Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-05-27
PRACTICABILITY AND TAXATION

Editor ASkOV American:
The true test of any political party
is its approach to solving involved
situations as they arise being in
tensely practical, keeping abreast of
the times, seeking an answer to in
tricate affairs of modern civilization.
Any party to last very long must
keep its feet on the ground, apply
ing the principles and lessons of the
past to present actualitieS, always
trying to apply the correct solution,
although it may not be the most eX-
pedient.
A host of parties have sprung up
during the past, lived a short time
and faded away like blue smoke.
We will mention such parties as the
Populist, Socialist and Anarchist
parties of the past generation. They
made little stir and noise but never
got any place. The reason was that
they were not practical nor possible
in world of actuality and stern real
tiles, people soon saw that they were
not the answer to their troubles. In
recent years number of parties and
organizations have sprung up, and
blue smoke. Such as the EPIC party
of California, the Townsend party,
the Share-the-Wea party of Huey
Long, the Coughlin party of social
justice and many others. All of these
parties got no place, they were not
practical, they advocated things which
were impossible in world of reality,
mumpS, measles, smallpox, laziness,
high taxes and interest, poor rela-
tives, hard times, uncOllectible bills,
high living and the many other dis
agreeable things we have to contend
with. Any party to survive has to
meet each problem as it arises, it must
meet the wants of the people at the
time, it cannot live in the past nor
too far in the future. Its test is
practicability, can it answer the pres
ent questions.
The Farmer-Labor party of Min
neSota and the Progressive party of
Wisconsin come nearer to answering
the purpose of government than any
other parties of modern times.
Against formidable opposition they
have weathered the storm and con-
tributed many an idea to modern
government-good government
Within a month the Farmer-Labor
party will be put to its greatest test,
and that test is an equitable tax bill,
something it has worked on since its
beginning, but so far due to particu-
larly powerful and financial opposi-
ton has been unable to attain.
The matter of taxation is of para
mount Importance, because all gov
ernmental institutions depend on
taxation for the means to carry on,
throughout the country, counties,
cities, states and even the federal
government have fought shy of meet
ing this question adequately. In fact
the whole civilized world is descend
ing into pit of indebtedness which
forebodes a day of reckoning not
pleasant to think about.
Social security, relief and other
things which used to be handled
largely by private charity, have now
been agreed on, are proper govern
mental charges and very properly
so. But these things must be paid
for and cannot exist unless provisions
are made for them through taxation
of one form or another Borrowing
only postpones the day of reckon
ing. The matter of taxation there
fore becomes of extreme importance,
haphazard tax system will no
longer answer the question. A scien-
tltic system OF taxation must be in
stalled, taxing those able to pay. This
tax base must be broad including
everyone having a substantial in
come; those most able of course pay
ing the most.
The tax problem is very poorly
understood. The main income of the
state has shifted the past 80 years
or so from receipts from property of
one kind or another to wages, salaries
and unearned incomes. So far the
taxes have not been shifted mater
tally, the counties and state are still
INOiA$SSSN IL Jill lllC OlO Idk
baSe-property. AS a result farms
and other property in parts of the
state have become unstable. De-
linquent taxes have piled up until
in some counties collection of enough
funds to carry on current expenses
is impossible. The state will have
to step in and help. This state of af-
fairs is extremely serious and will
spread like wildfire unless relief is
had. Relief does not just mean a
lowering of the state mill rate, it
means that many counties of the cut
over lands of northern Minnesota
will need more state aid for roads,
schools, old age pension and other
necessary expenditures. The state
in turn will have to tax incomes other
than those received directly from
property. The state must tax where
the money is. Balancing the budget
on paper will not help, it is easy to
slap tax on piece of non-pro-
ducing land, but try to collect it.
The approach to the tax problem
| should ha with facts and fio,,rac op1