The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-11-14

in which all bills for raising revenues
must originate? Why have they
always failed to champion the thing
their constituents so much want?
Why have the keenest minds the
ablest debators in Southern Mime
sofa always left the defense of the
tonnage tax to those VIGOROUSLY less
able to defend it? Why have they
not risen and lucidly set forth, as we
have so often heard them set forth
matters of far less Importance to the
state, the rational basis for the tom
mage tax? Why? Because there
is nothing lucid or rational about the
tonnage tax to set forth, and they
know it; because it is thing they
are compelled to vote for, but are
ashamed to champion; because it is
not thing of reason, logic or right,
but simply a thing of passion, pref
udice and might.
Beaten By Southern Votes
Finally, and most significant of
all, if the tonnage tax is sound &C.
onomic policy, why has it always
been defeated by the votes of rep
resentatives of Southern Minnesota?
Some, who find themselves living on
a low plane of mind, may say that
such representatives of Southern
Minnesota have been bought by the
"steel trust;" but if any do say SO,
they lie and they know that they
lie. We have gone in and out
among these men and have found
them good men and true, and South
ern Minnesota knows them for just
that. These men have thought about
the tonnage tax, and for twenty
years they haves decided that it was
unsound, unwise and unjust. Why
have the only governors of Mime.
sofa before whom the matter has
come for official action, both South.
ern Minnesota men, one of them the
best loved governor Minnesota ever
had-why have they both rejected
it? Because their study of the sub.
lject convinced them that it is wrong
in principle; they have given spe.
cifc reasons for their conclusion
and no man in Southern Minnesota
or elsewhere, has ever even attempt.
ed to answer these reasons. Let il
never be forgotten that the tonnage
tax has been beaten for twenty
years, not by Northern Minnesota
ibut by long succession of men OF
Southern Minnesota who have care
fully thought the matter out and de-
cided that it was not right.
A Thing To Blush For
If further evidence is wanted OF
the fact that Southern Minnesota il
now playing the Hun in this matter
of the tonnage tax, it is abundantly
found in the comment coming out OF
it's own mouth upon the fact that 101
votes were cast in the house for the
tonnage tax at the special session
This tremendous vote is Significantly
referred to by the press and by
many public men in Southern Min
nesota as showing how they viii
force" the thing through at the
next session. Threats of what will
be done next time have been thu
dominant note of Southern Min
nesota discussion of the tonnage ta1
in the past two months. The vote
of which they brag so noisily is on.
they ought to use every means il
their power to cover up. 1t ought
to bring the hot blush of shame tt
the cheek of every honest man il
Southern Minnesota, for it is notori
Gus that it was forced by rank anC
, rabid appeals to cupidity and pref
udice on the part of the Nonpartisar
league in Southern Minnesota and OF
the part of the red revolutionary ell
ement in labor in the twin cities; il
is notorious that if those member!
, of the house who believed that thu
tonnage tax was not right, but wht