The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-05-29

err importance than the qualification
of the ambitions of individuals, and
in conducting my campaign / shall
discuss principles, not personalities.
During the past years my prin-
cipal work has been to hold down
public expenditures. The chairman
of the appropriations committee is
not an autocrat, and his powers are
limited. He votes in case of a tie,
and he Yields influence by virtue of
his position; but in legislative body
majorities rule, and when the major
ity favors an appropriation it is
made whatever the opinion of the
appropriations chairman may be. At
the last session we cut SIS, 100000
from requested appropriations; l
am not entitled to all of the credit
for the cutting of appropriations by
any means; nor am / responsible for
any increases, save those which
supported. If nominated and elected
governor l propose to follow the
course l have pursued in the legisla-
| ture and to use all of the powers of
the office to prevent increases in tax
alton and public Indebtedness in the
state of Minnesota.
Gin order to effect substantial tax
reduction it will be necessary to cur
/ tail local expenditures, for the state
tax is small compared with the local
tax. In Indiana the state tax COM
mission is vested with the power to
review the action of local governing
boards in letting contracts; often
through collision among bidders eff
fective competition is eliminated and
local authorities are at the mercy of
contractors. If the tax commission
in Minnesota had the power to re-
view there could be effected each
year large savings to the people of
| the state.
"To prevent a pyramiding of pub
lie indebtedness, there should be pro-
visions of law making any bond is
sue null and void which did not carry
with it tax levy running over the
period of the bonds which would
create a sinking fund adequate to
discharge the obligations of the
bonds at their maturity. Unless the
pyramiding of bond issues is stopped,
poSterity. will be confronted with the
dilema of confiscation or repudia-
ton. Already the bonded indebted
ness of counties, municipalities and
school districts in Minnesota has
reached the disturbing total of $780,
100000 and interest on public in
debtedness is the third largest single
item of public expenditures.
"The prolific source of excessive
| taxation is too much government. We
have too much regulation, too much
inspection, too much paternalism.
Every twelfth person in America en-
gagged in gainful occupation is a pub
lie official, servant or pensioner. We
have inspectors of every kind, and
they perform services that could be
merged if we had a proper reor-
ganization of the administration of
the state. Instead of 90 departments
of government in Minnesota, let us
through reorganization and CONSOLE
dation reduce the number and fix
responsibility. Give us an effective
budget system, one which not only
complies and revises estimates but
exercises continuing power to compel
compliance not only with the letter
but the spirit of the budget. If l am
nominated and elected governor [
shall insist on reorganization of the
state government to eliminate I'M
necessary boards, commissions and
shall see to it that the de-
partment heads and their subordi-
mates do not carry on the activity
they have manifested at times in the
past to block administrative reforms.
civilizations of the past fell be-
cause they became top-heavy. Is
there not danger that our present
social order like those which proceed
ed it will fail if we make its super
structures too heavy for its human
foundations? Let us apply the les
sons of history, and save the instl-
buttons which our fathers buildedi,
and transmit them to our posterlty."