Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1963-05-02
Let's Quit Libeling And
Belittling Our Great State


We find it difficult to understand why the ad-
vocates Of the sales tax find it necessary to adver
dse-quite falsely, as it happens - that Minnesota
has unhealthy ecohomy and Is an unfriendly
state for business and industry A specific example
is the outrageous advertisement published in the
Sunday newspapers on April 81 and signed by num-
Chambers of Commerce and other organiza-
tons including one sad-sack newspaper.
The message Of the advertisement was that
Minnesota is driving industry and jobs out Of the
state and only sales tax can The message
was masterpiece Of falsity and cynicism The
truth is closer to the total of the message
Yet many befuddled people are taken in by this
kind of charlatinism with resulting incidents that
sometimes tragic and sometimes hilarious and
sometimes both at Such as the poor befuddled
mother of five boys who testified at the sales tax
hearing that she would have to take her brood out
Of the state to find jobs for Them unless passed
a sales tax!
The perpetrators Of the sales tax advertisement
cannot excuse their hoax on the grounds Of ignor-
ance The facts are the nearest Statistical
Abstract or World Almanac And the facts show
that Minnesota stacks up pretty well alongside
other states in area
For example, from 1860 to 1861 there was a
general shrnkage Of industrial employment through
out the country-5 per cent nationally. How did
Minnesota fare? Quite we'll While jobs shrank that
year by little more than 2 per cent in Minnesota
Qess than half the national average) Wisconsin was
hit by full 1 per cent loss, Illinois by per cent
and Missouri by nearly 2 per cent Illinois and
Missouri have been saved" of course by the sales
tax
WAGES GAIN FASTER HERE
The hourly earnings Of an industrial worker In
Minnesota rose 4.39 per cent from 1860 to 1851,
from 95.07 cents to 99.46 cents In Wisconsin they
134 per cent-from 1882 to 9766 cents. In
Illinois, 3.29 per cent from 9770 to 100.99. Thus
Minnesota wage earners in that period gained
larger increases both absolutely and per cent than
our two more industrialzed neighbors. And in 1861
Minnesota industrial workers had bigger real earn
ings than their fellows in either state since Illinois
takes to per cent sales tax bite out of them,
cost Of living that is already substantially
higher than Minnesota's
SOME MORE FACTS
These are short-term figures adduced because
they were conveniently at hand. Here some long
term figures, used for the same reason:
From 1850 to 1860 Minnesota's share Of the
national income rose from LIS per cent to 17S per
cent This is a period when the national income
increased absolutely by 1851 billions During this
period Wisconsins share declined from 2.17 to 2.15
per cent, Illinois declined from e.7e to $50 per
cent
OF the IL states In the west and east north
central regions the nine having sales taxes showed
relative decline from 1850 to 1860 in their share
Of the national income Of 80 per cent The four
states having sales taxes (including Wisconsin,
whose sales tax not in effect during the period)
maintained their relative position unchanged
In the same decade, while industrial employ
ment in the us. was advancing IL points, from
259 to 27.1 per cent of the total, Minnesotas In
dustrial jobs were advancing 80 points, from 1873
to 1915 per cent. In the north central region, only
Iowa and Kansas exceeded this-Iowa with a 33
point advance, and Kansas beneficiary Of astron-
omical defense spending) with APPOINT advance.
Two of the biggest sales-tax states showed an alb
solute decline.
While annual per capita income growing
in the United States by 500 1t was increasing In
Minnesota by $165.
These few Of the figures on the record
that make the sales tax claque sound just a bit
ridiculous We have selected the figures that make
the best for Minnesota. The sales tax claque,
which seems intent on making out the worst posi-
BILE case for our state might be able to find some
facts and figures that would support their lugubr
view. But we have been studying the matter
rather carefully and can assure them that there
Is very little record to bolster their position and
the very little they might find is decidedly uncon-
vincng.