The labor world., 1919-09-27
\ TONNAGE TAX SOME DAY.

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ture of Minnesota has passed a ton
mage tax bill and for the second
time it has been vetoed by gov
ernor. But will it always be so?
Will there always be governor to
stand between the people of this Sec
tion of the state and a legislature,
the majority of which is rnfriendly
to it?
The people of northeastern Min
nesota might as we'll make up their
minds to the fact that sooner or
later there will be tonnage tax law
in this state, and it is the duty OF
those of US who are not identified
with the mining interests to see to
it that such law when it shall have
been enacted, not only fully pro-
tects this section, but it shall pro-
vide for the protection of the people
coming after us.
The chief argument advanced for
the enactment of a tonnage tax law
is that the product of the mines is
being taken from the state and it
never can be replaced. Its advo.
Gates hold that the people are, en-
titled to a greater proportion in
taxes from iron property than from
farm lands and city property be-
cause the mines are exhaustible
while other property will always BE-
source of revenue. They propose
super tax on producing iron mines
as penalty to mine owners, for
some day, they hold, there will be
no ore to tax. The money derived
from this super tax is to be used to
pay the running expenses of the state
government, and as result there
will be a general reduction in state
taxes on all other property.
1t is true that the mines ate ex-
haustible. Some day there will be
nothing left on the iron ranges but
great holes in the ground, and i'm
mense hills of rock and earth
stripped from the tops of open pits
A city may remain here and there
drawing it's support from the dotted
fertile spots in the north country,
but that will be all. Then what is
to become of northeastern Mime
sofa, and then, too, what will happen
to the state when it must cease to
depend upon the taxes from iron ore
and iron lands to carry on govern
ment?
If the argument that because
mines are exhaustible super tax
should be levied against their prod
ucts is sound, then by the same
token the people of coming genera
tions are entitled to a goodly por-
tion Of the money derived from such
a super tax.
BY all the rules of right the Min
nesota iron deposits should be the
common heritage of the people, for
! those who have been here, for those
who are here and. for those who are
coming. Our national and state gov
ernments in times past, as they are
doing today, have decided away to
private interests this wealth Of the
people. Some of it is dribbling back
A little leaks out to small owners
and operators Most of it, however
is building enormous for few men
who master the destinies of millions
of other men and women.
Unless the government shall de-
eide to reclaim these vast minera
lands by Matchmaking them, it has
but the other alternative Of taxation
and they should be taxed for govern.
; ment revenue purposes as all other
| property is taxed. But tonnage
tax on top of an advalorum ta1
should not be levied to pay the cur
rent expenses of government. The
I government which levies such tax
is short sighted. 1t is selfish, anC
shows little regard for the people
who are to inhabit the state after we
are gone.
We believe in a tonnage tax anc
we believe in altering somewhat the
present theory of levying taxes fol
government purposes when dealin:
with the exhaustible resources of the
state. The people should be give1
an opportunity to vote on an amend
ment to the constitution permitting
the legislature to create a perma
nent iron ore investment fund int.
which every penny collected from ,
tonnage tax shall be deposited No
one dollar of the principal amour
of this fund shall ever be expended