Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-04-06

we can see the results of the organi-
Zation.
1t will not be safe for our legisla-
tors or others to belittle and ignore
this band of earnest workers. Any
one doing so is likely to find his head
in the basket of political discard, and
will come to the end of his perfect"
snobbery in quick step.
The tax situation was discussed at
some length and it is an endless sub
iect. We learn that 1t takes from
Eight to ten people to support one
public servant. That is the average
for the U. S. At the rate public Of
ficials and public charges are in
creasing it Is estimated that by the
end of 1853 the average will be one
public servant or public charge for
every one other person who is not
supported by the public pay roll.
That is fearful outlook, and must
be checked before it goes farther.
Sir Edmund Burke, the great Eng
lish statesman whose brilliant adj
dresses in Parliament helped the
American cause in 1776, said about
taxes: 'Levying taxes is an easy
business. Any protector can contrive
new impositions; but it is altogether
wise to have no other bounds to your
! impositions than the patience OF those
who are to bear them" In other
words, it is unsafe for the people in
charge of our governmental business
to press us. who are paying the bills,
to the limit of our patience. Which
is being done right now.
And that brings me to something
important. Right now is the crit1-
cal time for our legislators. Almost
the entire session has been used in
discussion of a few bills. These bills
were important and had to be fought
for as they were bitterly contested
by the conservatives. In the last few
days things are smoothing out and
the bills will probably be passed,
leaving our progressives, triumphant
hut weary. Then all the rest OF the
5000 bills. which Rep. Hitchcock
says were presented, will be rushed
to the front and there will be no time
for discussion or close study of their
merits. They will go through with
a bang and among them will be some
that will impose heavier expenses
upon the taxpayer In the last ses-
sion there were all too many that
robbed the people of local control of
their affairs In certain lines. In this
session there are quite number OF
the same general trend, fixing sal
aries of county officers, increasing
clerk hire in certain counties, one
to prohibit counties from paying any
official less than 500 per month
(Some of the county officials get fees
in addition to their salaries and have
a nice income from that alone.
There is bill to reduce the bond Of
county attorneys and probate judges
from $4,000 to $1,000 each, thus Civ
ing us less protection in these times
when we need more.
| am not against good wages but
believe that the matter of salaries
for county officers and employees is g
local matter and it is neither fair mol
polite for the state legislature to at
tempt to intrude and force us to pay
something we may not be able to pay
also believe that in our county
at least, where a great part of the
taxes are delinquent our officials are
willing to take a little reduction il
salary until times get better if the
state laws permit them to do so. Ii
fact, l was told that several of then
did agree to cut, that is those
whose salaries were not fixed" by
previous legislation. Other counties
might want the same privilege. Oul
county being a small one in popula
ton is not included in some of the
acts to fix salaries.
Well, this is plenty for now. l gel
started and ramble on with as much
energy as the new Holiday movement
May it gather strength and speed anG
success in its great undertaking!
w. r. NEWMAN.
Hinckley, MINI.