The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-02-28
TONNAGE TAX BILL
MEEIs0PPOS|TN)N
OBJECTION TO suRTAx ON ORE
VOICED BY MINE OWNERS BE-
FORE COMMITTEES.
TWO. NEW BANKING BILLS.
introduced in cognizanoe of Transac
tions of Promoter Schafer and
Closing Of His Banks-Negrs
Guard Bill Favored.

81. Paui.-Representatiye Frank +
z. Nimocks bill barring the red
flag from Minnesota has passed
the house by a vote Of 1872 to 4.
Those voting in the negative were
Frank e. Miner, Minneapolis:
Ernest q. Strand, TWO Harbors;
Louis Engstrom, Warroad, and
A. Pittenser, Duluth. /
st. Paul--The new Bendixen-C arley
tonnage tax bill was the target of the
tonnage tax opponents at the public
hearing before the House committee
on taxes.
The newly framed bill, in an at,
tempt to escape the objections of the
opponents to the surtax on the gross
value and to the tax ON labor" pro.
v1des for 4 per cent Isurtax on the
value of the ore at the place of sale,
less. the transportation from the mine
and the cost OF labor
Representative C. M. Bendixen, and
Senator James A. Carley joint auth
ors of the bill, were subjected to a
close cross-examination by Represen-
tative Charles T. Murphy of Aurora.
Tax Commissioner Armson COM
pared the WEIGH and Bendixen bills,
declaring for the new Benedixen bill as
being definite IN its cost exemptions as
against the WEIGH bills indefinite ex-
emption which made it susceptible to
misinterpretation and a source of con-
slant litigation. a..
A. B. Cope, of Virginia, independent
mine operator, opposed any kind of
snrtax on ore, claiming that the pres
ent higher ad valorem valuation takes
care ofsthe diminishing value" sit
uation in the ore fields.
Under the WEIGH 10 per cent net
tax bill, the amount estimated to go
into the state treasury would be
100000; by the Bendixen 2 per cent
gross bill $2,SOe, 900, and by the new
Bendixen- Carley per cent bill 81, $780,
600.
Would Change Banking Laws.
. The state legislature has taken cog
nizance Of the transactions of Will
liam H. Schafer, leading to the closing
of his chain of banks by the state su.
perintendent of banks, and two bills
have been introduced to correct the
banking laws of Minnesota with a
view to prevention of similar possible
contingencies in the future.
The first of these was offered by
Representative Elmer E. Adams. Oh
Fergus Falls. The bill provides that
the stock in all banks hereafter or
gained in this state shall be. owned
by individuals, and 1t shall be unlaw-
fAl for any corporation to acquire or
own such stock except in payment of
a debt, and in all such cases 1t shall
be the duty ofEthe superintendent OF
banks to see that the corporation dis
poses Of the stock within reasonable
time
No stock In any state bank here
after organized shall be accepted as
collateral security for a loan until
said stock has been issued for at least
two years, and 1t shall be. unlawful
for any state bank at any time to &C
cept as collateral security for a loan
the stock of any bank of which its
president or cashier form part of an
interlocking directorate, or whose con-
troll is owned by the same corporation
The act Is to be in force from and af-
ter its passage.
Another bill introduced several days
ago prevents the operation Of a chain
OF banks.
Negro Guard Bill.
Labor leaders and Socialists again
sounded the alarm against organiza-
ton OF military units in the State in
opposing the Levin bill In the House
in committee of the whole yesterday.
The bin provides for a Negro Bat
tallion in the National Guard.
Il am against this bill because it
creates another military unit in the
state to be used against the laboring
people" asserted Representative F. E.
Miner. Whenever you organize a
military unit you are turning the la.
boring people against you" Represen-
tative McGrath also opposed the bill.
Representatives ]. l. Levin, j. B.
Hompe and Bert Kingsley defended
the bin and the record of the Negro
in war and peace.
The bill was recommended for pas
sage with but five dissenting voices.
For Department of Agriculture.
The House and Senate committees
on markets, and marketing held the
first of series. of meetings, to con-
slider the bills establishing depart
ment of agriculture, and depart
ment of marketing.
Members of the House and Senate