The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-03

gerrymander, and his reapportion
committee of nineteen farmer laborites
and two conservatives evolved bill
which gives the seventh district fairly
compact shape although its waist line
is somewhat suggestive Of the waist
line of the gay nineties. The jig-saw
puzzle craze almost crept into the bill
for the second district is somewhat
higglety -pigglety, and the third district
runs an almost complete ring around
the twin cities. On the whole it Is
pretty good bin-for the farmer-labor
congressman although 1t does not COM
pletely satisfy anybody. It gives Henry
Arens a purely agricultural district,
which, it is understood, is important.
1t puts Paul Kvale and Magnus john
son in separate diStricts-also highly
important. The first and the second
districts fought against Dakota county
and its South st. Paul packing plant,
but it was finally fastened on to the
first district just as the committee pro-
posed. The senate also has reap
portionment bill about which it shows
signs of being firm. The senate's bill
does not rend the second district in
twain as does the house bill, but con-
forms more to the old lines. Hennepin
county members clawed at each others
throats over the division of precincts,
wards and legislative districts. The
fourth district (Ramsey), the eighth
and the ninth, which are not much af-
fected, look anNously on hoping that
the warning contestants, if they must
destroy each other, will not destroy re-
apportionment into the bargain.
Relief With Safety
! Another major issue, apparently well
on the road to solution, is state wide
relief. Early in the session Governor
Olson submitted plan of state relief
in seven bills with the admonition to
tpass 'em quick" It has irked him
somewhat that the public affairs COM
mittee took time to consider. The bills
conferred wide powers on the executive
and broke down the safeguards which
the people have set UP against indiS-
eliminate bond issues. The committee
has unanimously agreed upon the bills
after modifying them somewhat. Gov
ernor Olson's borrowings of the Recon
struction Finance Corporation are rati-
fled, his choice of the Board Of Con-
troll as the agency for the distribution
of relief is approved, the big cities are
given authority to bond within present
limits while the limits for smaller COM
munities are expanded subject to a vote
of the people The program is yet to
be enacted upon in house and senate
but it is a concrete plan for each
body to consider The all-important
preliminary work, which takes the most
time has been accomplished.
An Experiment, Noble in Purpose
Governor Olsons major issue, we are
told, is Unemployment Insurance. This
is theory, concocted by university pro-
fessors, and adopted by Governor Olson
with variations. Its purpose is to ale
viate the miseries OF unemployment by
means of setting up unemployment
reserves"
| Unemployment insurance, in various
forms, is now being tried by almost al
| European countries. 1t has nowhere
been tried in this country although
| Wisconsin has a law on the subject
which has not yet gone into force
European unemployment insurance
which has almost wrecked England and
seriously compromised Germany, is
small potatoes compared to the Mime
sofa scheme. The Wisconsin law is q
gentle zephyr beside the Minnesota
gale. House File 973, the Minnesota
Unemployment Insurance Bill, proposes
to attempt something that has never
been tried anywhere in the world.
The university professors, in ex-
pounding their theory of "unemploy-
ment reserves" gave urgent warnings
of the dangers which attend the pro-
posal, and they suggested stringent
Safeguards. Some of these safeguard.
Governor Olson's bill adopts, others o.
major import it discards. For instance
the professors declare, in common with
other economists, that the employer
cannot bear the whole burden and thai
the system must break down unless i
employe. House File 973 places the
whole burden of 40 mill tax on the
employer. A sound scheme, economists
declare, must provide company re-
serves, but politics denies this pre-
caution, and DEGREES that thrift and wis
dealing must bear the sins OF waste ane
foolishness.
| Discussion of this major issue has
Just begun. If signing on the dottet
line as authors, sight unseen" Of 6
majority of the membership Of ths
legislature, sans knowledge, san,
thought, is any indication, it may be.
come law with little consideration
other than that which is political.
! Other Major Issues
Two income tax bills have been much
mulled over-a statutory income tax
lust another tax" and a constitutions
amendment with definite replacement
clause. Something will be done about
one, perhaps about both, of these.
4 Remission of penalties, compromising
of taxes, and even the complete for.
giving of some, have made definite pro-
gress. These matters are even nov
really lin the bag"
Senate and house are deadlocked or
the reduction of motor car licenses ant
the fate of the highway system the
next two years, but a definite con.
clusion will be reached
Settlement of the vexed rural credit
problem is on the way. Educationa
proposals of great importance viii have
an airing and progress win be made