Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-09-14
Eastern County History Exhibits
Many Trials And Responsibilities

of the district. A Community club
in Markville, though composed of a
small percentage of the community,
is working steadily with real pro-
gram for community welfare.
What of the future? On the an
swer to this question there is wide
difference of opinion. There are
those, mostly people not living in
eastern Pine county, who believe that
due to the indebtedness and high
tax delinquency, this part of the
county should be evacuated and COM
pletely re-forested. Such persons
assume that the land is unfit for agri-
culture. Such people are obviously
not speaking with accurate knowl-
edge of the facts.
There are others who believe that
parts of the area should be re-for-
ested, but that good farming land
along the main roads should be kept
open to settlement, zoning out of
agricultural production lands lying
away from roads, until such time as
they may be needed for further de-
velopment of farming.
There are number of people
living in this area who are utterly
discouraged, and, to quote one of
them, "They have us by the neck
and intend to freeze us out, and there
is nothing we can do about it,"
A Solution.
I firmly believe that eastern Pine
county can have prosperous future
if certain things were done, certain
policies followed. Here is what
would advocate.
First, a general recognition of the
basic value of this area as a good
farming region. 1t has just as good
soil, and is just as well fitted for
agriculture as any place in the county
All it needs is development.
Second, recognition by the state
and county authorities that the pres
ent financial distress in this area is
not the result of extravaganza on
the part of those living in the area,
but to those forces that have af-
fected communities everywhere, cou-
pied with unwise colonization moves
which piled up debts but did not
build permanent settlement.
Third, inasmuch as the state,
through legislation, has come into
possession of a large percentage of
real estate in this area, that it as
sumo its proportionate share of the
bonded Indebtedness and its share of
the tax load. 1 suggest this in the
interest of fairness. realize that this
idea is opposed by parts of the state
which are more prosperous. But
it seems to be only just that if pri-
vate ownership of land involves tax
responsibility, the state should not
be exempt from the same respon-
sibility.
Fourth, all lands not on or very
near established roads should be
zoned out of agriculture until such
time as they are needed for a grow
ing population This would prevent
a repetition of the road building spree
of the early period of newer parts of
the state, and reduce costs of both
town and school upkeep.
Fifth, the exercise of a sound and
sensible forestry policy which will
utilize all lands in the area unfit and
un-needed for agriculture and give
settlers part time employment while
they develop their farms.
One Happy, All Happy.
In very real sense the future of
Pine county as whole is tied up
with the progress of this part of the
county. If policies are followed, not
only locally, but also by state and
county governing bodies which will
make possible the development of
eastern Pine county, such policies
will without question react favor
ably on the rest of the county and
even on the state, through the ultim-