The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-04-01
Highest Appropriations in
States History Predicted
as Legislature Nedrs End
ZWACH TELLS OF TAX
HOWLS AND DEMANDS
FOR MORE FUNDS
BY John M. ZWach

10y CoAAA AVA. AWoSh
Easter Sunday, and after very
stimulating and practical sermon,
the writer again settles down to
comment on the highlights of the
past few days in the legislature.
Sunday is a welcome day to
members Of the appropriations
committee. While most members
were leaving for scattered parts
in order to enjoy Easter in their
respective communities, those
serving on the appropriations
committee were sweating in a
smoke-filled committee room. The
group meets at $3.50 a. m. every
day Except Sunday and has
many afternoon and evening
meetings.
AS a result people throughout
the state can prepare for the I'M
pleasant but expected news that
the appropriations necessarily are
going to be the biggest in state
history.
With deficiencies of, roughly,
SIS, 900 900 the current budget is
likely to exceed $5O,OOO,OOO and
relief and old age pensions are
going to add to the total many
more millions, SO that the result
may approximate $75,000,000.
This total could be somewhat
pared if more members were in
clined to be careful. There is a
definite bloc in the committee
consisting of liberals and con-
servatives which is continually
fighting to keep allowances with
in figures which can be paid and
another group which seemingly
never thinks of the "day of reck-
oning." This group also is COM
prised of so-caIled liberals and
conservatives.
Tickle Public
The privilege of serving on both
the tax and the appropriations
committees has been an educa-
ton. To hear people plead with
deep feeling for large amounts
for the many worthy causes In
one and then to move across the
hall to the tax committee and
hear the walls with equal fervor
against tax increases leaves one
uncertain as to where lies the
happy medium.
Smaller Legislature
AS the session proceeds into the
backstretch, increased congestion
I and confusion are in evidence.
This is perhaps the best argument
for a smaller and more efficient
legislature.
Though the house is willing and
actually does remain in session
long hours, the expedition OF
! business is seriously retarded.
Even special orders" contain so
many bills that to secure such an
order means little. Failure. OF
proper progress is no doubt to an
extent due to the inexperience OF
new members, go in number, but
compared to the progress in the
senate, it is also evident that the
size of the house is a serious
handicap.
There is a bill in the hopper
providing for one house Of l3l
members, its present membership.
This, of course, cOntemplateS the
discontinuance of the senate. An
other provides for a house of 81 +.
the present membership of the
senate, offered as a counter pro-
posal. Another and perhaps more
reasonable bill suggest pruning
the senate from 81 to A and the
house from 131 to 80, two for
each senator.
Highway Information
Scrutinizing weekly papers
from various parts of the state
convinces the writer that the
highway department has system
supreme for dispensing informa-
ton intended to accomplish the
purpose of pressing legislators to
vote more and more highway
funds.
To read these stories of "addi-
ton of miles and lowering of
license fees" it would tend to
make one cry aloud for that de-
partment which would have us
believe it has been shorn of all
revenues. It should be remem-
bered that with respect to pave
ment, first costs were to be the
only major costs SO that as roads
were paid for their maintenance
would decrease to the point where
a small maintenance allowance
would suffice for upkeep and the
regular funds be available for
new construction.
Requests are now made for a
cent additional gas tax and an
other bond issue. In order to
speed up construction an addi-
tional tax upon gasoline may be
! justified, but surely legislators,
pledged to balance the budget,
cannot approve an increase in
highway bonds which already
| total around the $50 ,O00, 900 mark.
Fair Trade
Of interest especially to mer-
chants is the passage last week of
| both the fair trades and the UNI
| fair practice acts.
Both aims at what is generally
termed unfair competition such
as offering certain articles below
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