The Sauk Centre herald., 1932-10-27
THE FARMER LABOR SIDE
(By A. H. Hendrickson)

To the Editor of the Herald:
Last week I sent to several pap
ers in this vicinity an article deal
ing with the appropriations by the
Legislature of 1929 and thereby
showed that the same legislature
appropriated over six hundred
thousand dollars more for depart
ment expenses than they did for
1890, and by the saving CD of 1880
large sums had to be expended on
the various state institutions, for
repairs and additional buildings.
I also showed how the executive
council, composed of the Attorney
General, State Auditor, State Treas
urer, Secretary of State and the
Governor as Chairman, could bor-
row money to defray expenses till
the money came into the state
treasury (note that of these five
members of the council four are
republicans) and it appeared that
they not only used up all the ap-
preparations made in 1929 but the
legislature of 1881 had to make
large appropriations in order to
catch up and that is now reported
to be used up.
Under the law all financial ex-
penditures have to come under the
control of this executive council, of
which the governor is only chair
man with the other four members
politically opposed to him, and the
governors opponents did not hes
itate to go to the limit in order to
heal the sore caused by the negli-
gence of the previous administra-
ton, to keep up the institutions of
the state, and last but not the
least, to show up the administra-
-tion of Governor Olson as oeing
expensive, to that end the legisla-
ture helped by increasing appro-
priations.
They cannot blame the Farmer
Labor party for the acts of the leg
islature, as even the Farmer-Labor
Lieutenant Governor was deprived
of his right to name the senate
committees and now they are blam-
ing the governor because he did
not veto any of the acts of the leg
islature, while any one who studies
the appropriation bills passed can
see at a glance that the bills were
so drawn that nothing could be
eliminated, as the Governor has not
the power to reduce any item, only
to cut it out or leave it. Yes they
say he could have cut out some Of
these damage claims allowed by the
legislature. Yes, John Jones and
William Smith had been killed
when employed by the state and
having a valid claim against the
state for damages, recognized by
the legislature, the governor could
if he wanted to veto the bill for
Mrs. Jones damage and sanction
that of Mrs. Smith or he could veto
both of them and let the town take
care of the families, but he can
not reduce or cut any down. Only
all or none. But those who are
blaming the governor for not veto
ing the appropriation bills passed
by the legislature know these facts
but they think the voters are so
ignorant that they don't know it,
and hence can fool them.
With all the howl about expendi-
lures during the Olson administra-
ton it turns out that the tax levy
in 1881 was SLIT, ,922.OO less than
in 1929 and was $343, ,864.0O than in
1927.
The Republican platform and
Earl Brown promises to save five
million dollars year If possible.
When that platform was adopted,
they were not aware Of the fact
that the tax levy for 1882 will be
$5,251, ,O11.00 less than it was in 1881,
so all they tell you is that the rate
is 37-100 of a mill higher in 1882
than it was in 1881, but they don't
tell you that the assessed valuation
has been reduced one-fifth from
what it was in 1881, and they don't
tell you that the 1882 fiscal year