Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-04-05
INDICATED

Life is not always a bed of roses
the bitter must be taken with the
sweets-there are victories and there
are defeats-all of which makes life
more interesting, wholesome and
worthwhile.
But this is our turn to rejoice in
victory and perhaps we may even be
audacious enough to say that the one
who laughs last laughs best.
The sponsors of the state income
tax were vindicated by the State SUI
preme Court when that tribunal by
unanimous decision upheld the 1898
legislative act as being constitutional.
A few weeks previously the act was
declared unconstitutional by District
Judge Hanft and that is when reac-
tionary editors pounced upon the
sponsors of the income tax and de-
clared that they were bullheaded for
insisting that the statutory bill be
of the constitution.
The constitution of Minnesota was
amended by a vote of the people way
back in 1906 in such a way as to
permit the enactment of a graduated
and progressive income tax law by
the Legislature. So held the then
Attorney General Young, and Attor-
ney General Harry H. Peterson held
the same view in 1888. Some attor-
neys quibbled about it, others held
that we could not have a graduated
progressive income tax without fur
Their amendment of the constitution.
Those opposed to the income tax were
quick to take up the latter song and
1t is even very possible that some
individuals and corporations who
might have to pay good sized in
come tax had attorneys in their own
employ with retaining fees who de-
clared that the constitution must be
amended
The amendment song developed TO
such an extent that bills were passed
In the Legislature for amendment
votes in the years of 1920 and 1892.
Both lost by narrow margins.
The amendment song with its full
chorus of reactiOnary newspapers
its fortissimos and crescendos- swept
through the Legislature again in 1899,
but it was time to take the bull by
the horns and have real yell ard
that is what the sponsors of the sta
tutory income tax bill did. The work
never ceased until the statutory bill
Governor Olson.
The voters won't be bothered with
any income tax amendment in the 1884
election. That bill died during the
last night of the 1898 session with a
little lullaby and pianissimo.
One Of the outstanding and best
features of the Minnesota income tax
law is the ALLEGATION of the receipts
from the tax. The cry by opponents
was that an income tax will just mean
more spending by the Legislature.
That was never the purpose of tile
sincere advocates of this new and
better form of taxation. The purpose
was to make it a replacement tax as
much as possible by law. There can
be no out and out definite replace
ment either by law or constitution.
Replacement depends on the type of
office holders-state and local.
The money from the income tax,
irrespective of where collected, goes
to all the school districts of the state,
first to pay Indebtedness and when
that has been wiped out then to help
pay running expenses of the school.
If the tax receipts amount to S. per
child in the state and a school has
200 pupils it means $1,000 to that
school To the extent that the school
board levies SO much less on real
estate taxes it is replacement. If
they use the $1,000 for additional
spending it will not be replacement
and no law can make it so. No ifs or
ands about that. The replacement
DOGGY was used overtime in the cam
paign against the income tax.
But there are thousands of school
districts in the state and certainly
they are not all going to use receipts
from the income tax as additional
spending. In fact very few will do
that. They are out to cut real estate
taxes where possible and here Is one
opportunity to do it. The school Is
a good place to put the income tax
money.
No small credit Is due Attorney
General Harry H. Peterson and his
staff for the able manner In which