Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-09-25
A Great Struggle for the
Iron Ore Taxes
Continued from Page -

.latiOn commissioned and selected G.
thority on this subject-to visit the
iron range country and to make a
careful survey and write an article on
the subject: What is wrong with
Northern Minnesota"
Mr. Buell. studied the conditions
and found them to be terrible. In a
personal conversation with a man on
the range country, Mr.. Buell. asked
him what was the matter. The man
replied: This is what is the matter
The owners of land with iron ore
and the two ore carrying railroads
have possession of the earth and the
rest of us are their slaves"
Mr.. Buell. wrote an article on the
subject that helped stir up interest.
A copy of this article fell into the
hands of S. A. Stockwell, member
of the state legislature from Mime
apolis, and known to many progress
sives in Pine county. In the fall of
1896 Mr.. Stockwell, then a member
of the Democratic party, ran as a
Democrat in a Republican district,
with this 1c per ton iron ore tax re-
peal issue and to list mining lands for
taxation SO that the communities
would be able to have good local gov
eminent, schools, roads, etc. He was
elected in the fall of 1896 i'm spite of
the handicap of running as Dem
ocrat in Republican district and
shortly after he was elected, sent a
letter to each member of the coming
legislature stating the issue and ask
ing support to repeal the special
privilege legislation. Many responded
favorably. The mining companies and
land owners opposed this legislation
with all their efforts. A Duluth SEN
ator declared that if such legislation
was passed, northern Minnesota would
secede from the state and put up a
separate government. The country
would be ruined because all the mines
would be closed down. Nothing with
which the people could earn living
would be left.
The bill was passed on March 4,
1897. At that time there was not a
good school house, not foot of pave
ment, no city water. no sewer system.
no gas, hardly any sidewalk, in fact
no improvements. on the iron range.
A remarkable transformation had TAX
EN- place Is years later when all those
improvements had been made. These
changes, chief of which were good
schools for the iron range and better
living conditions were brought about
by the simple change in a tax law that
took for the people small part of
profits from one of our natural re-
sources which should be a common or
universal inheritance, something in
which all the people of the state of
Minnesota should share.
Many people were of the opinion
that this great natural resource should
contribute to the state treasury new
tonnage tax. The movement received
considerable impetus among farmers
and business men of the state A bill
was passed in spite of strong opposi-
tion by the steel corporation crowd,
but same was vetoed by Governor
johnson. Representative Bjorge of
Lake Park, was one of the leaders in
this fight for several sessions-in the
sessions of 1907, 90, II, 13, Is, II,
and 1919. The iron tax was a real
live issue in those sessions, passing
the house. but was defeated in the
senate, then passing both house and
senate, but was vetoed by Governor
Burnquist The special privilege
crowd fought this bill tooth and nails.
Every method possible was used to
defeat it. Dire results were predicted
if the iron ore mines were put on the
regular tax lists. The steel corpora
tion continued to prosper.
Senator Carley, well known Demo-
crat, made great, powerful, and log
ical speech on the floor of the senate.
He stated that the ore companies are
taking out 3S to "A million tons a
year, the ore is gone forever, neither
the state or local communities will
ever get another dollar tax out of it.
Ninety-siX per cent of this ore is
owned by less than twenty big cor
porations and about four per cent is
owned by individuals of smaller
means. The big corporations are max
ing enormous profits
Finally the occupational iron ore
tax bill was passed by the house by a
vote of 1O1 to % and in the senate by
a narrow squeeze. and was signed by
Governor PreuS who had pledged him
self in the campaign to sign this tax
bill if it was passed by the legisla-
ture. The law has since Melted mil
lions of dollars to Minnesota taxpay-
ers. Much credit is due such men
as Buell.. Carley, Magnus Johnson,
Stockwell, Bjorge, Welsh. and others.
They were watchful and untiring in
their efforts in behalf of the people.
They fought for years to attain what
ground was gained. and certainly the
people Of Pine county and Minnesota
must be ever on their guard that
these hard Won victories to relieve
the taxes to some extent. are not frus-
trated. We believe the iron ore tax
to be a just one and are opposed to
any reduction in it,
Next week there will be a continu-