Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-08-27
FL. SPEAKERS
FLAY OPPOSITION
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quist Amendment will not, as its
sponsors claim, remove the state levy
on property. There will still remain
a 4.5% mill levy whether the bill is
passed or not. 1t will, however, leave
the road wide open for a sales tax
a tax which will, he stated, increase
the tax of an average family of five
to $50, or five times the amount
gained by the removal of the property
tax This is clearly tax on poverty,
and not a tax in accordance with
ability to pay, he concluded.
Raps Republican Candidate.
He spoke of Theodore Christianson
as being, not Minnesota's representa-
tive in Washington, but the represen-
tative of Wall Street in Minnesota.
Reactionaries are fighting movements
toward establishing cooperative
commonwealth because it will deal a
death blow to monopoly, he stated, cit
ing the example of the Scandinavian
countries. Mr.. Rasmussen cited the ex-
perience of a Dakota farmer who re-
ceived Csc for COW the same year
which Swift and Co. showed a net
profit, discounting fabulous salaries of
II million dollars. These profits, he
declared, should be prorated back to
the farmers as is done in our cop
eratives. Those interests back of Nell
son and ChristiansOn claim it can not
be done.
We can not think in terms of bal
anced budgets when human values
are at stake, said Mr.. Rasmussen. He
also quoted Governor Olson who said,
I'VE cannot traffic with human mis-
cry" He illustrated the shortsight-
edness of Republicans in bringing
charges of extravaganza against the
present administration. 1t is true,
he said, that the bonded indebted
ness has increased by AZ million dol
lars, but every penny of those bonds
was recommended and voted by fl
nance committees composed of con-
servatives. Twenty-Five million dollars
of this amount was for highway bonds
of which Rockne and his crowd voted
for 81 million. One certificate of in
debtedness is for $S,51S,0OO for relief
purposes. For this we do not apollo
giZe," said Mr.. Rasmussen. Another
| $S,06O,OO0 is a certificate of indebt-
| ednesS to pay interest on rural credit
| investment-an investment which, in
stituted during Republican admins
tration, has gone directly into the
pockets of banking and financial in
terests. Conservative julius Schmahl
admits that in liquidating, there will
be loss to the people of Minnesota
of 81 million dollars. Thee. Arens, in
charge of liquidation, estimates the
loss at nearer 80 million. Interest on
these bonds is at 4.1%, and they can
not be called until mature. Other
wise, Mr.. Rasmussen stated, it would
have been possible to have refinanced
$1,2O0,O0O to the people in Minnesota.
He spoke briefly of legalized rob-
berry going on on the Range in the
form of tax evasion. Mining COM
Pc~hiSo, hS uCCldl GU, ak USCduS0 VI
deductions legally instituted by them
selves and their henchmen, being
taxed on valuation of only soc per
ton of ore so pure that it is being
shipped to Pittsburgh. Ninety-two
per cent of the owners of Minnesota
mines are nonresident, he stated.
Reiterating statement that the
American farmer must not be victim
lied by speculative market set-up,
Mr.. Rasmussen concluded by leaving
with his audience a plea to carry on.
Other Speakers.
Nils Hokstad, Farmer-Labor en-
dorsed candidate for representative in
the seth district, who officiated as
chairman, then introduced Rev. Chas.
j. Swanson of Moose Lake, who paid
hitting tribute to the memory of the
statesman and humanitarian, Floyd
B. Olson.