Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-01-23
The Legislature is
Rebuked by State
Senator Johnson
By C. ELMER JOHNSON,

An editorial in a Republican Min
nesota weekly is headed as follows:
The aged of Minnesota are due
for a disappointment" A former
candidate for governor on the Re-
publican ticket in public speech
said Minnesota has been from the
beginning a strikingly progressive
state. 1t is we'll to the front in all
soundly progressive legislation of the
last IS years." 1t will be necessary
to make some changes as to old age
pension proposals now pending in the
legislature. refer particularly to
the provision that children shall be
held liable for caring for aged per-
sons and further to the lien provis-
ion of the bills as applied to home
steads. If we are to have social Sc
curity. neither of these provisions is
tenable."
In view of admissions of this ma
ture from conservative sources it is
difficult to account for the blind and
unreasonable but determined stand
by the majority group in the Legisla
ture to retain the lien on hOmesteaCs
and children liability. A statement
has been made that the legislators
came to the special session with the
intent to pass a liberal and workable
old age pension bill. but that pres
sure of economic conditions based
upon statistical facts gradually
pushed any sympathetic forces into
the background and as result we
have a bill containing restrictions
alien to the intent of the Federal Sc
curity Act.
Delay.
Two old age pension bills were in
troduced the second day of the ses
sion. From these bills, in a short
time, pension law should have been
passed. 1t is no doubt true that pres
sure has been exerted to change the
sympathetic attitude of the legisla-
tors 1t is also no doubt true that
nearly as much time has been spent
arguing procedure and in advancing
and upholding the dictatorial powers
of the Committee on Rules as in MAX
Ing anu passing DIItS.
Why Senate Acts Slowly. 80
Very early in the session a resolu-
ton was proposed and adopted by the
majority group in the Senate and
House, limiting the legislation to be
considered during the special session.
This rule. practically, set up an oil
garchy consisting of the Committee
on Rules to pass upon all bills that
could be acted upon during the spe-
cial session. So iron clad and spe-
cific was the authority granted this
committee composed of ten members
of the majority group to one member
Of the minority, that no motion deal
ing with a change inrrules, no motion
to recall a bill from committee or to
amend would, be in order except such
motion had been referred to and acted
upon by the Committee on Rules.
So perfectly has this committee
functioned that numerous bills have
passed the House by great majority,
only to be buried in the Senate COM
mittee. In the instance of H. F. No.
10. bill repeating the Act of 1885
Minnesota Statutes, which exempted
household goods of every household.
from taxation and cut the exemption
on other personal property from 500
to $25. the bill passed the House, 81
to 7. and went to the Rules commit
tee in the Senate. A petition signed
by 46 senators requesting that the
bill be sent to the Committee on
Taxes was presented but as yet no
action has been taken.
Session Drags Along.
The legislators wanted a short
snappy session to provide security
for the aged and to safeguard the
future unemployed. They have been
in session since December 2 and have
passed no real legislation. In fact
the old age pension bill as mutilated
by the majority group after having
been whipped into line by conferences
is going to be only disappointment
The bill as proposed asking for one
fourth of cost to be raised by the
counties. thereby increasing the tax
upon real estate, providing for lien
clause and children's liability makes
a bill which will tend to disrupt fam
lily relations and to put a premium
upon waste and reckless spending
rather than upon thrift. TIE chill
dren have hard job to make their
own way. Now after they have spent
their early years helping build fam
lily home, heaping insult upon injury.
they are told that it is legal obli-
cation on them to support their aged
parents and if a pension is granted
the state requires lien on the home
stead for all payments made. plus
go interest. Is that carrying out the
traditions of liberalism and progress?
No Tax Legislation.
The majority group are determined
that no tax legislation shall pass this
session. No doubt they know that
sales tax can not become a law and
they have no desire to follow the
governors recommendations on tax
measures. So they are making the
old age pension bill as ineffective as
possible. They are drawing on every