The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-01-05

Wei known and,r since becoming Gov
ernor, L have made no change in my
position relative thereto.
Responsibility for High Taxes.
10 Keep the state taxes as low as is
consistent with state progress is, OF
course, desirable and to criticize state
officials for the unjustifiable expendi-
ture OF public funds undoubtedly has
a good effect in keeping down extrava-
CANT expenditures, but 1 am convinced
that criticism of the state government
In this respect is often based upon a
misapprehension of the real facts fo1
the share of taxes which go to the state
Tor state purposes has always been
very small compared with the taxes
which go to the localities for local pur-
poses. OF the total tax levy for 1915
less than Is of the taxes paid or about
l1.S per cent went to the state. The
rest OF the levy was for local school
purposes and expenses in connection
with county, city, village and township
affairs.
Division of Taxes.
The total taxable valuation of ali
property in Minnesota for 1915 was
sl,492,0O0,000. The total tax levy for
state and local purposes was $685.
$50, of which only s6,17S,000 go to the
state and the balance to localities. The
amount disbursed for the same year by
the state for local purposes will be
approximately $6,200,000. The state,
therefore, pays back to the counties
more than it collects from them and if
school maintenance. which accounts
for such a large portion of the money
paid by the state to localities and road
building, which has with commendable
foresight been made such an impor-
tant part of state development and put
minnesota in needed and prominent
position from which she should not re-
cede, but advance, were paid for by
local taxes the state could pay it's run
ming expenses from indirect revenues
such as the gross earning tax, the in
heritance tax and others of like nature
and the state tax levy could be entirely
abolished
True Economy.
Although only a small share of the
responsibility for high tax rate can,
by reason of the facts heretofore stat
ed, be placed on the state government,
no state official would on that account
FAVOR the eXtravagant expenditure of
public money We all believe In max
ing the tax rate as low as possible. but
at the same time we are more anxious
to have the work of the state well done
and it's money wall spent than to have
the taxes unreasonably reduced for we
all agree that too much economy is
apt to result in the greatest extrava-
Sance and that the reasonable expendi-
ture of money for valid purposes is
often the truest economy. In state af-
fairs as in private business the results
accomplished and the dividends re-
ceived determine the wisdom of the in
vestment.
Legislative Appropriations.
The last Legislature appropriated
ing either of the two previous sessions.
AS result the recent tax levy for the
state revenue fund was fixed at one
mill and the total state tax levy at
3.65 mills, which is the lowest since
1910 and this reduction was accom-
plshed although the one mill road tax
was added to the levy, which had not
been done up to 1913. The appropria-
ton from the revenue fund for the ifs
cal year from August 1, 1916. to July
81, 1917, is sS,450,000. OF the amount
appropriated by the last Legislature
for the fiscal year, the sum of $2,365, 900
was appropriated for state charitable
and correctional institutions and con-
stitutes % per cent of the total appro-
priations. The total sum appropriated
from the revenue fund for educational
purposes was $3,656,000 and constitutes
more than 43 per cent of the total ap-
preparations for the fiscal year. This
money is spent for University, Normal
School and agricultural education and
for special aid to High, Graded and
Rural schools. About % per cent of
the total appropriations is for the
Legislative, Judicial and Executive de-
partments. The legislators salaries
amount to the sum of nearly 100000
and the annual expenditures in the
Judicial department is more than $685.
900. The sum of s1.452,550 is appro-
priated to carry on the work done, by
the state officials and by the many diff
ferent state departments. A sum Of
about 100000 constituting the remain
ing per cent of the total appropria-
lions, is expended for miscellaneous
purposes such as the Soldiers Home,
the Historical Society and other public
projects.
for Charitable Institu-
tiOns.
Minnesota takes much interest in
caring for it's unfortunates. 1t is,
believe, the only state in the Union ex-
tending aid to it's prisoners 1t was
the first state to establish a hospital
for crippled children. There are. to-
day, more than 1900 dependents in the
public school at OWatonna. In the in
stitutions for the deaf, the blind and
the feeble minded at Faribault there
was, during last year. an attendance
hospitals and asylums for the insane
there was a population of more than
$500. With the increase in the num-
Der of the states inhabitants must
come an increase in the number of its
and therefore, if the pres
ent standard is to be maintained. new
buildings for the inmates will from
time to time be needed and larger APP.
for their maintenance will
he harS
of this body can agree upon some plan
whereby those, who are relatives of
the inmates and are able to contribute
to their support, can be made to do so
through legislative enactment. You
have the power to reduce the appropri-
ations for charitable purposes if you
deem it wise. but if, upon investigation,
it is found that such reduction will
lower the high standard that Minne-
sofa has established and make it i'm
possible for the state to give it's wards
the care to which they are entitled, /
believe that you will agree with me
that such action by the Legislature
would be neither wise nor economical.
for Educational Institu-
lions.
The state has made great progress
along educational lines. We boast of
it's many and varied educational actiyi-
ties. We feel the returns In the eieVa-
ton of our citizenship, secured from
for such purposes. repay
many times over the amounts involved.
We have, within our borders, people
who desire education. We fully realize
that without our schools the loyalty of
today to our state and to American in
situations would be impossible. There
are those who may believe it desirable
to change the amounts of the money
to particular departments
or branches of our educational system,
giving more to some and less to others.
There are citizens who, on account of
the situation in some portions of the
state, wisely advocate the establish
ment of more night schools for the
purpose of giving adults, especially
those of foreign descent, an opportu-
nifty to acquire at least an elementary
to learn more of American
and thus become more ia