The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-02-26
OUR TAXES AND M1NNEsOTA'S

NorthD akota's state taxes increased last year
117.52 per cent. Minnesota's increase was 1856
per cent. The Courier-News has been giving this
Minnesota increase as 1873 per cent. Revised
figures just received, show it is 1876 per cent.
And Minnesota, be it remembered, has no state
industries. And it has a 100 per cent Ameri-
can" governor, and $50 per cent big business
control.
But these relative figures of 117.72 per cent
and 1876 per cent do not do full justice to the
situation. North Dakota is paying relatively a
larger sum in soldiers bonus. North Dakota is
paying the men $25 for each month in service,
as against SIS in Minnesota, and will pay the
entire sum due in about six years as against 10
in Minnesota. If the soldiers bonus is deducted,
the North Dakota state tax increase is 72 per
cent, and in Minnesota IS per cent.
There is another comparison that will in
terest the curious. According to the census esti-
mate of population of 1919, the per capita tax
in North Dakota is $4.49, and in Minnesota
$6.05, or, deducting the soldiers bonus, 1885
in North Dakota and $4.74 in Minnesota.
We wonder if the I. ". A. press, or Frank E.
Packard, or the politicians of the Bismarck post
of the American Legion, will not furnish us
with a few reflections on these comparisons?
apOlis Tribune, who in the east predicted North
Dakota's bankruptcy because of the "~frightful"
increase in state taxes under the Nonpartisan
League.-The Courier-News.
The Fargo Forum is making good on the
prophecies made nearly a year ago by League
leaders. It is roaring and "raring" because the
League has not accomplished more. It would
make it appear that the League has promised.
much and done nothing. Which is exactly what
the League press and speakers said last summer
and fall when the courts were %congested with
litigation against nearly every law that the
farmers had passed. The suit of the AZ tax pay
ers, beaten in the u. S. district court is appealed
to the u. S. Supreme court. The issuance of the
states bonds and their sale is being held up,
pending the decision. There is no money avail
able from them for loans to drouth-stricken
farmers; money for the building of the terminal
elevator is tied up by that suit. Judge N. C..
Young, boss of the Forums faction, has been
active in preventing the sale of the bonds and
tried to prevent a setting forward of the date
for the hearing in the Supreme court. If the
money can be held up until June next, when the
primaries are held-it will be so much the more
political advantage for the farmers enemies
so they figure it. Why should they worry over
the woes of the farmers of the drouth-stricken
area so long as the politicians have an argu-
ment in the campaign? There is not an intel
ligent man in the state who does not know that
the sole reason why the League has not COM
pleted it's work and carried out it's ideas of in
dustrial democracy is because the enemies of
the farmer have used every means, fair and
foul, to delay and cripple the program. It was
the same spirit that animated those who nailed
the Saviour to the cross, and seeing him help
less. for the few hours, tainted him with his
inability to help himself or help others. That is
the kind and tender spirit that burns in the
breasts of those who fight the farmer.
Well Is sometimes is not considered very lucky
but in this case we think it is. Quite a few. to
get out to follow Falky & Co.. Some ideal.