hard fought scrap
but never in this history has he gone
against the money that has been ex-
pended in the campaign just passed.
w. G. Calderwood, the Prohibition
candidate, from all accounts had
money galore to spend and those be-
hind his candidacy saw to it that the
money was well expended. Bill
boards all over the state carried his
picture and his appeal to the voters
in way that was admirable as far
as up to date publicity was concerned.
Calderwood really lost by reason of
his vicious attack on Knute. Knute
may not be invulnerable but Mime
sofa regards him as one OF it's
fixtures. A man who assails him i'm
properly is due to get hurt.
"The County Chairman"