The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-01-23
Both Sides of Political Dope
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY r. w. Hitchcock
The old age pension law enacted
by Minnesota's special legislative
session of 1856 will not, of course
satisfy Townsendites, yet It Is des-
cribed by experts who have made
an exhaustive study Of old age PEN
sion systems, as one Of the most
liberal old age pension laws in the
United States.
The object OF the independent
majority OF the legisla-
ture, which worked out the details
of the act, was to provide for Min
nesota statewide old age pension
system which
1 Shall satisfy the terms of the
federal Social Security Act.
(2) Shall be carefully safeguard
ed in the interest Of, first, the de-
serving aged for whose security 1t
Is set up and second, the consuming
public which must pay its cost.
90 Shall lay broad base upon
which time and experience will
build sound and beneficial system
for Minnesota.
Two fundamentally different
ideas clashed in the draining Of the
Minnesota act. One was the thought
that the state should go slowly but
surely, trusting to actual exper-
fence rather than to untried theor-
les to show the way to enlarge
ments Of the system; the other was
the impulse to rush precipitately in
with a wide open law. making 1t
possible for the largest possible
to crowd the pension coun-
ter, needless and reckless Of what
the cost would be or how It Is to be
provided. One group acted to pro-
vide security for those who lack
security; the other group demand
ed that government disburse bene-
fits to all alike, secure and inse-
cure. The act, as framed, Is based
on need, for under the Minnesota
no other law Is posi-
the two opposing
groups which debated the act were
travelling in the Numerically OPP
posite directions here indicated.
The total estimated aid to be re-
ceived from the federal govern
ment for administration Of the old
age pension law is 100000 per
year. Of which $4,000 will be dis
tributed to the counties PRO rata
in the proportion the total number
of recipients in the county bears to
the total number of recipients in
the state"
It is estimated by the Minnesota
State Board Of Control that the to-
tai cost Of administering all pro-
visions Of the federal Social Secur-
ity Act, as applicable to Minnesota,
including old age pensions, child
welfare activities, mothers pen
sions, aid to the blind and aid to
crippled children, but excluding
any costs of unemployment insur-
ance, will be $6O8,5OO per year, and
that over and above any amounts
to be contributed by the federal
government for administration pur-
poses, it will be necessary for the
state to provide $65,782 for admin
istration.
The financing of Minnesota's
first statewide old age pension
system has been temporarily pro-
vided for Cup to June 30, 1880
without levying any additional
burden upon real property. The
next Minnesota legislature, regular
session, will meet in less than a
year, and upon 1t will devolve the
imperative necessity Cd of further
relieving real estate of its crushing
tau burden (2) of fundamentally
and charging the Min
nesota tax system, and 90 Of fin
sion system which will cost annual
ly many millions Of dollars.
During 1885 there were collected
in Minnesota more than $6,5OO,OOO
of new taxes-$3, 100000 in liquor
taxes and $500, 900 in income tax
es. These millions have been spent.
At the same time the deficit in the
state treasury has increased to $19,-
100000.
The state is now faced, in order
to finance its social security plans,
with the problem Of finding new
and additional revenues which will
soon aggregate at least $1OOO0,OOO
per year and possibly several mil
lions more than that figure.
Cheering reports come from the
hospital room of Governor Floyd
B. Olson at Rochester. Every day
in every way the governor is grow
ing more and more fit for the fray.
The AAA decision Is right down
the governors alley. Not simply
that he likes the AAA less, which
he does, but that he hates the
courts more.
"Ah me, Stain is a lucky stiff,'
the governor must often think to
himself. No parliaments to clutter
up his take-off, no courts to bring
him up short when he's on his way.
Cursed be the stork that dumped
Floyd in the U. 8. A., where the
people have to be coddled and coz
ened instead Of In the u. s. s. R.,
where the people are clay in the
hands of the political potter.
To the governor the AAA decis-
ion, and the resentment is arouses
in many breasts, Is like the smell
of powder in the nostrils Of q war
horse, like wine in the belly. It
does the governor more good than
and doctors, and he re-
joiceth as a strong man to make
the race for the United States Sem
ate on the single issue Of shackling
the supreme court.
When he inveighs against the
supreme Court, Governor Olson is
in distinguished company. At the
of the last century, some
135 years ago, Thomas jefferson,
then President Of the United States,