Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-01-31
LARGE Relief
sum ASKED
Joint Session of Senate and
House Hears Governor
and Administrator.
Opposition to Any Form of
Sales Tax is in the
Offing.
BY Hjalmar Petersen, Lieutenant Gov
ernOr of Minnesota.

BY Hjalmar Petersen. Lieutenant Gov
ernor of Minnesota.
week Of JAM 20 to 26)
Minnesota's relief problem and tax
reform were brought sharply to the
fore in the third week of the Legis-
lature's session.
The all important relief question
was1Hdramatized to the legislators OF
both branches in a joint meeting in
the House chamber.
The legislators heard Governor Oh
son tell them of the increasing re-
lief load and the imperative need
for prompt legislative action to raise
sufficient funds within the state to
enable it to obtain adequate federal
relief money under the new national
program.
Relief Official Speaks.
They heard Howard o. Hunter of
Chicago, regional Federal Emergency
Relief administrator, tell them that
the state and its local subdivisions
must raise $1O,OOO,OOO for the next
year to meet the federal requirements.
Mr.. Hunter flung out the ultimatum
that after March 1 Minnesota will
receive no more federal relief funds
unless the state complies with the
national governments terms.
A picture of the restitution among
farmers in the drouth areas in the
western part of the state was given
by Judge j. L. Heating of Ortonville.
who asked special appropriation OF
$750,000 for the drouth counties.
mo problem facing the As state
legislatures now in session is more
important than that of relief" said
Mr.. Hunter.
The predominance of work relief
over direct relief, or dOles, in the
new program of President Roosevelt
and the Federal Emergency Relief Ad-
ministration was stressed by Mr.
Hunter.
Direct relief is about the worst
way to treat the problem of unem-
ployment that anyone could think Of"
he said, pointing out that relief must
be directed toward the end of giving
jobs to those who cannot find employ
ment in private industry. No busl-
ness upturn, he asserted, could abb
sOrb all the jobless.
With the federal governments de-
mands graphically presented, Cover
nor Olson and leaders in the Legisla-
ture at once drafted a relief bill to
meet the federal requirements. It
was introduced in the House of Rep
resentatives by a group of about so
members.
Would Raise s11,0OO,OOO.
This bill provides for the appropria-
ton by the Legislature of $11, 100000
for relief purposes for the next bien-
mum. The money is to be obtained
by turning over all the state taxes
on intoxicating liquors and beer for
the years 1896, 1887, 1898 and 1899
for this purpose, as well as the sur
plus from such liquor tax revenues
remaining in the state treasury at
the end of 1895. The state will issue
certificates Of Indebtedness, which
will be repaid from liquor revenues.
Of not more than per cent a year.
OF the $11,O0O,OO0 to be appropri-
ated S1,000,OOO would go for supple
mental aid to persons in the drouth
areas and s1,5OO,OOO for war veterans
suffering from disabilities.
Under the plan outlined by the fed
eral authorities local governmental
units in Minnesota will have to raise
another $10,00O,0OO for the two year
period in addition to the appropriation
by the state. The federal relief officials
hold that Minnesota and the local
governments within the state must
give at least 100000 a year before
the national government can provide
the additional 100000 900 a year
deemed necessary to care for relief
needs in the state.
Sales Tax Submitted.
The long-expected proposal for a
form OF sales tax came with the in
PRODUCTION Of a bill for one-half OF
one per cent occupational tax on the
gross receipts Of business. This meas
ure was introduced In the Senate by
three conservative members-M. r.
eastman Of Owatonna, James A. Car
ley Of Plainview, and William L.
Rcepke Of Faribault The bill also
provides that after July / OF this
year no real or personal property in
the state taxed according to its true
value" shall be taxed for all state
and local purposes more than BIN
mills on its assessed valuation, which
shall not exceed 40 per cent Of the
full value.
This tax would affect every person
in the state, because 1t would be lev
led on receipts from the sale Of arti-
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