Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-10-27

being in as good repute as it used to
be, Chas. B. Cheney, political writer
of the Minneapolis Journal, wrote on
April 25, 1881, in part as follows:
The house interim committee on To-
cal taxation and expenditures was
started in 1927. 1t failed to finish it's
job in time for the 1929 session. and
asked to be continued. This was done.
but still the work dragged. Some
meetings of the members took place
during the 1881 session and finally
a report was drafted. 1t came quite
unnoticed, ON the last day for the
passage of bills. 1t appears in the
journal of the house for April 81. 1t
carries the observations of the COM
mittee and some conclusions on the
matter of local taxes which are mat
tiers of quite common knowledge. 1t
offers no comprehensive legislative
solution of the problems involved
There are many township officials
and assessors who have given deep
study to taxes that could have given
a better report in much less time
than four years. The committees
report did not indicate a scientific
study of the problem and was frOwned
upon by Governor Olson. other public
officials, and even the conservative
daily press. w. |. Norton, reaction
airy boss of the legislature, was one
of the committee members. Some CT
the others who served on the COM
mittee have since been repudiated by
the voters and left at home.
GOT THEIR PAY
In his itemized report of expenses
by interim committees, State Auditor
Stafford King gave out the following
figures on the committee of which
Mr.. Therrien was chairman and which
reported too late to be of any benefit
to the 1881 session:
Taxation and Local Indebtedness
Representative E. p. ScallOn, Crosby,
$15S.56; Representative Otto c. Neu-
man, Wheaton. $7O3.SS; Representa-
tive Warren E. Hastings. Two Har-
bOrs, $933-54: J. E. Therrien, Pine City,
former representative, $1,331.11; Rep
resentative George Reed, Hibbing,
$S59.67; John A. Johnson, Preston,
former Speaker of the House, $395.69:
Representative J. E. Merritt, Aitkin,
$426.36; Speaker Oscar A. Swenson,
Nicollet,I $277.77; Representative w.
l. Norton, Minneapolis, $153.OS; Roy
Kennedy, $565; Marguerite Harmon,
secretary, $1,1S1.56; postage. $35; tele-
phone and telegraph, SALSA; office
supplies. $685.. Total, $7,146.41.'
Miss Harmon is Mr.. Norton's secre-
tary.
Why was not this report given the
first days of the 1881 session? Enough
money was spent so that it should
have been available in time, whether
or not it was of any benefit. And GER
tainly there was enough ballyhoo in
Pine county about the Importance of
this committee in 1880 and the ne
cessity of the chairman being on the
job during the 1881 legislative session
to give this report.
WANTED DELAY
The report of the interim commit
tee in dwelling on the tax burden, en-
bodied the following:
over government-growing, public
tendency in America to direct govern
ment to enter fields and perform tasks,
formerly left and better left to pri-
vate initiative and enterprise has ad-
ded to the burden
On the income tax the report says:
"At this session the legislature has
considered the merits of state in
come tax. The beneficial results of
such tax are much in dispute. The
problem needs more study than it has
yet received and more than it is posi-
BILE to give, in the crowded days of the
legislative session. We believe, there
fore. that any income tax legislation
enacted at this time should be in the
form of a constitutional amendment
submitted to the people. Such sub
mission would have advantages. 1t
would afford opportunity for further
scientific study of this perpleXing
problem. 1t would lead to a more or
less widespread dissemination of in
formation concerning the income tax
and result i'm a better popular under
standing of it. 1t would test the SEN
timent of the people on the subject.
Any such amendment should of course
provide that any income tax adopted
shall be a replacement tax and should
insure against its being or becoming
an added tax, increasing the burden
upon the taxpayer instead of afford
ing him relief"
The object of the interim committee
as the opposition to the income tax
has been right along, was to delay
and delay.
The committee closed its report
with a plea for further study, saying:
1.-The committees jurisdiction has
been limited; it's funds have been in
adequate; it has represented only one
body of the legislature. We believe
that an Interim Commission consist
ing of members of the Senate and