The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-05-10


Amendment to auxiliary forest act,
adopted and approved; department OF
conservation, wrecked; lieu tax, passed
but vetoed; designation Of state for
est lands, postponed; blocking UP state
forests by exchange, amendment sub
mitted; examination of cutover lands,
continued; confirmation Of state title
to delinquent lands, missed fire; pro-
vision of fund for forest management,
lost in shuttle; state nursery, dropped.
Taxation and Liquidation.
No action was taken on the various
proposals relating to tax delinquency,
except that the law of 1927 for gen.
eral cleanup sale was extended two
years. The house committee on taxes
is meanwhile continued as an interim
committee with small appropriation
Committees of both houses were so
constantly asking information that the
tax commission was prompted to
compile and issue statement showing
the tax delinquencies for 1927 and
prior years by counties. The state
ment is itself one that gave jolt to
many members and the return by the
tax commission to its earlier habit OF
continuous investigation Is both re-
Spouse and stimulus to general tax
/ inquiry
In the way of liquidation and relief,
three minor measures came through.
The Lake county scheme of consolda-
ting school districts Is extended to two
other counties and a similar act pro-
yides for dissolution of township or
ganizations by popular county vote,
while payment from the state treasury
of local school taxes on forecloSed
farm lands is authorized.
Mineral Tax Adjustment.
The legislature met without coher-
ent program for adjusting mineral
taxation and adjourned without con-
structive action. The one act passed,
limiting the per capita basis for ex-
penditures of range towns and villages,
may tighten the burdens of some min
ing companies, but 1t does nothing
whatever to improve the status OF the
mining industry.
All through the session good deal
was heard of the interest of the min
ing companies or of the point of view
of the local communities, but certain
large aspects of the public interest
were scarcely developed In the con-
flict of local interests, in the absence
of a composed opinion, there was left
for the legislature at large simply be-
wilderment.
Nevertheless there was notable pro-
gress in the formation of common
opinions For the first time in long
controversial history, representatives
of the mining companies and the
range communities sat around table,
threshed out the matter of expendi-
lures and reached compromise. And
since adjournment that attitude is
preserved in a public address by Rep
resentative Hitchcock tefore his con-
tituents setting up the need of con-
sidering the perpetuation of the min
ing industry and the necessity of a
comprehensive view.
On such lines it remains for the Ar
rowhead association to see If agree
ment may be reached among ourselves
as to what are the actual conditions,
taking into consideration every inter
est, and whether the differing points
of view may be reconciled on some
common basis.
The experiences Of this session only
confirm the conviction that when the
facts are understood, and when local
opinion is agreed on the remedies to
be sought, the legislature will readily
concur in what is best for the district
and for the state.