Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-12-14
State Capitol News
BY A. l. HARRIS


lion and half homes in all parts of
the United States. This is the Christ
mas tree, which is now being cut and
shipped. st. Louis, Mo-; Kansas City,
Kansas; and Chicago are the principal
centers of distribution. The black
spruce heads the list of trees, others
being white spruce and balsam fir.
The forest service of the Department
Of Conservation checks all shipments
to see that the timber cutters and the
Christmas tree cutters laws are COM
piled with.
Although the annual pine cone har-
vest has become a $4,000 industry
in this state, some of the greedy col
lectors are killing the goose that is
laying the golden eggs. Forest ran
gers have discovered that large num-
bers of trees have been cut down
purely for the purpose of picking the
cones. In innumerable cases trees
have been shorn of their leaves. To
put step to this destruction. the De-
chase no more cones from persons not
known to the ranger, and from no per-
son where the area from which the
cones have been picked has not been
inspected.
No other state in the Union can
boast of water resources greater than
that which Minnesota enjoys. No
other state in the Union has greater
need of public control and regulation
of its water resources in the COM
mon interest than has Minnesota.
And yet, it is notorious fact that we
rank with the most backward states
in that regard. No authority what
ever exists under our laws giving the
Department of Conservation control or
jurisdiction over public waters. The
drying up of lakes and the lowering
of water levels generally due to the
continued draught makes such con-
troll and regulation more imperative
than ever. Maybe, some day the leg
islators will understand the problem
and do something about it,
Some members of the Legislature
are not keen about Governor Olsons
views bearing on the obligation of
government to take care of the needy
and destitute. The Governor believes
that this is paramount obligation
which should not be shirked regard
less of financial consequences. 1.-The
care of the destitute" the Governor
said "is public obligation and not a
private one and must be performed
even to the exhaustion of all resources
OF the state and it's communities"
Government has not always taken this
obligation seriously. 1t is rather
advanced thought.
There has been an increase of
329,363 acres in game refugees in the
state since January 1, 1881, which
does not include the ,Anoka and Lower
1 Rice Lake projects, soon to be estab-
Used as refugees as we'll as the White
water conservation area. There is
now total of 3,2S7,S1O acres in game
refugees.
N. H. Debel, chairman of the Min
nesota Industrial Commission, has
been designated by Miss Frances Per-
kins, secretary of Labor, as the au-
thOrity responsible for the issuance
of certificates of exemption to the
minimum wage provisions of the var
ious industry codes. The National
Recovery Administration limits ex-
emptions to persons whose earning
power is. restricted by the infirmities
of age or physical or mental defects
Secretary of Agriculture Henry A.
Wallace is taking plenty of heat these
days. The latest wave comes from
Minnesota farm leaders and is direct
ed at the secretary's hog-prOcessing
tax program. These leaders told Mr..
Wallace that the major packers
Swung the market into line to meet
the tax They termed the tax a
two-edged sword, cutting producer
and consumer alike. Fer proof they
cited market quotations, indicating
that the price of hogs had dropped
since the advent of the tax, while the
price of pork products took an up
ward hep. AS a remedy a licensing
system for dealers in farm products
was recommended.
The st. Paul Daily News in its col
umn Twenty Years Ago Today" last
week published the following: THE
Game and Fish Comm isSion was hav-
ing money troubles. A month before
II wardens had been dropped because
of lack of funds and 10 more were re-
ported to have been ordered dismissed
by the Commission for the same rea-
son. Today the same difficulty ex-
lists. Because of the condition of the
Game and Fish fund, payless fur
loughs will have to be given wardens
this winter. Reduction in receipts is
largely responsible for this condition.
The latest contribution to the mass
of congratulatory messages on the
settlement of the Austin strike comes
from l. w. Syck, sheriff of Mower
county. Says Sheriff Syck: Il wish
to commend the Governor for his adj
mirable work in handling a very seri-
Gus situation at Austin. The attacks
on the Governor were unfair and
without foundation"