Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-02-16
By HJALMAR PETERSEN

To Pioneer Press and Dispatch:
Your Saturday evenings edition of
the Dispatch contained a front page
news article regarding the proposed
statutory state income tax and Mon
day mornings Pioneer Press con-
tanned an editorial on the same sub
ject. AS chairman of the House COM
mittee of Taxes and Tax Laws, 1
should like to make a reply.
The editorial stated that "the con-
stitutionality of a statutory progress
sive income tax is exceedingly doubt
full, and naturally there is no assur-
ance that the revenue so raised would
be used to permit reduction of other
taxes"
The former attorney general, Mr..
Benson, gave out as his opinion dur
ing the 1881 session of the Legisla-
ture that a progressive income tax
would be constitutional in Minnesota.
have today asked the present at
torney general. Harry H. Peterson,
his opinion on this proposed law.
The federal government has an in
come tax and there are now "a states
or just half the states of the Union
that have such methods of tax col
lections. The decisions of courts are
in no small way affected or influ-
enced by the trend of public opinion.
Bill is Improved.
Discussing the procedure of the bill
-, ~ - 3, Co.. IN,
your editorial that it has been very
strange and very high-handed." The
bill in this session is very much like
the one presented in the 1881 session,
though we have made a number OF
improvements and it is more air tight
against evasion. Four public hearings
were held on the statutory income tax
bill in 1881 and, as usual. there was
much oratory and shouting. This goes
for both reactionaries and liberals.
One farmer from Hennepin county
who had been dragged out by the OPP
ponents to register "a protest by
farmers shouted that there are
plenty taxes now without piling on
any more. Chances are that he never
would have been Obliged to pay an
| income tax if he lived to be one hun
dred years old.
The proposal has had much study
the past two or three years. Profess
sor H. Rottschaefer of the State Uni
versity, Senator Robert C. Bell of De-
| troit Lakes, myself and others have
devoted no little time in drafting the
bill. To intimate that those who will
pay income taxes are uniformed is
incorrect. Talks have been given out
over the state on this subject. There
have been radio talks and newspaper
articles galore.
The co-authors of the bill, of which
there are now AZ in the House and
already the vote on the constitutional
amendment" last fall. The income
tax amendment had about 10000
more yes" votes than noes" but did
not carry due to the difficulty Of
amending our constitution, which re-
quires a majority vote of all those
| voting at the election. The amend
hlSht hdu a SlOdi pun dIIs NOtC.
Only Taxpayers Must Report.
In that connection it might be well
| to state the trickery resorted to by
the opponents. Circular letters were
sent broadcast over the state in the
| closing days before the election.
Farmers were scared into believing
that they would have to make ac-
counting for every COW, pig, chicken
and every dozen of eggs they sold.
If there is anything that a person
who works out in the open hates to
do, If not accustomed to it, it is book
keeping. Opponents of a more scien-
tific form OF taxation-that of paying
more on the basis of ability to pay
were cunning enough to take advan-
tage OF that situation and so after the
last minute attack against the amend
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