Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-10-01
Continued from Page ID


and that the income tax should alb
sorb it, Senator Spindler adds: 81 be-
lieve that the principal injury and
injustice to the farmer and the home
owner from high tax is, that the pres
ent high tax destroys the selling
value of the land. Land becomes less
desirable, no one wants it, it is cheap
er to rent than to own property. If
the heavy tax load is made lighter,
people will want again to own land,
then land values will go up and farms
will move"
Editor Henry G. Teigan of the
Farmer-Labor Leader, Senator Victor
E. Lawson in his Willmar Tribune,
the State News of Minneapolis, and
other publications are doing good
work through their editorial columns.
Articles have appeared in some of the
rural press and this can be enlarged
upon. Radio talks sponsored by the
Farm Bureau with some of its Of
ficers and members of the legislature
taking part, was carried out last win
ter, and this should be further pro-
NOTED. Many individuals are work
ing hard for the furtherance of the in
come tax idea. These forces should
all be co-ordinated and campaign
of education carried on to better in
form the public on this vital issue
which will save millions of dollars to
the great majority of Minnesota tax
payers.
The National Industrial Conference
Board, Inc, PAT Park Avenue, New
York City, has published a two vol
ume treatise on the subject of state
income taxes. This is the most &C
curate and comprehensive analysis on
this subject that the writer has been
privileged to read. 1t would be we'll
if these books formed a part of Ii
braries-public and private over
the land. They can be obtained at
the above address.
Being Used More.
Revenue from state income taxes is
gradually on the increase. In the
years from 1922 to 1928 the revenue
in the 10 states having income tax
laws throughout that period increased
from $97, 100000 to $1S3,0OO,O0O. The
13 states are: Connecticut, Delaware,
Massachusetts,; Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, New York, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Caro-
lima, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
In 1922 Wisconsin collected S10,-
0S0,000 and in 1928 the amount was
$1S,048,000. in state income taxes.
New York for the same years was
$62, 9S2,000 and $115,424,000. This in
crease shows that as the people and
their representatives in the legisla-
lures get better acquainted with this
form of taxation they use it to allevi-
ate the pressure on the smaller tax
payer. The state income tax is one
tax man is always lucky to have to
pay.
For 1880 Wisconsin collected ap-
proximately $21, 100000 in state in
come taxes. They anticipate no need
in 1881 for state tax levy on general
property. Thanks to the income tax
the state levy has been low for years
and in some years it has been en-
tirely wiped out.
The cost of collecting income taxes
is low compared with that of other
taxes. The average cost in New York
for the years from 1920 to 1926 was
2.15%o of collections. In Massachu-
sets the average for the same years
was 1850. The cost has been from
go to go in Wisconsin and in more
recent years from ~ % to 2%o.
Must Shift Some of Tax Burden.
Farming is the basic industry, but
it must be made more attractive than
it now is. In 1920 farm property in
the United States had a value of sew
enty-nine billion dollars which de-
creased to fifty-four billions in 1880.
The income per farm family in 1919
was $91S while in 1929 it was 1869.
a decrease of $50. The figures for
1880 and 1881 would show much
greater decrease. 1t now requires
more than one-third of the net farm
income to pay taxes. Is it any won
der that the tax delinquency is grow
ing? We cannot continue this way.
Tax delinquency is now above 500 in
some Minnesota counties. The farmer
will benefit from a state income tax
as will labor, the smaller business
man and real estate taxpayers. Tt
will be more just tax, and is placed
only on the more financially fortunate
people of the state-those whose earn
ngs are above the average. In 1927
in New York $3.50 of it's population
paid income taxes; the same year in