Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1930-10-02
WANTS SCENIC
BEAUTY SAVED
Senator SwenSOn is Against
Private Exploitation of
Natural Resources.
DelveS in Current Political
Issues Before Pine COun-
ty Audiences.


apolis, who is a candidate for congress
in the Tenth Congressional District,
spoke before audiences in AskOv,
Sandstone, and Pine City on Friday
and Saturday of last week, dwelling
at some length on the Shipstead-Nolan
bill that was passed by the last ses-
sion of congress, iron ore taxes in
Minnesota, the Brooks-Coleman bill,
chain banking and other measures.
The resolution in the Minnesota
legislation memOraliZing congress to
pass the Shipstead-Nolan bill had the
strong support of Mr.. Swenson in the
state senate. The purpose of the bill
was to protect the scenic beauty of
northern Minnesota-that portion
northwest of Duluth and along the
Canadian border-to protect the for
ests and opposing the building of pri-
vately owned water dams by the veal
thy lumber king, E. w. Backus of
Minneapolis. The dams planned by
Mr.. Backus would have raised the
levels of the various lakes and rivers
from to So feet, thus flooding great
Swenson stated that the portion of
Minnesota which would have been
flooded by the proposed dams is one
of the most beautiful sections in the
entire country. 1t is for the lovers
of nature, the common folks, who can
enjoy vacations there at very little eX-
pense. The speaker stated that much
IF hn Of
which was proposed to be withdrawn
from federal homestead entry SO that
Backus or no other special interests
should exploit that country, is unfit
for farming. One-third or more of
the privately owned land was tax de-
linquent. The purpose of the bill was
to take only the non-agricultural
lands. The area includes about four
counties. The resolution passed both
houses of the Minnesota Legislature
and the bill was made law by con-
gress, however, after some compro-
misses had been made.
Mr.. SwensOn stated that we must
protect our water power rights, the
scenic beauty and the forests, and not
continue to permit anybody to strip
the land of it's beautiful forests unless
they replant as is done in the Scandi-
navian countries, Germ any, and
France. The speaker also cited cases
of where dams have been built and
thousands of acres of good timber
land destroyed.
Discusses Iron Ore Tax.
Mr.. Swenson said that Minnesota
produces 60 per cent of all the iron
ore produced in the world and this
natural product was put there by the
Creator for the benefit of all. The
discovery of iron ore in Minnesota
was made between so and 60 years
ago when Mr.. Tower, mine owner and
representing the special interests
worked necessarily for and was able
to secure the passage of a state law
in Minnesota placing the measly low
tax of 1c per ton on iron ore and
eXempting it from local taxes. The
mine owners and operators knew that
they would be Obliged to pay some
kind of a tax and succeeded in slip
ping this measure through the legis-
lature. The law was repealed in 1897.
In 1909 the legislature passed an iron
ore tax law, but it was vetoed by
Governor Johnson for the reason that
it called for a percentage tax on the
gross value of the ore and was not
as good Il law as the present statutes
which call for percentage tax on
the net value. In 1919 an iron ore
tax passed the legislature again, but
was vetoed by Governor Burnquist.
In 1921 and 1923 the legislature again
passed occupational and royalty taxes
which were signed by Governor Preus
and since that time the state of Min
nesota has collected approximately
S35,000.000 in taxes from the iron
ore industry.
Flags Anti.HOme Rule Bills.
Senator SwenSon dwelt briefly on
the BrookS-Coleman bill which be-
came law in 1921 and called it one
of the most daStardly and nefarious
bills that was ever passed in the Min |
nesota legislature. 1t took home rule |
away from the cities of st. Paul. Min |
neapolis, and Duluth and placed the |
street railway systems under the juris- |
diction of the Railroad and Warehouse
commission instead of the respe tive |
city councils, from which they had
received their franchises. As re-
suit of this law street car fares have
greatly advanced and the law has
caused scandals and corruption in
Minnesota politics. Various attempts
have been made to repeal the Brooks
Coleman law since its enactment said
the speaker. adding that he had al
ways worked hard for its repeal