Askov American., 1943-05-27
Where Do You Come In?
Old Age Assistance.
Retirement Pension.
Mothers Pension.
Endowment.
BY Hjalmar Petersen.

The constitution of the state of
Minnesota forbids special legislation,
but that provision has been and is
being violated. However there is
considerable difference between leg
iSlation pertaining to certain county,
city, village, school district or town.
ship on the one hand, and on the
other hand legislation enacted for the
individual.
For unit of the state government
effects many-hundreds, sometimes
thousands of citizens and taxpayers
though it is not strictly within the
confines of the constitution. But leg
iSlation written to fit an individual
can be construed only as special
act. Such special law is particularly
obnoxious when it pertains to men,
Der of the State Supreme Court
placed in that position to interpret
and uphold the constitution.
Little has been said about
Senate File 788 which was en-
acted into law in the recent ses-
sion of the Minnesota Legisla-
ture to provide retirement of
Justice Clifford L. Hilton of the
Supreme Court.
We have had for many years re-
tirement acts for teachers, firemen,
policemen, highway patrolmen, state
employees and the old age assist
ance, but there is wide difference
between those moderate pensions and
assistance, and the pension for the
associate justice, which in comparison
can be called an endowment
This latest special act retires the
justice at full pay for the balance
of his elected term, or $500 year,
and if this man who now is 76, lives
beyond 1916 he will receive half pay
or S4,250 for each year thereafter.
To the real wealthy-the million
aires-it may seem like small stuff
to bring up this matter for discus
sion. To them it is a bagatelle, and
they may scott at the mention of it.
But to the layman it is different To
those on old age assistance it looks
like mountain, and to widows with
three children, receiving $50 per
month or $636 per year, if available,
the $500 is out of sight.
This is especially true when
we consider that the justice for
whom the law was enacted has
been on the supreme bench Is
years and attorney general 10
years. Prior to that he was
deputy and assistant attorney
general for 9 years, all "a years
drawing substantial salaries from
the state. During the last rs
years alone he has drawn about
Sl80,00o, or an average of $1,000
amnally.
If he has not saved enough out of
that to live the balance of his life,
then old age assistance certainly
ought to be good enough Let him
give lien to the state on his home
as others are required to do under
the Stassen law, or sell the home, if
beyond a certain value, in order to
live, if he is in such financial straits.
This may sound cruel toward an
elderly man, but there are many
other old men and women, and when
they have to submit to the cold re-
acmnary philosophy of liens on
homesteads then let the law be
equally applied. Furthermore, it
might have a wholesome effect if a
few so-called big shots came face
to face with the sting of lien on
the home.
The courts under our constitution
are the final testing ground. They
are supposed to be regarded with
reverence and awe, and certainly il
is well that they be highly respected
S. F. 788 and the manner in which
1t came about does not enhance that
respect.
We are not to be niggardly
toward the courts, but it cannot
be said that the State of Min
nesota was niggardly in this case
without the special act.
J. v. Weber, state senator from
Slayton, writes in his Murray County
Herald: "For several years Justice
Clifford Hilton of the Minnesota
Supreme Court has been incapaci-
tated. He has been unable to render