The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-02-11
Capitol SLants
Bu John NJ. Z1pach
Representative at Large
Redwood and BroDn Counties

tx Representative at Large 9
Redwood and Bro,Dn Counties
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That agricultural interests are
zealously guarded was twice
manifested in the past week. In
troduced early in the session was
a bill to reduce, roughly ten per
cent, the price of prison machin-
cry.
Many of the rural members
were co-authors. Without the
knowledge of many of these au-
thors the bill was considered in
the state prisons committee. War
den Sullivan spoke against the
measure and the committee re-
commended that the bill be re-
turned to it's author which is
equivalent to killing the bill.
Fight Ensued
When this committee report
was read from the desk, the fire.
works were on. Ruralites insisted
that a measure of such vast and
general importance to agriculture
should have hearing in that
committee and the motion was
made to re-refer the bill to the
agricultural committee.
Chairman John J. McNulty, la
Dor leader and chairman of the
prisons committee, defended the
action of the committee. After
! much heated and interesting re-
partee, the bill was re-referred
and will be heard by members of
the agricultural committee this
week.
Again farm interests were en-
HANGED when, Thursday, the Ole
omargarine bill, patterned after
the drastic Wisconsin act, passed
the house with but a few dissen-
ting votes. 1t requires manufac-
turers to purchase $1,000 license
and licenses wholesalers, retailers
and consumers. 1t is expected to
cut by large percentage the use
of that product in Minnesota if
the bill receives favorable senate
consideration.
Taxes, More Taxes
The conductor of this column
has purposely refrained from dis
cussion of the tax situation until
such a time when administration
bills had received careful COM
mittee scrutiny.
That time is at hand and the
bill is about ready for committee
approval. The rates are graduated
for both corporations and individ-
uals reaching maximum of IL "
per cent on corporations and Is ~
per cent on individuals. Estimat-
ed revenue is conservatively put
at $15,OOO,OO0. Receipts under the
old law in 1886 were about $4,-
100000 or an increase of some
ST., 100000 over previous reven-
ue. The new rates in instances
are about five times the present
tax.
The writer has voiced two main
objections. First, that exemptions
should be reduced from $1,000 to
81 900 or $500 and, secondly, that
private income from corporations
should be taxed under individual
| incomes, keeping the general cor
porations tax at low figure.
Under that plan those receiving
large incomes from corporations
would be taxed without penaliz-
ing the small stockholders equally
with the large holders.
Investigations
Each session, apparently, must
have a sprinkling of comedy and
this is usually furnished by legis-
lative investigations.
The senate is probing into the
oil inspection division and getting
nowhere very rapidly. Undoub-
tedly there is some stencil to un-
cover but it is difficult to accom-
plish often because the public
though it condemns irregularities
vociferously, usually refuses to
supply pertinent facts.
A point of instance is the house
probe into alleged barrels OF
money being raised by liquor in
| terests. Even the representative
who made the charges concerning
lobbying in the legislature refuses
to further clarity his serious
charges. Representative Roy Wier
promulgator of the words which
are reaching the ears of the popu-
lace of the state, should clear his
accusations because they cast SER
ious charges at the house mem
bership.
Others who claim to be in the
know" always back away when
asked to present definite facts and
instances. Until all the people SER
| iously desire clean government
and assume the duty of divulgine
irregularities in the government
little accomplishment is in pros
pect.