The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-02-25

night. The senate chamber was
far too small to accommodate the
crowd. Out of the hearing came
many facts, but few of which
we can give here because of lack
of space. In the main, objection
is made to the new bill because it
grants practically no exemptions,
even to medical bills; prohibits
carrying business losses forward
from year to year for purpose of
credit reductions, gives arbitrary
powers to the tax commission. A
study of personal income tax
schedules shows that under the
proposed law a married man with
two dependents and an income of
$4,000, would have to pay tax
of SIS, or the second highest in
the nation. Under the present
law he pays but $16.25.
At the tax hearing a Mr.. Perry,
farmer from Morrison county,
injected some homely truths into
the discussion. Said he: Little
Falls, where I come from, has
lost saw mill employing 500
men, a paper mill, flour mill, a
box factory, horseshoe factory,
garment factory and pulp mill.
We haven't got another industry
to lose, so we're not afraid about
losing any more, but What we are
afraid of is that business can pass
the tax along and they'll pass it
right on to us farmers, and we
can't pass it on. Take iron ore
taxes, he continued, We'll pay 'em
in higher prices for binders, drags
and other machinery. Most farm
ers now are buying secondhand
machinery because they can't af-
ford new stuff. It's time for us
farmers to get up on our hind
legs and holler."
=
The house heard many flights
of oratory Wednesday, when
resolution decrying the presi-
dents demand for legislation to
retire supreme court justices over
70 years of age and to enlarge the
court to Is members, came up for
final vote. The battle became so
hot that even MIR. Speaker gave
up the gavel to take the floor in
opposition. The action of the
house was in reality a draw. The
resolution was amended so that it
upheld the president. This lost
by vote of IS to SO. The ORR
ginal resolution was then voted
down II to 40. 1t would be news
to know just how the house feels
in the matter.
Three-tWo beer is having a time
to save its frothy head. The bat
tie is on to make it an alcoholic
beverage instead of "non-intoXi-
eating malt beverage" which en-
ticing name it now bears. What
ever the outcome, it can be as
sured that its sale, regardless of
name, will be greatly restricted.
"A House Divided Against It
self Cannot Stand!". What then
will become of the Minnesota
house of the legislature? Over
whelmingly liberal, it failed
twice this week to stand togethe,',
the first on a resolution upholding
the president on his battle against
the supreme court and Thursday
by killing the so-called Stockwell
bill, backed by the administra-
ton. The bill as stated previously
would make possible voting upon
a constitutional amendment to
place the state in the electric light
and power business, carrying with
it SO million dollar appropria-
ton and, according to the author
of the bill, an eventual eXpendi-
ture of $50 million. 1t was a
great victory for those who do not
want to see the state go into bust
ness and especially those who de-
sire that the state shall remain
solvent. But the defeat of this
bill means more than that. 1t
means that Governor Benson
lacks the finesse to put his pro-
gram over. His leadership is
far cry from that of the late Gov
ernor Olson, whose power of per-
suasion and magnetic personality
kept his followers well in line.
Having once defied their leader,
liberals in the house will in the
future be more inclined to repeat
the performance. 1t is just
case of the candidates of last fall
not realizing until now the full
intent of the present administra-
tiCn and having been awakened to
the great cost of the Farmer-Lab-
or program, if put into effect, are
voting their own honest convic-
tons, unafraid of the executive
lash. More power to them and
Hail Minnesota