New Ulm review., 1922-10-25
Preus' Iar Achievement.

STANDS upon u Snaky leS WHICH, ~ >o'A'eh
to any reduction in taxes for people OF
the state. Governor Preus in his New
Ulm speech Friday evening declared
that the people have been relieved OF
any direct taxes for maintaining the
state government. Farmers and busl-
ness men cannot see any advantage
in this for their taxes are now heavier
than they ever were before.
Having declared that the people
were not paying direct taxes for state
support, the Governor Immediately
passes the buck for tax reduction to
counties and municipalities which re-
ceve direct taxes.
To clear up the Governors position
we quote from the following editorial
of the Minnesota Daily Star which
analyses a. statement about taxes pre-
pared by the Republican committee:
Fortunately, the republican state
central campaign committee answers
the tax question for the voters of Min
nesota in a little pamphlet, entitled
about Your Taxes" it is circulating
gratis throughout the state. Every
voter should get one and read it.
One Of the first things that will i'm
press the reader is that, despite the
republican campaign statement, the
average citizens total taxes are in
creasing all the time, and were never
higher than now.
This little piece of machine props-
ganda shows that total tax levy for
all purposes in the state of Minnesota
in 1920 was S116,720,461 03, and in
1921, $115,S1S,S77.98, and the average
rate, increased from 52.43 mills to
52.67 mills. The tax levy has in
creased from $38,631 ,28S.24 to $115,-
S18,877.9S during the 10 years from
1912 to 1922. During this period, ac-
cording to this booklet, wealth in
creased 5l2S per cent, and taxes
1891. Tax Commissioner Armson
says the increase was 220 per cent.
The owner of e. 1G0-acre farm paid on
his holdings in 1912, S39.91, and in
1922, $112.14 says the pamphlet.
Manifestly, the republican machine
has not succeeded in modifying the
great question of general taxes. They
60 right on increasing all the time.
Tnen, what has it done?
The booklet explains that this in
crease comes almost entirely from in
creases in local taxes of all kinds, and
that it is not responsible for that. Just
how it manages to whittle down taxes
to the point where it's responsibilities
and "achieycments'' begin, is extreme
1y interesting 1t consists in segregat-
ing and whiting down what it is
pleased to class exclusively state taxes
which it calls "the tax for general reve-
nue. fund purposes" and it shows that
this is being paid this year as Governor
Preus states in his keynote address, as
follows:
''The entire cost OF state government
and state institutions was paid for
out, of taxes collected from corpora
tions, such as theegr earnings tax on
railroads and other public service cor
porations and departmental fees
"The entire cost of state govern
ment" rolled in the mouth of Preus,
the orator on the platform, becomes
.'the tax for general revenue fund pur-
poses" when tbs 'explained' in the
official literature of the republican
campaign committee. When it is ex-
planned nearly all away, the micro
scopic residue is what is left when
nearly 10 million dollars for various
state purposes, including schools, roads
and bridges, forest fire relief, university
and seven other. state items, are pared
from it. After al this is done the
magnificent sum of $1,680,663.07 is
left to represent the "entire cost OF
state. government" which will be
operated without direct taxes this year.
How this wonderful achievement"
was put over, is described IN sthe cam.
paign booklet as follows: lza M
HAT the close Of the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1921, there was g. balance
inHIthe general revenue. fund Of the
state Of s7,1s3,7S2 e1z- During the
10years preceding, the general revenue
fund tax levy had brought into the
state treasury each year on the average
$2,877, 1926. The 1921 legislature
took from the gene al revenue fund for
the payment Of the soldiers bonus
$2,O0O,000.. To care for any possible
shortage or overdraft,, as result Of its
act, the legislature authorized the state
treasurer to borrow from other funds
without interest, for the benefit Of the.
general revenue fund $3,000,000. The
state, therefore, has as "a protection
against any shortage resulting from
the elimination Of the general revenue.