Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-01-26

haven for the tax dodger and also
put premium on investing idle cap
ital in such securities rather than in
productive businesses which will pro-
vide jobs. 1t may be that all pub
lie bonds would carry a trifle higher
interest rate if the tax exempt fea-
ture were eliminated but if it should
result in stimulating business the
price would surely be worthwhile,
as it would result in greater employ
ment and increased receipts of in
come and corporation taxes. AS a
matter of fact, l have had a bill
pending in Congress for the past
several years that would do this very
thing.
AS the law now stands all Federal
officials and employees, except the
President and the Federal judiciary,
pay Federal income tax but they
do not pay state tax, and the
Federal government cannot tax the
salaries of state and municipal en-
ployes; neither can the states tax
Federal salaries That is not right.
All other individuals are subject to the
Federal and state income taxes so why
should not public officials, who have
an assured income and are protected
against the vicissitudes of business
and private employment, also be
compelled to pay both Federal and
state taxes? In other words, the
President would place all govern
ment and state officials and employees
on the same footing as all other citi-
zens. About the only opponents to
the Presidents plan will be a small
percentage who now benefit from
the unjust discrimination. The tax
will not be made retroactive.
Why Limit Production?
During the past week there have
been some very interesting discus
sions in Congress on the governments
control of domestic sugar production
which has caused so much resent
ment among the sugar beet growers
of Minnesota and other states, as
well as among the cane producers of
Louisiana and Florida
The annual consumption of sugar
in America is fraction under six
and one-half million short tons, of
which amount we import two million
tons from Cuba, one million tons
from the Philippines, one and one-half
million tons from Hawaii and Puerto
Rico, the balance being produced in
continental United States. If we were
permitted to produce at home the
sugar now coming from Cuba and
the Philippines it would require two
million acres of land that is now
producing grains, potatoes and for
age crops, of which we have a sur
plus. 1t is estimated that nearly
100000 additional farm workers
would be given work in growing
and handling the crop. 1t would also
necessitate the construction of zoo
new sugar beet factories, each having
an average production of $4,000 tons
The factories would provide employ
ment for over 10000 workers, and
the railroads would have to put on
many additional freight trains to
move the crop. In addition to all of
these benefits it would make us alb
solutely independent of the foreign
producers who robbed the American
consumer of untold millions back
about 20 years ago when they ran
the price to the consumer up to %
and 80 cents per pound. They were
able to do this because the Amer
lean beet grower had been put out
of business under the Underwood
tariff law of 1913, which practically
placed sugar on the free list.
Let us see what would happen in
Minnesota if we were permitted to
produce all the sugar needed for our
own needs. We would require four
sugar factories in addition to the two
we now have at Chaska and East
Grand Forks. These four new fac
tories would need about 10000 acres
of lands that are now being devoted
to crops of which we have surplus
and it would take at least 1000
farm hands and 2,4O0 in the factories
to keep the new units going. These
figures do not take into considera-
ton the additional trains that would
be manned by railroad men who have