The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-06-18
SPEECH BY CARL IL:
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CONTINUED from Page One.)

nor johnson and Governor BurnQuist,
who were keen and analytical stu
dents. OF tax matters. There is no
wisdom in such law because 1..lch-
igan, the Province of British. Column
biaand, previously, the state of Min
nesota, each repealed it as unjust,
| unwise and undesirable so that to-
day no state in the union levies such
tax in addition to it's ad velorem
system. 1t would ruin farming and
close factories if placed on those in
dustries. So too, it would ruin min
ing. In less than generation Min
nesota's supremacy in the iron ore
markets of the world would be lost;
the states second greatest industry
would shortly thereafter be COM
pletely snuffed out; its growing steel
industry at Duluth would languish
and finally die; $30O,OUO,000 would
be cut from its tax rolls; vast pros
perity, growing more and more fruit
full down through the years and con-
tinuing on for centuries would be
lost forever.
2. Iron ore is higher assessed for
taxable purposes today than any real
or personal property. in Minnesota.
veto message, says that from valu-
alton of 100000 in 1898 the val
uation has been raised 80 fold in ten
years or to $18O,000,OO0 in 1908;
thus, at that time bringing, not the
$4,000 as in 1898 for revenue into
the treasury, but 100000. Today,
twelve years later, the asserted valu-
alton for taxation purposes is $780,
100000 or nearly double former Gov
ernor Johnson's figures and the
states share from this will be about
$2,70O,OO0 each year.
3. If iron ore is heritage, fifty
years of mining the one and a half
billions Of high grade ore would posi-
sibly increase the revenue many mill
lions, but the prevention by the ton
mage tax of the development of 1880
years of mining the low grade ore
would destroy completely any such
possible heritage.
4. Governor Burnquist, who is a
profound student of taxation, says in
his veto message;
1.-THE fact that most of the iron
OIC IL LdACn Oul VI IAC 0SokC ID Nv
more of an argument for increasing
the taxes thereon than the removal
from the state of lumber, granite,
grain or any other property would
be the ground for increasing the
taxes of the last named commodities.
Taxation should not be used as an in
strument to impose unfair and ex-
cessive burdens upon any particular
class. industry or section"
S. There is no necessity for using !
a tax to compel the manufacture Of
iron and steel in Minnesota because |
Duluth now boasts that it asked the |
United States Steel corporation for a !
dollar steel plant and it
received million dollar one |
to- which an addition costing ten |
millions, has been planned. En-
enlargement would make Minnesota |
one of the great steel and iron cent
ers Of the world, but in the words
of former Governor Johnson: 49,
1T is certain that the moral. in
dustrial and practical effect of the
bill If made law at this time, will |
be to strike severe blow at the de-
velopment and prosperity Of all the
great mineral bearing counties of
north central Minnesota, affecting
alike the agriculture, manufacturing, |
commercial, financial and educa-
tional growth and success, as we'll as
the settlement of all our northern |
lands, both public and private. and
the investment of both home and for
eign capital therein" i