Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1912-08-09


RINaDALs NO RECENT CON
VERT TO POPULAR RULE
Duluth Labor World: In making his
fling Mr.. Ringdal gave out q state
ment in which he said that he fled be-
cause his democratic friends: in: the.
state assured him that he was the
strongest candidate to lead the party.
He refused to make personal cam
paign for the office and intimates that
it is up to the voters to either accept or
reject his candidacy. 49,. -. :! !
Mr.. ~Ringdal has been: before the
people in various official capacities for
the past quarter Of q century. He
left the republican party in the late
eighties. He 'afterward affiliated with
the populist party, serving one term
as state senator from the Crookston
district. :: T.;
Mr.. Ringdal can well be termed the
nestor of progressive principles in
Minnesota; politics. The things he
stood for twenty-five years ago are
the popular political demands Of to-.
day. He is no recent convert to
progressive principles. He is q funda-
mental DEMOCRAT, who believes in the
absolute rule Of the people. =: .
When John Lind was governor Of
Minnesota, Mr.. Ringdal served as q
member of the railroad and ware
house commission. His record as q
member of that commission is an open
book. The Duluth News Tribune in
Inmates that "Mr. Ringdal would do
nothing startling as governor but
that he would "give the people q
clean, business-like administration,
not much different from that Of the
many others who have occupied the
office.'
MI. Ringdal, as a member of the
Minnesota railroad and warehouse
commission, showed the kind Of stuff
out of which he is made. The COM
mission of which he was member
made the only fair and just rules for
the regulation Of the railroads of
Minnesota that has been made in this
state.
He voted on the commission to re-.
duce iron ore rates on the iron range
railroads, from 80 cents to 60 cents
per ton. When a republican legis.
latre put him out Of office, the new
railroad warehouse commission rein
stated the old rates which have been
in effect ever since and until recent
exposures by committee of demo-
cratic congress.
If Mr.. Ringdal is elected governor
of Minnesota, he will not sit supinely
by and permit the railroads to dictate
4ho ro1;oioc re bo rovornor of tho
state. If he had been governor dur
ing the past two years the people Of
Minnesota would not now be obliged
to pay three cents per mile for riding
on a railroad train within the state,
but they still would be riding for two
cent per mile.
In 1897, when Mr.. Ringdal was a
member of the state senate, charges
were filed by the Minnesota State Fed
Grafton Of Labor against LeGrand
Powers, commissioner of labor, for
using his office in his own personal
interest and in behalf of the repub
lican party.
Mr.. Powers had published report
entitled "The Purchasing Power Of
Gold' for the sole purpose Of influence
ing the workingmen of Minnesota to
vote against Mr.. Bryan for president
of the United States. He was also
charged with using the states MONEY
in making a genealogical tree Of the
Powers family.
Tt was Senator Ringdal who made
the fight in behalf Of the workingmen
Of this state, and it is because Of that
fight that the Bureau Of Labor was
given it's proper place in looking after
the rights and interests of the work
ing classes of Minnesota. His legis-
latve record is one of which any per
son may be proud. He is by far the
real leader of the progressive forces
Of Minnesota and he won his laurels
by a quarter Of century Of con-
sjStent advocacy Of progressive prin-
ciples which are today being pop
uiariZcl.
Governor Johnson recognized the
true worth of Mr.. Ringdal when he
appointed him as member Of the
board Of control. Tn that office he
has made good. IF he is chosen GOV
crnor the people of Minnesota will he
the benefciarics. They, at least, have
a person representing them in the eN.
ccutive department. Of the state gov
eminent who will not receive daily
instruction from a pol,1i"a4 machine
that owes its existence to the patron
age OF the railroads of this state nor
to any other special interest.