davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
Administration Acts.

grounds that it is "unwise"; that Con-
gress cannot provide for workers So
cial welfare; that the claim that it
will promote railroad efficiency or
safety is without support in reason
or common sense" Whose reason and
common sense? That of the five old
gentlemen who wrote the opinion;
that's all.
George v, whose silver jubilee is
now being celebrated in Great Brit
ain, found a way to curb the House
of Lords in 1910. when he first be-
came king. The Lords refused to go
along with the Commons in passing
the Asquith-Lloyd George peoples
budget" starting several tax changes
for the financing of various social
benefit measures.
Asquith advised the new king that
the way to force passage of the peo-
pies budget was to create 500 new
peers favorable to it, thus packing
the House of Lords for the bill. The
king forced an election turning on
the question whether the people
wanted him to do this or not. and the
people said, "go right ahead" with
ballots!
The king then notified the Lords
that he would consider it his duty
to rig their own political machine
against them by the creation of 500
more Lords if necessary-and the
peoples budget passed the Lords so
fast that several dignified sets OF
whiskers were caught in the machin-
cry.
If our supreme court persists in
hating and hampering the New Deal
on the ground that Hamilton. Wash
ington and jefferson wouldn't like 1t
(as if they knew anything about rail-
roads or Harvesting waterpOwer or
machine over-production), it will be
up to President Roosevelt and Con-
gress to do a similar thing.
They have the power to pack the
supreme court, by adding more JUS
tees. They will be justified in doing
so, we believe; in adding young men
sympathetic to the broad social plans
and vision Of the New Deal. While
they are about it. it might be well
to pass a law requiring retirement
from the supreme court at Ga, the age
when Army generals must retire.
We cannot let this court stand in
advances which the country needs.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
THERE ARE ONLY TWO CHOICES
1.-THE Daily Mitchell, S. d. Republic)

There are, broadly speaking, only
two choices in finding a permanent
solution to the unemployment prob
lem.
If the efficiency Of manufacturing
methods continues, to increase at the
rate of per cent a year, the pur-
chasing power of the mass of Amer
lean citizens must increase by SINH
lar amount OF course there is a
limit to increased efficiency. But the
indications are that there is now a
mere beginning of the building of
machinery that can carry on the pro-
duction functions previously carried
on only by hand.
Those industrialists who consider
MIRA impractical because it forces
them to pay wages they consider too
high, should consider the facts. The
chimes is bringing on problem
which. when it is solved, is likely to
make NRA appear ultra-conservative
AS men are replaced by machinery
oHOuIu DC POoSiDiO W SiCosAs III
crease production of all goods and at
the same time pay wages for short
hours which now seem fantastic
There is no other way of keeping the
economic system running without re.
sort to outside help.
If the other solution is chosen, il
will mean that the government viii
have to finance huge public works as
a means of absorbing the men forced
out of industry. In that event the
tax burden will have to come out o.
the profits of industry. If industry
attempts to pass it along to the con
sumers, the purchasing power will bt
so reduced thereby that the system
will collapse.
| The Technocrats were right in thei
diagnosis. An economic system which
functioned well enough when nearl,
everything was done by hand viii
have to be drastically altered to fit al
age when the machine is rapidly re
placing hand work. If the system
isn't given some such drastic over
haul it will collapse 1t isn't a ques
tion of radicalism, or conservatism
1t is a question of meeting situation
or failing to meet it.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
SHOULD SUPREME COURT HAVE
POWER TO KILL REFORM!
New York Daily News)

"Quis custodiet ipsOs cuStOdes?" Is
an old Latin crack, meaning who
will guard the guardians themselves"
1t applies with great force, we think,
to the supreme courts 5-4 decision
that the Railroad Retirement act is
unconstitutional.
We think this railroad old age pen
sion law damned through in the last
days of the first Roosevelt Congress
is unsOund and unscientific. 1t singles
out one class of workers for old age
pensions. 1t should be supplanted by
an inclusive old age pension law. pro-
tecting all INDECENT old people through
fund built up out OF contributions
through the years from those people
and their employers.
| We elect Congress to make laws
| for us, and the President to execute
| those laws, or to recommend laws to
Congress for passage. When a law
is unsound, it is the business Of Con-
gress to repeal it. 1t is not the bus
mess of the supreme court to repeal
the laws Congress makes, whether
| those laws are SOuIlO OF uflSOunO.
All the power this or any other
court should have is to interpret the
laws Congress makes. That was all
the power the supreme court started
out with. Chief Justice John Mar
shall began the business of arrogat-
ing to the court the power to declare
laws unconstitutional That business
long ago went too far for the welfare
of the country.
The supreme court has now, to all
intents and purposes, repealed the
Railroad Retirement Act. which the
President recommended and Congress
passed in the regular way as our
| elected representatives.
1t knocks out this law on the
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
RURAL LIFE DAY Is A SUCCESS

Editor Askov American:
The Rural Life Day program rem
dered at the Windemere Methodist
church Saturday was a success and
was very much enjoyed by the large
crowd that attended. Much credit is
due Rev. Charles J. Swanson for his
efforts in arranging the fine program.
Speakers were Rev. j. o. Johanson
of Moose Lake, County Attorney AL
bert johnson of Sandstone; County
Superintendent of Schools A. E. Gus
tafson of Pine City; Andrew Berg Of
Rush City, second district director OF
the Land O'Lakes Creameries; Belt
Merling of LindstrOm, Senator c. Ell
mer Johnson of Almelund. and Mr..
Cravatt of the Central Coop Exchange
at South st. Paul. They all spoke on
the various problems of rural life as
presented in their various fields.
which resulted in very interesting
and educational get-tOgether.
1t has been enormously reported
that this was a political rally under
a different name. No doubt this idea
was gotten from the number of public
officials who were speakers. A large
majority of the county officials in
Pine county are Farmer-LabOrites and
this probably accounts for the mis-
leading reports. Party politics, how
ever, had nc place in this meeting.
If every pastor in the rural COM
munities, regardless of denomination
and political views, would treat his
congregation and the general public
to similar program he would be
doing a still greater service. The
opportunity to get together. talk ovel
the various phases of rural life anC
the sharing of ideas and thoughts is
certainly fine. Again. three cheers
for Rev. Swanson and may there be
a repetition of this day.
S. MERLE PULLING.
Sturgeon Lake, Mimi.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
COMMUNISM
Editor ASkOv American:

Editor ASkOV Americans:
Communism is something primitive.
All societies were originally COM
munistic. Communism is something
society has grown away from, not to-
wards; something which people have
sunk into in periods of exhaustion.
1t is SO easy to let the state manage
everything.
Consumption is fundamental in So
ciety. 1t is because we need food,
clothes, light and heat that we are
engaged in production, the purpose of
which is to satisfy consumption. Raw
nature-the land and human labor
are the fundamental agencies in pro-
ductiOn. The main part of the pro-
ductiOn is eaten or used, a part is
saved as wealth. and a part of the
wealth is used in facilitating future
production 1t is the latter which is
called capitalize tool, the machine,
the ship. and the house.
The fundamental formula for con-
sumption is, land. work. capital. Each
of these factors represents its in
terest within society. The high caste
of the landowners which forms the
basis for credit. power and bonds.
capital, the workers and their Organf-
cation. capital and its captains. The
farmers are partly land-users, partly
land owners. but the common human
factor is represented by the consul
mers' interest This is the interest
of the State for social justice, which
represents the inclusive. the common
that which the other groups in
their internal struggle for privileges
threaten to destroy.
In the struggle for better living
conditions. the workers put special
blame on capitaI-the machines. They
know that the more machines, the
fewer labOrers. and conclude that it
must be the machines which are the
cause of unemployment and pIOletari-
anism. This is not true solely for the
reason that unemployment poverty
and proletarianism existed before ma
chine industry.
If only consumption is assured theT
the machine is our friend and servant
one which at best may create the un
employment that we call vacations
and that few of us fear.
BY united efforts the workers may
Through strikes, raise their wages
but the cost of goods is apt to rise a
the same time that wages rise. 1
may then be questioned whether thu
worker really receives much more.
BY conspiracy the workers may re
volt. but revolt is hazardous.
bloody game which ends in loss o
if it succeeds. concentrates power il
the hands of the casual little groul
who happens to come into possession
, of the machine guns.
. Exploitation. strikes and revolt ar
the three hopeless possibilities whicl
the worker has because the fourth i
denied to him: namely the access t
! a place to work. where he may pro
duce for himself. where there is &C
cess to land to work there can be n
unemployment. But because all LAM
is forbidden to him. because it i
owned and taken possession of. tn
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

the joint was as strong as the timbers
forming it,
The reason why this is so form a
study in the intricacies of stresses
and strains far beyond the under
standing of the average layman.
What should interest him is the fact
that the method is somewhat cheaper
than other forms of wood construction
and that the idea originated in this
country.
Use of metal connectors made pos
sible the construction of huge build
ings from wood. but before the idea
could take hold the steel industry OBJ
tanned complete domination of the
field in this country. The invention
languished in America but found
ready acceptance abroad. The largest
convention hall in the world, built
in Germany, is made of wood.
Recently, however, the cOnnectOrs
came home" and now, more than 20
years after their invention and Is
years after they came into common
use abroad, America is giving them
a trial.
A radio station tower has been built
in the east, engineers claiming thai
it creates less interference than q
steel tower, and one of the buildings
to be constructed in North Dakota
for the OCC will be put together with
these cOnnectOrs, use being limited
to three different types which have
been patented by subsidiary of the
National Lumber Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION which is seeking to Stimu
late their use.
The significant thing about the
story is that it throws an entirely
new light on the American spirit o.
progress, it's willingness to adopt new
things, and our Wanted efficiency.
! If. as the engineers seem to agree
| the timber connectOrs are better ant
cheaper than old-fashiOned cOnstruc
tion. the only thing which apparently
has hampered their use is the unwil
| lingness of American builders t
change their habits or to learn abou
new methods.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

nivance and sanction of former state
tax commissions.
Should all the back taxes of the
corporate excess variety be collected
it would run far into the millions.
This can be seen by the fact that the
Northern States Power Company, one
of the most successful of the tax
dodgers, owes $4,4O1, 1927 for the two
years 1888, and 1884. The tax COM
mission, a few days ago, issued an
order requiring county auditor AL. p.
Erickson of Hennepin county, to enter
upon his books the amount due from
the company for the two year period.
N. S. p. Can Pay.
1t is cOntended by newspapers and
flunkies of the power company that
to enforce collection of the taxes due
under the law would force the COM
pany into receivership. Surely the
Northern States Power Company can
we'll afford to pay the taxes for the
two years mentioned, for its net earn
ings for the years 1888 and 1884,
after paying operating expenses.
maintenance and taxes" amounts to
more than $33,OOO,OOO.
If all back taxes should be paid
it is barely possible that it would go
hard with the company, but the law
and the officials having to do with its
enforcement can hardly be to blame
when they came due there would have
been no difficulty experienced by the
. company in making the payments.
Instead of paying its taxes as the
average citizen did, the company, like
others of it's ilk, cOnnived with previ-
Gus tax commissions and pocketed the
money due the state.
Computed Yearly Capital.
In computing the corporate excess
taxes due, William A. Anderson, for
mer mayor of Minneapolis, and special
investigator for the tax commission,
capitalized the cOmpany's income for
the last five years, and deducted from
the average yearly capitalization thus
shown the valuation upon which the
corporation has paid taxes. This is
the method accepted and approved by
the courts, the country over, in the
absence of market value.
In making the computation for 1888,
Mr.. Anderson found the net earnings
for the five years, 1928 to 1882. in
elusive, to have been $42,141.968.
Capitalized on per cent income
, basis, this income showed an average
, annual capital stock valuation OF
$780, 1924. But the company had
paid taxes on a valuation of $53,439,-
S31 for 1888, so this figure was de-
: Quoted from the computed total value
, leaving a taxable corporate excess Of
( 66,965, 1913. At the 77-mill tax rate
: for the year, based on 1910 full ana
j.. true valuation, taxes of $1,953.88s
l should have been paid.
= For 1888, the capital value was
, computed as $115,245,442, and the cor
? porate excess at SCI ,SO5,611. Thus
I the 99-mill tax rate for 1894 woulG
! yield $2,447,442 for that year, or
! grand total of taxes due of S4,401 1927
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
HALF WAY MEASURE

A South Dakota state senator intor-
duced in the last session of their Leg
islature bill requiring every loco
motive and train coach to be equipped
with lights or reflectOrs on its sides,
because in his opinion most railroad
crossing accidents result from auto
drivers crashing into unnOticed trains
A newspaper in that state comment
ed to the senator thus: "You don't &C
far enough. How about light on
every telephone pole to prevent cars
from climbing them?"
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
OPINIONS OF OTHERS

(Short timely letters on topics
of public interest are welcome.
whether or not the writer's optn-
ions conform with those Of the
American. All letters must be
signed with the writer's name for
our information. Signed articles al
ways are more effective. but II the
writer does not wish to have his
name used, 1t will be withheld.)
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
YES. AND PROUD OF 1T
(The Bismarck North DakOt;
Tribune)

One of the habits of Americas in
telligentsia" is to refer to the middle
west as Americas bible belt"
They do it with sheer. unmindful
that the Bible is not only book OF
spiritual inspiration but great litera-
ture The story Of the creation of
the world as contained in the Bible.
for example. is one of the finest pieces
of reporting on record.
That the middle west deserves the
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
AN IDEA COMES HOME
(The Bismarck North Dakota)
Trihune1

Some 90 years ago an American
engineer. seeking a method Of max
ing large wooden structures stronger.
together with metal connectOrs. The
result. from a technical standpoint.
was to so distribute the load that
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
TAX DODGERS
WILL "DIG UP'
Much Back Tax Money Due State Is
Being Discovered by In.
veStigatOrS.
BY HENRY G.. TEIGAN

1t makes some difference to the
people who holds public office in the
state of Minnesota.
No better illustration can be found
than in the change made in the per-
sonnet of the state tax commission.
the present commission is now made
up entirely of men appointed by Gov
ernor Floyd B. Olson. The members
of the commission as now constituted
are: George E. Wallace of Minneapo-
lis; Harry Boyle of Duluth; and
George Gage of Olivia.
Unlike their predecessors, Messrs.
Wallace, Boyle, and Gage, feel that
they are under real obligation to the
people of the state. Thus, they have
earnestly set about to collect unpaid
taxes running into the millions OF
dollars.
Billion on Tax Rolls.
The state tax commission is putting
on the tax rolls of the state more
than one billion dollars in untaxed
monies and credits. According to a
recent issue of the Minnesota Leader
the tax lodging investigation author
lied by the 1888 legislature has &C
complished the following:
Placed on the tax rolls untaxed
monies and credits, $221,326.
In process of final assessment and
collection, $983,0OO,0OO.
Total monies and credits, 1904 1926
Property, $22,1O6,313.
Monies and credits are subject tc
$4,000. The untaxed property now
being placed on the tax rolls will ap-
prOximate, including penalties, ST.,
78O,OOO The grand total is nearly
SIS, 400, 900.
Legislature Balks.
There is, of course, much more o.
untaxed property owned by corpora
tions and men of great wealth to bt
uncovered. The tax commission will
however, be handicapped in uncover
ing more of these tax evasions du'
to the refusal of the legislature t.
appropriate any money for conduct
ing such Investigations.
The legislatures refusal to appro
pirate any more money for the pur
pose of uncovering tax lodging b,
the fiat boys" ought to be sufficien
testimony in itself as to the char
acter of the lawmaking body of 1885
, The thing that makes this betraya
all the more fragrant is that the ma
| jority in each of the two houses of tn
legislature talked much of wantin
! to pass legislation to relieve rea
estate" What they apparently wante
; was not to relieve the farmers an
} the home owners of the state, but t
) obtain further relief for the big tax
, dodgers who are already we'll in tn
! clear in respect to the payment G
taxes.
t Administration Acts.
I The failure of the legislature
4 act honestly and intell,igently in tn
enactment of tax legislation ha
a caused Governor Olson and the ia
4 commission to insist upon the cOllet
u tion of the so-called corporate exces
tax which has been successful
lodged by corporate wealth for severa
: generations. This evading of the ia
: was accomplished with the active cor
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
None Are Perfect

The men of simple manner please,
They boast not of their pedigrees
Nor look profound, nor put on side
Nor get swelled up with futile pride.
The wise mans every action states
| am just like other mortal skates
| am here a while to toll and spin
And try to get my harvest in.
It gives me stitches in the side
To see a man swelled up with pride
Assuming diverse foolish airs
And who, by every act declares,
The clay I'm made of is so fine
There isn't any more like mine;
| was formed one fateful day
The Maker threw the mould away, and said,
Improvements now shall cease
l have produced the Masterpiece
When your Importance feels 50 steep
That all the rest of us look cheap
Laugh at yourself while, my friend
And let your affectations end.
Sit down in silence and review
The many foolish things you say and do
And realize with many a jar
How blamed ridiculous you are.
Anonymous.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23
MISCELLANEOUS BRIEFS

Siberia-In the extreme northern
Siberia the ground is frozen perma-
nently to a depth of $50 feet, and
only thaws to an extent of three or
four feet in the summer. Below $50
feet internal heat begins.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Love can neither be bought or sold
its only price is love.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

London-The old London bridge was
the first stone bridge. Commenced in
1176, completed in 1909.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

A promise delayed is justice de-
ferred.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Paris-The library of the Bibh-
otheque National of Paris, one OF
the largest i'm the world, was founded
by King Louis the 18th.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Out i'm South Dakota there has
been cons iderable d ;cuSSiOn about
the Agricultural Adjustment Act.
perhaps because the farms on the
average are larger there and be-
cause the benefits to the farmers
have been greater.
The Daily Republic at Mitchell
received the following inquiry
from one of its subscribers:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

The first newspaper was published
in England in 1888.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Wood engraving was introduced In
the year Of 1927.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

First newspaper advertisement ap-
peared in the year Of 1912.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Printed musical notes were FIRST
used in the year of 1873.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

The first printing press was set
up in Copenhagen in 1893.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-05-23

Postoffices were established in the
year of 14O4.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-02-21
COMMITTEE WANTS
TO GET PHYSICIAN

Ways and means of securing ply
sician for the people of this valley
were discussed at board meeting OF
the Priest Rapids Valley Development
League Monday night. A committee
composed of M. R. Slavens, G. L. Nc
Gee and F. A. English was appointed
to follow up suggestions made in an
effort to bring this about.
Efforts of the organization to secure
a tree-scraping and orchard sanitation
relief project were dropped when II
was learned that such program could
not be undertaken by the VERA.
Announcements that such program
had been approved in other districts
were inaccurate, r. S. Reierson, Sec
rotary of the organization was told
by Robert Turner, district engineer OF
the VERA, who stated that such a
program would benefit private property
rather than public property and that
the relief organization was unable te
undertake work of this nature.
If existing regulations are altered tt
| handle such project this district will
be included, it was indicated.