Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-05-20
State Capitol News
BY A. I. HARRIS

Complete elimination of the state
real and property tax is aimed IN
a tax program being drafted by the
House interim committee, according
to Speaker Harold Barker. The pro-
gram is designed also to reduce local
realty levies now made for mainte-
nance of schools.
At work daily since the end of the
regular session, the House interim
committee includes Representatives
William Ost, New York Mills; George
Hagen, Crookston; Edward Hagen,
Milan; and John Kinzer, Cold Springs.
Senate opposition to the interim
committees plan to eliminate the state
realty levy entirely seems assured,
Barker warned, but he expressed
hope that the Senate will accede to
portions of the plan so that the states
levy on real and personal property
will be materially reduced from the
high level at which it has stood for
the past two years.
Results of a check-up with fed
eral and state authorities show that
farmers in many parts of the North
west lack seed. Obstacles in the way
of their getting enough for spring
sowing have been so great in some
sections, particularly in North Da-
kota, that wholesale abandonments
of farms have been reported.
Although the Minnesota Legisla-
ture passed a S750,000 seed loan bill,
only Is counties have taken advan-
tage of it, due to lack of familiarity
with its provisions on the part OF
county commissioners. A total of
100 state loans have been issued to
farmers, averaging about $3.50 each.
Farmers who have been forced to
turn to the federal government for
aid have met with a great deal of
red tape. They have to show proof
that they are unable to get a loan
elsewhere before they can get aid
from the Farm Credit Administration,
although less than half the S50,000,000
appropriated by Congress has been
loaned farmers. OF the 1,42O,O0
farmers whom Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wallace asserted were in need of
aid, crop loans had been made to
only 1872, $40 on April %
Pointing to the rise in prices as
out of line with any wage increases,
the American Federation of Labor in
its current monthly survey of bust
ness, gives figures showing that in
all manufacturing industries in the
last two years wage costs arose 1.8
per cent while prices increased 70
per cent. Business firms do not
determine prices with any view to
the welfare of society as a whole"
the bulletin comments.
A caution to state department heads
against too costly out-of-state travel
by state employees was issued by
Governor Benson in memorandum
reminding them of the rule requir-
ing approval of the chief executive
for all such trips. The governor ex-
pressed himself always ready and
willing to approve legitimate expen-
ditures for such travel, but warned
against junketS at state expense and
requested that all applications for
his permission contain an estimate
of the expense.
A S5,000,000 increase in sales
of eight major cooperative wholesale
associations handling groceries, gaso-
line and farm supplies has been re-
ported by the Cooperative League Of
the United States. Sales of less than
$22, 100000 in 1885 increased to ST.
10000 in 1886, giving the lie to
scoffers that farmers and workers
are unable to manage their own af-
fairs successfully.
The Presidents economy program
isn't encountering easy sailing in
Washington. Several rocky reefs ap-
pear ahead, not the least of which
is Congressman Gerald Boileau'S bill
for a $4,000, 100000 WPA and relief
program, which is double the adj
ministration's proposed allotment.
Minnesota'S Congressman, Dewey
johnson, fifth district, has introduced
deficiency bill, calling for suffi-
cient funds to continue WPA at it's
present level through the present fis-
cal year. The question seems to be
whether budgets or diets are going to
be balanced.
With all the pomp and circum-
stance that the British Empire could