The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-01-07
BensonUrgesState
Liquor Store,Boost
inTaxesonW Wealth
WOULD FINANCE SOME
STRIKES FROM TAX
ON PAYROLLS

Tic welfare agencies Oh lOuS-
time Observation-Disclosures of a
state liquor representations
lization of relief-tax reduction
for homeowner and farmer and
increased taxation on wealth
were advocated by Governor Ell
mer A. Benson in his inaugural
message to the state legislature,
delivered Tuesday at the state
capitol.
The new governor, especially
recommended that the legislature
drastically increase the tax on iron
ore mining and that increase in
government expenses be met on
current basis.
Other recommendations of Gov
ernor Benson's called for laws
which would:
Establish a civil service system
for state employees, make the
workmen's compensation act COM
pulsory on all employees, increase
compensation benefits for fatali-
ties from the present $500 to
$4,000, exempt all homesteads
and farms operated by their own
ers from the state levy for at least
the first $4,000 of assessed valua-
ton, tax chain farm operators.
Governor Benson also suggested
memorial by the state for the late
Governor Olson.
Cites Relief Need
In reference to unemployment
relief, Governor Benson declared:
1.-THE continued unemployment of
millions of. workers throughout
the country presents not only
gigantic relief problem, but makes
necessary a complete revision in
our approach to the problem of
relief generally. The unemployed
person in need of relief is not one
requiring special social care; he
is victim of a system and of
factors over which he has no con-
troll. Those who still require spe-
cial social care should be separ-
ated from the jobleSS, whose sole
need is work, or the income which
they would derive from work.
"A new national and state p6
icy rejecting this new attitude
towards the unemployed is vital
ly needed. Unemployment assist
ance should start not after the
person out of work has expended
all of his or her resources and has
come to the stage of actual pau
perization, but as soon as he or
she becomes jobless.
"The income of the jobless, of
course, should come through So
cial insurance, but until adequate
social insurance can be establish
ed covering all workers, it is
patent that either jobs must be
supplied by the government or
cash allowances or unemployment
assistance given" 49,"
Urges Work Program
The governor suggested a pro-
visional work program, which
could be administered through
the state industrial commission.
''This," he said, "could be aided
with federal grants, because we
must impress upon the federal
government that full continuance,
and even increase of the Works
Progress Administration is imper-
alive. The federal government
must assume its full responsible
ty."
Speaking on public welfare, the
governor said: 1.-THE state is lack
ing in administrative machinery
to properly handle the work of
public welfare. All public well
fare services, with the exception
of supervision of public institu-
tons now under the state board
of control, should be conferred in
a new department of public well
fare.
This would include admins
tration of federal aids under the
Social Security Act, such as old
age assistance, assistance ID de-
pendent children, aid to the blind,
as well as general home relief. 1t
would call for the cooperate of
the counties through establish
ment of county welfare boards
which would administer social as
sistance and treatment under the
supervision of the state depart
ment"
Combine Veterans Aids
The new governor also recon-
mended that the veterans agen-
cies now handling the problems
of needy soldiers be combined in
to one bureau, which also would
have the function of supervising
the Soldiers Home and organic
ing general home relief and aid to
veterans and their families.
He suggested amendments in
the new unemployment insurance
law which would grant benefits
to workers who are on strike "be-
cause of just grievances" elimin-
ate the merit rating system be-
cause it ''endangers" the law, in
crease minimum benefits from S6
I'd. So per week and maximum
benefits from SIS to $18 per week,
and make for payment of benefits
after the first week of unemploy-
ment, and not after the second.
Particularly did Governor Ben
son stress his stand on taxation in
reference to the mining industry.
He stated:
Il recommend substantial in
crease in iron ore taxes. When
iron ore is shipped outside the
state it is forever dissipated as a
source of tay rovopt,o Ou,r b;ot