The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-09-21

state office building for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1884 was $88, 253.87
which is more than seven and one-halt
times the outside rentals which the
Big Three say demand the construction
of another Office building. If the state
erects an Office building costing ST.
900 every time the outside rentals
amount to $ll,70O, won't the taxpayers
have fun?
| OF the total of $11,700 in rentals
which the state is now paying for
quarters outside the state capitol and
the new state Office building, which
amount is the Big Three's net justifi-
cation for another expensive Office
building, $500 is for rent and heating
quarters for the Income Tax division
at SIS East Fifth Street, ST. Paul. A
visit to these quarters disclosed the
fact that such employees as were doing
anything at all were trying to keep
busy making minor repairs to the
rambling and rather empty rooms OF
the building. Probably the visitors
happened in at slack hour. Examin-
alton of the auditors books, however,
show that in May this year the state
tax commission, in order to set up the
income tax division, had increased its
permanent force of employees from 16
to 10 and its temporary employees from
2 to Al. A Encouragement of capitol
space might have Accommodated the
major part, at least, of this additional
force, and the rental of a main office
room elsewhere for accountants at a
very nominal cost would have cared for
the remainder. Instead the Big Three
authorized the rental of down town
building in st. Paul at total expense
of $500 per year.
Under republican and democratic adj
miniStrations the state has endeavored
to conserve space and money in the
conduct of its affairs, but under the
present administration it must pay
Sc, 300 for unnecessary quarters for the
income tax division and $12,240 for I'M
necessary quarters for the largely I'M
necessary drivers license division.
These expensive ideas of the admins
tration come high, but the taxpayer
apparently must take them and like
them. And a new $1,500,000 Office
building into the bargain if the Big
Three can have its way.
A visit to the new state Office build
ing, also, disclosed some facts which
probably are not generally known to
the people of the state. CHARTERED in
the building are the offices for the re-
ceivers of the defunct Capitol Trust
Company of st. Paul. If the state is
going to furnish quarters for the re-
ceivers of defunct banks in Minnesota,
likely we shall be obliged to erect sew
eral new state office buildings.
Also snugly enconsed in the new state
Office building, in rooms that are light
and airy and good to do business in is
one H. L. Holster who is conducting
a private insurance business or some
thing of that sort. The state is fur
nishing MIR. HOLSTER with some TOO or
300 feet of very pleasant and convenient
Office space. The Big Three neglected
to mention this as showing urgent need
for a new Office building.
The State Employees association also
has pleasant rooms in the new state
Office building. The association admits
that it is not exactly state depart
ment, but it hopes to become one at
the next session of the legislature. On
the basis of these hopes, it is to be
presumed, the State Employees associ-
alton is entitled to free rent and janitor
service from the state.
Another squatter in the new state
office building is the Veterans Farmer
Labor Club, which has been provided
with commodious quarters. Since it
is farmer-labor club under a
farmer-labor administration, it is prob
ably right and proper that the tax
payers of Minnesota should give free
space, light and heat, but if it were a
republican club or democratic club,
what noisome scandal this situation
would be.
The Big Three neglected to mention
these details in its argument for
another $1,5O0.O00 Office building. This
neglect is surprising, for it must be
evident to anyone, that if this thing
keeps on, another Office building will
certainly be necessary.
The shocking Staying of Howard
Guilford, former publisher of the Twin
City Reporter and of the Saturday
Press and Pink Sheet, generally re-
garded as publications of doubtful color,
by mysterious gunman, has tongues
wagging in the twin cities. There is a
lively probing for the reason for the
killing. The theory has been advanced
that "hired gunner" did the job. But
who hired them? That's the question
on every tongue.
Guilford, free lance writer, by his
exposes and his tendency to tangle with