Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-09-15

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1t was organized in 1925 and in 1926
]. F. Reed became its president. The
organization was rather inactive until
the legislative session of 1881 when it
started its propaganda against the in
come tax and to minimize the effect
of such a tax when it is eventually
made law. During the session the
association maintained suite Of
rooms at the st. Paul Hotel. It's Of
after week. Who paid for those
broadcasts? asked the senator. Who
paid for the expenses of the meetings
they conducted out over the state? No
farmers have ever been heard as
contributing to their expenses. Chas.
E. Elmquist, representing the Weyer-
hauser lumber interests, was another
lobbyist who worked against an eff
fective income tax. Mr.. Briggs, a ST.
Paul man, recently sued Mr.. ElmQuist
for salaries and expenses connected
with prOpagandizing against the in
come tax. Wealthy Minneapolis and
st. Paul men were also named in the
complaint. Some paid and others not.
w. l. Norton, public utilities repre-
sentative in the legislature from Min
neapolis, and leader of the reaction
airy group, was also named as one Of
the men cOnniving against the income
tax. The Minnesota Taxpayers Asso-
citation is simply scheme to knock
out the income tax, said the senator.
Wisconsin Fares Well.
And as for the state of Wisconsin
losing some of its industries on ac-
count of the income tax, that is only
a scare thrown out by the opponents
of this better form of taxation, said
the speaker. Though largely an agri-
cultural state, Wisconsin, where the
income tax has functioned successful
ly for over twenty years, had a net
increase of $3.50 in manufacturing in
come during the years from 1922 to
1926. The national average increase
was $3.50 during the same period.
This shows that the income tax will
not drive business from the state.
And where will they go? Illinois
now has an income tax and Minnesota
will soon have it-24 states have it.
Why haven't all the Wisconsin in
dustries moved to Minnesota where
there has been no state income tax,
if that tax was driving them out?
Minnesota is close neighbor and the
reactionaries here have kept this
state from adopting the better and
more fair method of taxing up to this
time.
The offset provision in the income
tax. proposed by the wealthy and their
representatives, is another idea to
minimize the effect of it. For in
stance if a farmer pays a general
property tax of $500 and pays no in
come tax he gets no reduction and
will pay in full. A man with a good
income of say $4,000 would pay a
state income tax of about $175. If he
also paid general property tax of
$500 on his home he could then under
the offset provision deduct the $175
income tax from the $500 real estate
tax and yet only pay total of $500.
In other words it would relieve this
man of paying any state income tax.
If the offset provision were adopted it
would cut the revenue from the in
come tax at least to half. How many
citizens in Pine county or any other
rural county would profit from the Off
set provision? Seven states have had
the offset provision in their income
tax laws. Three have repealed it and
the others are working to repeal it.
No COlOring of OleOmargarine.
Senator Bell was the author of the
bill in the 1881 session of the legis-
lature which prevents the sale of col
ored Oleomargarine in Minnesota.
The senator explained that palm oil
used with oleomargarine makes it
look like butter and it was this de-
ception of the public that he desired
to prevent in the bill that became law.
Oleomargarine can now be sold in this
state only in its original color or nat
ural state. The oleomargarine must
be kept and presented in a separate
and distinct form and in such manner