Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, October 12, 1908, Page 2

) ! NG AN THE BEMIDJI DAILY PIOREER PUBLISHED NVERY AFTHRNOON, BEMIDJI PIONEER PUBLISHING CO. By CLYDE J. PRYOR. ™ Tntered in the postofice at Bemidil. Minz., &8s second class matter. SUBSCRIPTION---85.00 PER ANNUM e it RUTLEDGE IS WITH THE PIONEER. Doc Rutledge of Bemidji has re- signed his posltion as game warden, and it is said will devote all his spare time to the candidacy of Judge Stanton. As s newspaper man, Doc stands in a class by himself and has the ability to deliver the goods on any proposition where printers’ ink is required. If old P. T. Barnum had ever run across Doc Rutledge, he would have had him booked as advance agent for the “biggest show on earth” and dont you think for a moment that he wonldn’t make good.—Walker Pilot. We fear our friend Dare has been listening to some person who bas beeu “stringing” him considerably. We have resigned as game warden, all right, but no one has authority to state that we will devote our spare time to the election of Judge Stanton. This assertion piobably comes from reading the International Falls Echo, edited by a hot-headed, vicious character named Montgomery, who dislikes Judge Stanton to the extreme that he cannot say anything good, but makes dirty insinuations against anyone who has a friendly feelin[z for the judge. ~While I am an ad- mirer of Judge Stanton and am proud to call him my friend, I have other work to do besides running his press bureau, as has been stated by “Monty.” And, along this line, I am certain that anything Mont- gomery may say against Judge Stanton will be taken for just what itis worth—the bitter frothings of a man whose temper has been warped by jealousy and covetousness, and who is unable to say a really good word about anybody or any- thing—a jealous minded, pin-headed raver. I have paid but little atten- tion to this fellow, knowing his true character; but with men like Dare, it is different. “Doc” Rutledge will be found at the Pioneer office, where the latch string will always be on the outside for good fellows like Dare. Come on up, and we will have a “fanning bee.” You’re very welcome. —A. G. Rutledge. DAILY PIONEER “SCOOPED” OTHER DAILIES. The Bemidji Daily Pioneer was the only evening paper published in northern Minnesota that last Satur- day evening gave the final scores of the Ames-Minnesota game and the score of the initial struggle between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers for the world’s baseball championship. The Duluth Evening Herald gave the baseball game between Ghicago and Detroit, but had no account of the Ames-Minnesota gridiron contest, not even the final score. Neither of the daily papers pub- lished at Crookston contained any- thing about either game; the Brainerd Dispatch had nothing; and nefther of the St. Cloud dailies or the Little Falls Transcript. The Pioneer “scooped” them all, and only the special late sporting editions of the twin city dailies pub- lished the news. The Pioneer also gave the final score of the Bemidji-Bagley' high school football game, which was played here Saturday afternoon. We are entitled to a little pride in the fact that we lead in furnishing Pioneer subscribers with the news, WHEN IT IS NEWS—first-handed, and reliable. ONE BOY FATALLY WOUNDED “Special Officers” Cause Bloodshed in Taxicab_Strike, New York, Oct. '.—A party of “spe- olal officers in the employ of the New York Taxicab company, riding in two touring cars along West Fifty-seventh street, suddenly and without any ap- parent reason opened fire to right and left of them. The volley caused the first fatality of the taxicab strike. Robert Quayle, a fourteen-year-old boy, returning from night school, was shot in the head and is dying. Other bullets whizzed dangercusly close to the heads of pedestrians and residents of the street. There was a veritable panic, scores of persons run- ning in fright into stores and - hall- ways. The cars containing the “special offi- cers” then drove on, the men howling deflance and pointing guns at a crowd which tried to halt them. The officers were arrested. TOLD TO RUN FOR CONGRESS Advice Given Farmers at Society of Equity Convention. Milwaukee, Oct. :.—J. W. Long of Chippewa Falls, Wis., addressed the tion, in which he advised the farmers to run for congress. He gave some statistics of the personnel of the ad- | ministrative and deliberative bodies in Washington and informed his co- workers that they were mostly made up of lawyers and bankers. To off- set this state of affairs he asked the farmers to become, candidates for the office. The convention amended several of | its bylaws as recommended by the committee. _Most of the changes re- TWO TRAINMEN KILLED. Great Northern Train Partially De- railed in. Montana. Butte, Mont.,, Oct. “+—Two men were “killed and one injured in a wreck of a Great Northern passenger train at Marias river. The dead are William F. Ramspeck of White Sul- | phur Springs, Mont., fireman, and_an Aimendments —T0 THE— Constitution —OF— Minnesota —BY— Thelegislature General Session, 1907. St. Paul, Minn., May 1st, 1908. Hon. Julius A. Schmahl, Secretary of State— sir: As required by Section 25 of the Revised Laws, as amended, | have the honor to furnish you herewith a state- ment of the purposes and effects of the respective amendments proposed to the Constitution of the State of Minnesota by the Legislature of 1907, and which are to be submitted to the electors of said State at the General Election of 1908. FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT. The first proposed amendment is con- tained in Chapter 477 of the Laws of 1907. By this amendment it is sought to repeal Sections one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) and seventeen (17) of Article nine (9) of the Constitution (the latter section being the amendment to said Ar- ticle nine (9), adopted in 1896), which sections now read as follows: “Section 1. All taxes to be raised in this state shall be as nearly equal as may be, and all property on_which taxes are to be levied shall have’a cash valuation and be equalized and uniform throughout the state: Provided, that the legislature may, by general law or special act, au- thorize municipal corporations to levy assessments for local improvements upon the property fronting upon such improve- ments, or upon the property to be bene- fited by such improvements, or - both, without regard to cash valuation, and in such manner as the legislature may pre- gcribe: and provided further, that for the purpose of defraying the expenses of lay- ing water pipes and supplying any city or municlpality with water, the legislature may, by general or special law, authorize any such city or municipality, having a population of five thousand or mere, to levy an annual tax or assessment upon the lineal foot of all lands fronting on any water main or water pipe laid by such city or municipality within cor- porate limits of said city for supplying water to the cltizens thereof without regard to the cash value of such prop- erty, and to empower such city to collect any such tax, assessments or fines, or penalties for failure to pay the same, or any fine or penalty for any violation of the rules of such city or municipality in regard to the use of water, or for any water rate due for the same: and pro- vided further, that there may be by law levied and collected a tax upon all inher- itances, devises, bequests, legacies and gifts of every kind and description atove a fixed and specified sum, of any and all natural persons and corporations. Such tax above such exempted sum may be uniform or it may be graded or progress- jve. but shall not exceed a maximum tax of five per cent. “Section 2. The legislature shall pro- vide for an annual tax sufficient to de- fray the estimated ordinary expenses of the state for each year, and whenever it shall happen that such ordinary expenses of the state for any year shall exceed the income of the state for such year the leglslature shall provide for levying a tax for the ensuing year sufficient, with other sources of Income, to pay the defieiency of the preceding vear, together with the estimated expenses of such ensuing year. But no law levying a tax or making other provisions for the payment of interest or princlpal of bonds denominated ‘Minne- sota State Rallroad Bonds,' shall take effect or be in force until such law shall have been ‘submitted to a vote of the people of the state, and adopted by a majority of the electors of the state vot- ing upon the same. “Sectlon 3. Laws shall be passed tax- ing all moneys, credits, investments in bonds, stocks, joint stock companies, or otherwise, also all real and personal property, according to its true value in money; but public burying grounds, pub- le school houses, public hospitals, academies, colleges, universities, and all seminaries of learning, all_ churches, church property used for religious pur- poses, and houses of worship, institu- tions of purely public charity, public property used exclusively for any public purpose, and personal property to an amount not exceeding in value two hun- dred dollars for each individual, shall, by general laws, be exempt from taxation. “Section 4. Laws shall be passed for taxing the notes and bills discounted or purchased, moneys loaned, and all other property, effects, or dues of every de- scription, of all banks and of all bank- ers, so that all property employed in banking shall always be subject to a tax- ation equal to that imposed on the prop- erty of individuals. tiSection 17. The legislature may im- pose, or provide for the imposition of, up- on the property within this state of any and all owners or operators, whether cor- porate or individual, or otherwise, of any and all sleeping, parlor and drawing room cars, or any or either of the same, which run in, into or through this state; also upon the property within this state of any and all telegraph and telephone com- panies, or owners, whose lines are in, or extend In, into or through this state; also upon the property within this state of all express companies, or owners, or any or either of the same, doing business in, this state; also upon the property within this state of all domestic insurance com- panies of this state of any kind; also upon the property within this state of any and all foreign Insurance companies doing business in this state of any kind; also upon the property within this state of a¥ owners or operators of any and all mines or of mineral ores situated n this state; also upon the property within this state of all boom companies or owners, and of all ship builders or owners doing business in this state or having a port thereln (provided, that this act shall not apply to property owned by railroad companies, their lands and .other property); and upon the property “of either or any of such companies or owners,—a tax as uniform as reasonably may be with the taxes im- posed upon similar property in sa‘d state, or upon the earnings thercof within this state, but may be graded or progressive, or both, and in providing for such tax, or true value of such property, it shall be competent for the legislature in either or all suchcases, to impose such tax upon any or all property thereof within this state, and In either case by taking as the basis of such imposition the pro- portionate business, earnings, mileage or quantity of production or property now or hereafter existing of any such com- panies, persons or owners, iransacted or existing in this state,-in relation to the entire business, mileage or quantity of production or property of such Col panies, persons or owners as aforesaid; or in such other manner, or by such other method as the legislature may de- termine; but the procceds of such taxes upon mining property shall be distributed between the state and the various polit- ical subdivisions thereof wherein the same is situated, in the same proportion as the proceeds of taxes upon real prop- erty arc distributed: Provided further, that nothing in this act contained shall operate to authorize the assessment or taxation of any farm land or ordinary business blocks or property owned by any such corporation, person, and to substitute therefor the following: “Sec. 1. The power of taxation shall never be surrendered, suspended or con- tracted away. Taxes shall be uniform upon- the same class of subjects, and shall be levied and_ collected for public | purposes, but public burying grounds, public school houses, public hospitals, academies, colleges, universities, and all seminaries of learn'ng. all churches, church property used for religious pur- poses, and houses of worship, institutions of purely public charity, and public | property used exclusively for any public purpose, shall be exempt from taxation, and there may be exempted from taxa- tion personal property not exceeding in value $200 for each household, individual, or head of a family, as the legislature may determine. But the legislature may authorize municipal corporations to levy and collect assessments for local im- provements upon property benefited thereby without regard to a cash valua- | tion, and nothing herein contained shall be construed to affect, modify or repeal any existing law providing for the taxa- tion of the gross carnings of rallroads.” This proposed constitutional amend- ment was submitted and voted upon at the last election and was declared car- ried. But a contest was instituted by in- terested parties, claiming that the amend- ment was not carried. That contest is now pending In the courts and it was on that account that the legisiature decided | to re-submit the amendment to the peo- ple, so that however the contest may be decided, the next legislature may have the power granted by the amendment. For the purpose of discussing the effect of the amendment | will assume that the same amendment submitted at the last election, did not carry. The purpose and effect of this amend- ment would be to greatly enlarge the power of the legislature with reference to tite subject of taxation. Section one (1) as it now stands provides tiat all taxes Imposed shall be equal—as near as may be—on all forms of property, and all property upon which a tax is imposed fs required to have a CASH VALUATION equalized throughout the state. Section two (2) as It now stands re- quires the legisiature to levy the neces- sary taxes annually to defray the ex- penses of the state. That is the duty of the legislature without any constitutional direction, Section three (3) as It now stands pro- vides that all real and personal property, including MONEYS, CREDITS and IN- VESTMENTS IN BONDS AND STOCKS, shall be assessed according to their true value in money. Section four (4) as It now stands pro- vides that property employed in banking shall be subject to a tax equal to that imposed on other property. This Is only a repetition of the requirements of Sece tions one (1) and three (3), as no rational person would claim that banking capital should be exempt from taxation. Section seventeen (17) as it now stands Is not easy to understand, but it was In- tended by that section to relieve from the operation of sections one (1) and three (3), above quoted, property of the classes therein enumerated, so that a gross earn= ings tax could be applied thereto instead of direct taxation. Owing to the provisions of sections one (1) and three (3) of the present Constl- ‘tution many amendments were from time to time added so as to permit taxes to be Imposed on specific kinds of property otherwise than upon a cash valuation equalized. throughout the state. We have among these exceptions railroad gross earnings taxes; municipal frontage taxes; inheritance taxes; and the gross earnings taxes authorized by said section seven- teen (17). Several exemptions from taxation are also provided for, but as these exemp- tions are not changed by the proposed amendment, | will make no further ref- erence to them. The amendment which, if adopted, would take the place of all of the sections and amendments above referred to, Is simple and plain. No provision of the Constitution is necessary to authorize the Imposition of the taxes necessary for the support of the state and its various polit- ical subdivisions. The power of taxatlon Is Inherent in government. This proposed amendment declares that this inherent power of taxation shall never be surren- dered, suspended or contracted away; that taxes shall be imposed for public purposes and shall be uniform on the same class of subjects. Should this amendment be adopted all property of every kind In the state would be subject to taxation, according to. the method the legislature saw fit to adopt, provided only that the tax was levied for a pub- lic purpose and was uniform on the same class of subjects. Under this amend- ment every tax iaw we now have on the statue books would continue to be valid, because under this amendment all limita- tions on the power of the legislature would be taken away. The adoption of this amendment would, as Indicated, repeal the so-called inherit: ance tax amendment, and the gross earn- Ings tax amendment adepted in 1896, as contained in said Section ceventeen (17), but In their place this amendment would glve the legisiature greater authority, Under this amendment the power to Im- pose inheritance taxes would be unlimit- ed, and any form of gross earnings tax would be valid. The gross earnings tax on rallroads would not be affected by this amendment, as the Constitution provides that they cannot be changed without sub- mitting the law making the change to & wvote of the people. ‘But with this amend- ment various new forms of taxation could be Imposed, notably an Income tax, a ton- nage tax on Iron ore and a rc:* ‘ry tax on Under the presc. Constitus no tax on mortgages owned by non-residents. A registry tax, “which would be valld under this amend- ment, would. reach all mortgages allke. Whiie the Constitution requires all sub. Joots of taxation to have a cash valua- tlon with the tax equalized througheut the state, no proper Income tax could be imposed. in providing for ascertaining the just and. 08 Wip angifiger Char] cClintock was severely injured. i © _The' train, while travellng at high s/ 8peed, struck a soft stretch of road- bed, the engine rolling into the ditch, followed by. the baggage and smoking cars. Ramspeck and the wiper were buried under the wrockage. The pas. sengers wore severely shaken up. e 5 Bryan will be eonvinced for the third time in November that this country has got the habit. . SECOND PROPOSED AMEMDMENT. The second propcsed ame.dment Ix contained In Chapter 478 of tie Laws of Minnesota for the year 1907, By this amendment it is sought to repeal Section sixteen (16) of Articie nine (9) of the Constitution, which section now reads.as follows: “For:the purpose, of lending aid in the construction and improvement of public highways and ‘bridges, there Is hereby created a fund to be known as the ‘State Road and Bridge Fund.’ Sald fund shall Include all moneys accruing from the in- come derived from investments in the Internal improvement land fund. or that may hereafter acerue to said fund, and shall also include all funds accruing to any state road and bridge fund, however wrovided. “The legislature is authorized to add to such fund for the purpose of constructing or improving roads and bridges of this state, by providing, in its discretion, for an annual tax levy upon the property of this state of not to exceed in any year onestwentieth (1-20) of one (1) mill on all the taxable property within the state. “The legislature is also authorized to provide for the appointment, by the gov- ernor of the state, of a-board to be known as the ‘State Highway Commis- sion,' consisting of three (3) members, who shall perform such dutics as shall be prescribed by law without salary or com- Dpensation other than personal expenses. “Such commission shall have general superintendence of the construction of state roads and bridges and shall use such fund in the construction thereof and distribute the same in the several coun- tles in the stafé upon an equitable basis. Provided further, that no county shall re- ceive in any year more than three (3) per cent or less than one-half (%) of one (1) per cent of the total fund thus pro- vided and expended during such year; and, provided further, that no more than one-third (1-3) of ‘such fund accru- Ing in any year shall be expended for bridges, and in no case shall more than one-third (1-3) of the cost of construc- tion 8r improving any road or bridge be paid by the state from suca fund,” and to substitute therefor the following: “Section 16. For the purpose of lend- ing aid in the construction and improve- ment of public hizhways and bridges, there is hereby moated a fund to be known as the ‘e Road and Bridge Fund.’ Said fund shall include ail moneys accruing from the income derived from investments in the internal improvement land fund, or that may hereafter accrue to said fund. «nd shall also include all funds accruing to any state road and bridge fun wever provided. “The legisiature is authorized to add to such fund, for the purpose of construct- ing or improving roads and bridges of this state by providing, in its discretion, for an annual tax levy upon the property of this state.” The ‘purpose and effect of this amend- ment is to authorlze the legislature to levy upon all the property of the state any amount necessary, In its judgment, for the benefit of the roads and bridges therein, and In so far removes the limita- tlon which now exists in the Constitution, whereby the legislature is prevented from levying for such purpose a tax ex- ceeding one-twentieth (1-20) of one (1 mill_on the taxahle property within the state. = ) This arnendment further authorizes the legislaturé to provide salary and compen- sation, includirg personal expenses In- curred In the performance of duty by the highway commission, or any other like officer entrusted by law with similar du- ties: Finaily, this amendment removes ths limitation which' ncw exlsts In the Con- stitution upon ihe powers of the highway commission in the distribution of the road 1 ard-bridge fund of the state whereby au- thorized, and the amount which the state may pay from such fund toward the cost of constructing or improving any road or bridge, and leaves the whole management of such fund to be provided for by law, | @s the legisiature shall deem wise. The ‘adoption of this_amendment will not interfere with the power of the legis- lature to create a highway commission and define Its powers, nor will it inter. fere with the appointment and tenure of office of the present commission. THIRD PROPOSED AMENDMENT. The third proposed amendment is cons tained In Chapter 379 of the Laws of Minnesota for the year 1907. By this amendment It Is sought to add the follow- Ing section to Article nine (9) of the Con- stitution as a new section: “Section 17. The legislature may pro- vide for the payment by the State ot Minnesota of damages to growing crops by hail and wind, or either, and to pro- vide a fund for ‘that purpose, may im- pose a specific tax upon lands, the own- ers of which, at thelr option, have listed the same with county auditors for that purpose, and no payment shall be made of any such damages ecxecpt from the fund so provided.” The purpose and effect of this amend- ment Is to authorize the legisiature to permit the state to become the trustee In the collection and disbursement of a fund for the payment of damages to growing crops by hail or wind, or koth. This fund is to be created and maintained by a spe- cific tax upon the lands of such persons ONLY as shall VOLUNTARILY list the same with their respective county audit- ors for such purpose. There can be no tax for such purpose imposed on the lands of any ownerwho does not consent there- to. its adoption will authorize the legis- lature to direct that the taxing machinery | of the state be used to levy and collect the tax necessary to raise such fund, and to provide for the disbursement of the same by the officers of the state, but any payments to be made by the state by rea- son of damage by hail or wind wili have to be made from said fund and from no other. The state would assume no re- sponsibility beyond the amount of such fund, and could not further be rendered liable. FOURTH PROPOSED AMENDMENT. The fourth proposed amendment is con- tained in Chapter 480 of the laws of Min- nesota for the year 1907. By this-amend. ment it is sought to repeal the provisions of Section seven (7) of Article seven (7) of the Constitution, which section now reads zs follows: “Every person who by the provisions of this article shall be_entitled to vote at any election shall be eligible to any office which now is, or hereafter shall be, elec- tive by the people in the district wherein he shall have resided thirty days previous to such election, except as otherwise pro- vided in this Constitution, or the Consti- tution ‘and laws of the United States,” and to substitute therefor the following: “Every person who hy the provisions of this article shall be entitled to vote at any electicn shall be eligible to any office which now Is, or hereafter shall be, elece tive by the people in the district wherein be shall have resided thirty days previous to such election, except county super- intendents of schools, who shail be r quired to have educational qualifications to be determined by the legislature, and except as otherwise provided in this Con- stitution, or the Constitution and laws of the United States.” The purpose and effect of this amend- ment Is to authorize the legislature to re- quire educatioral qualifications, in addl. tlon to-all the other qualifications now re- quired by law, for any person sceking the office of county superintendent of schools, As the Coastituticn ncw stands any legal voter is eligible to_the office of county superintedent of schools. ‘The foregoing four proposed amend- ments constitute all the amendments pr posed for adoption at the ensuing General Election. Yours respectfully, EDWARD T: YOUNG, Attorney General. La Follette Decides to lssue Weekly - Publication. Madison, Wis,, Oct. ).—TUnited States Senator La Follette is to start & Commoner. It will not be called the Commoner, however, and, in fact, the ‘name, if decided upon, has not been made public. © The announcement of the senator’s intention was made by bim in person in the following state- ment which he gave out: “The increasing demands upon me for addresses and for such printed matter on representative government as I furnish for public distribution have impressed me with the belief that I should establish a weekly pa- per, published primarily in support of government by the people. A “With assured support I shall pro- ceed at once with the regular publica- tion of a weekly magazine, devoted to the public interest upon lines broad enough to appeal to the progressive people of the entire country. I shall print the records of public officials and political parties on vital ques- tions. I-Mhall discuss men and meas- ures impartially and fearlessly. “With the assistance of able writers and correspondents I will furnish readers a summary of important news, a digest of proceedings in’ congress, & report of the progress made in the struggle for self-government in cities and states and timely, well considered contributions and editorfal discussion upon economic, financial and social questions. The paper will deal not only with these problems, but as wide- 1y as possible with other questions of human interest.” BRYAN PRINCIPAL SPEAKER Second Day’s Session-of Desp Water- ways Conventien. Chicago, Oct. .—When W. J. Bryan, speaker of the day at the second ses- slon of the deep waterways conven- tlon, reached the Auditorium theater the andience arose in a body, cheering lustily and waving American flags. It ‘was a repetition of the reception ac- corded W. H. Taft on Wednesday. Previous to the arrival of the distin- guished Nebraskan P. G. Rennick of Peoria entertained the audience with a dielect poem and a letter was read from J. J. Hill. J. -C. Freeman of Richmond, Va., moved that Mr. Hill's paper be pub- lished and sent to every commercial organization in the country. He de- clared, amidst applause, that it was the strongest plea for deep waterways that the association could put forth. President Kavanaugh stated that ft! would be made a part of the record of the convention, of which a large num- ber of copies would be printed. Mr. Bryan showed only a trace of hoarseness when he began speaking. His address was repeatedly interrupt- ed by laughter or applause as he made some humorous touch or drove home an argument. Barl of Rosslyn Weds Again. London, Oct. ).—The Earl of Ross- lIyn, who last year was divorced by his second wife, who was a Miss Anna Robinson of Minneapolis, has entered upon a third matrimonial venture. He was married in a registry office to Vera Bayley, the daughter of an ex- officer of lancers. Does not Color the Hair Destroys AYER’S HAIR VIGOR BUY A GOOD LOT With the growth of Bemidji good lots are becoming scarcer and scarcer. We still have a number of good- lots in the residence ‘part of town which will be sold on easy terms. For further particulars write or call Bemidji Townsite and Im- provement Company. H. A..SIMONS, Agent. Swedback Block, Bemidji. umber and Building Material ~ - We carry in stock at all times a com- plete line of lumber and bwlding material of all descriptions. Call in and look over our special line of fancy glass doors. We have a large and ¢ well assorted stock from which you can make your selection. WE SELL 16-INCH SLAB W00D St. Hilaire Retail Lbr. Co. BEMIDJI, MINN. Subseribe For The Pioneer. [-___4 Typewriter Ribbons TheiPioneer keeps on hand all the standard makes of Typewriter Ribbons, at the uniform price of '75'cents for all ribbons except the two- and three-color ribkons and special makes. ge ,» [ oot ol