Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-12-01

thousands daily, and they have a
standing invitation from the large de-
partment and retail stores to visit
those metropolitan centers. COnse-
quently the agrarian folks also make
use of the street cars and pay dearly
for that service.
The workers in the cities, however,
are the people who make the most use
of the street car service. Why should
they pay exorbitant rates? When
they pay too much for that service
they have less money to spend for
foOd-for the products of the farm. 1t
affects the farmers as we'll as the
workers. When any company or cor
poration receives too much pay for
the service rendered it affects all the
people directly or indirectly.
Ever since the enactment of the
BrooksC Coleman law in 1921 the pro-
gressives of the Legislature have la
bored to repeal it. The effort to wipe
that law off the statute books will not
be diminished in the 1888 session and
this time it looks like it is doomed
to go.
But the reactionaries who seek to
gain control of the House again this
session are not only defenders of the
street railways. They stay awake
nights figuring out favorable legisla-
ton for the power trust, the lumber
interests, the railroads, the mining
interests, the tax dodgers, a congress
sional redistricting act to suit their
friends in Congress as in 1881. met
ropolitan drainage law for the South
st. Paul packers as in 1881 and other
legislati in behalf of the vested in
terests.
NepOtiSm Is the Bait.
To bring about legislation for the
vested interests the reactiOnaries in
the legislature have been aided
through the practice Of nepOtism-the
hiring of relatives of legislators
sons, daughters, cousins, nephews,
uncles, etc.-for jobs in the legisla-
ture. These relatives have also fire.
quently secured jobs with the power
trust, the railroads, the mining COM
panies and other big corporations.
This is bait often thrown out to new
members of the legislature to secure
their vote for the organization of the
House and for the passage of bills
later.
New members should be on guard
against the nefariOus practice of ne
potism. The progressives are out to
do away with ito kill it off-for
it has a bad effect on legislation.
AS progressive member of the leg
islature | feel also that we should
cut the minimum license tax on auto
mobiles from SO down to So or even
less. A license tax of $3.50 on new
$500 car is small compared to SO on
an old flivver costing S25 to $50 or less
and which the farmer uses practically
only to deliver cream to town and re-
turns with groceries. The tax is out
of line on the old cheap cars. 1t is
too high. Furthermore the trunk road
system need not all be improved i'm
mediately. Folks need food and cloth
ing more than they need pavement
now.
A change could also we'll be made
in the distribution of one-third of the
gas taX-one cent on every gallon of
gas-so that the money which goes to
tributary roads would go direct to
the townships to be used on any roads
within the township. 1t produces an
average of about $1,000 annually to
each hip-depending on size, as
sessed valuation and road mileage
which would have the effect of les
SEEMING the amount to be levied in
general property taxes for the local
road and bridge fund-in some cases
eliminating that general property tax
entirely.
The progressives are out to place