Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-09-01
KEEP A GOOD MAN

Doesn't IL give 1ellOW pain SoIne-
where to read articles, letters or hear
talks from those who condemn Cover
nor Floyd B. Olson for not having
saved the nation in the year and a
half that he has been governor of the
state of Minnesota?
The critics, or those behind the
scenes, it seems need to be informed
that the governor of a state does not
sign tariff bills and has nothing to
do with them; that the obnoxious
Hawley-Smoot tariff law which is
causing this country much trouble,
was passed and signed down in Wash
ington, d. c.; that Capitalization of
wealth has been going on to marked
degree the past thirty years and
especially the past ten years; that
from the period of the World war up
to last year the maximum rate on
federal income taxes was reduced
from $3.50 to 249o, and just at time
when millionaires and multi-milliuI-
aires were created faster and more
numerously than at any other period
in our history.
The critics who want to make so
much out of taxation need to be
told that the state mill rate for 1919
was 81; for 1923, s mills; 1925, II
mills; 1927, II mills, and for 1881.
1888 mills. That a state administra-
ton can run along with an economy
slogan for a time and refrain from
spending some money (some folks
may call it ''saving') on the upkeep
of state institutions, but that the neg
1ecting of painting, shingling the
roofs, and otherwise repairing build
ings, will usually cost more in the
long run if it is not attended to in
time, and therefore Governor Olson
and his administration found it nee
essary to spend one and a half million
dollars more in 1881 on the repair
and upkeep of state buildings than
was spent by the previous administra-
tion for the same items in 1880.
The critics or propagandizers need
to be told again, though it has been
repeated several times in the columns
of the Askov American. that the value
of the American workers output
trebled during the thirty year period
from 1899 to 1929, largely through the
added labor saving machinery. Did
the workers wages treble? No! How
much planning was done in all those
years to solve the unemployment situ-
alton which was gradually growing?
How much was done to make the la
Dor saving machine the benefactor of
mankind rather than more profits for
the few? Who has been in power
while all this Capitalization of wealth
has been going on? Who has agreed
to it and who has been a tool in the
machine, if not wealthy autocratic
legislators themselves then small
hirelings of that selfish, greedy gang?
What party has governed Minnesota
for 20 years if it is not the grand
old party? Have you seen any in
come tax established here in that
time as was established 20 years ago
in our neighboring state of Wiscon-
sin, which is progressively governed.
This is a tax that would alleviate
general property taxes and put some
of it over on income, and in times like
these, more can be collected from
those with good incomes to help the
down and cutters as was done in Wis
consin. Don't let them tell you even
now that there@are no people making
money. Perhaps not your neighbors,
but remember there are 120,0O0.000
'other souls in this country and some
of them have plenty of wealth-far too
much for the good of the country.
What Minnesota governors in the
past Is years would have had the
courage to veto the metropolitan
drainage bill-the South st. Paul
packers bill-and the redistricting
bill as did Governor Olson? The South
st. Paul packers would like to get rid
of their pollution at fraction of what
it should cost and little did they
care what cost other taxpayers would
have to assume. Their dining and
winning and the expensive lobby they
maintained had something to do with
the passing of the bill by the legis-
lature. The governor-an intelligent,
shrewd, far-seeing man, had the cour-
age to veto this bill in the face of
much opposition.
Congressman, each representing
more than a quarter million people,
are widely known and of course lead
ers in the state and therefore it is
not SO healthy for a man in politics
to go against their wishes. Ask the