Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-07-16
KEEL ER IS SECOND
CONCRE sSSMAN
Elected From Minnesota With
Endorsement of Organized
T. Labor and Farmers.

dependent on progressive platform
and Endorsed by organized labor of
st. Paul, won the three-cornered fight
for congressman In the fourth con.
gressiona1 district July / by q major.
ity Of over 5000. s .-7
His overwhelming lead was q big
surprise to the men who worked the
hardest for him and were the most
enthusiastic. It Is the biggest victory
the labor and progressive forces OF
St.: Paul and Ramsey county have
ever won. IT, -.. - ,~
| Organized labor broke away entire
! ~ from the domination of the O'Con-
| nor-Murphy machine, one of the
strongest political gangs in the coun.
| try. Mr.. Keller was Endorsed with
| only one opposing vote.
| Supports League.
Mr.. Keller has been, ever since the
Nonpartisan league organized in this
| state, vigorous supporter of the or
| ganization and its principles. When
the governor and the mayor refused
to welcome the farmer delegates to
the League nominating convention in
1918 he delivered the address, STIR
ring appeal to the farmers to organ
ize and realize their possibilities as
a political power.
! Justbefore the primaries, the com.
missioner issued statement in which
he urged support of all the League
! candidates and denied the charges of
disloyalty.
This statement follows in part:
Charges False. i.
Needless to say these charges are
false. Mr.. Lindbergh and the Non
partisan league are being assailed, not
because they are disloyal, but because
Mr.. Ltndbergh and the Nonpartisan
league stand for certain principles
and advocate specific program
which will curtail the exorbitant pro-
fits of the special interests who are
making these accusations.
'The big business newspapers do
not dare discuss the issue and these
politicians do not dare defend their
records. Therefore they try to be-
cloud the issue and divert attention
from themselves tby attacking the
League. These same tactics have
been used from time immemorial by
these same interests whenever their
profits were endangered. Abraham
Lincoln and the abolitionists who first
advocated the suppression of slavery
met the same abuse and for the same
reason.
GAS a matter of fact the Nonparti-
san league and it's leaders are doing
more to support the government in
this war than are the profiteering in
terests who attack it. To my mind
the protiteers are the real disloyalists
in this crisis, and go to the bottom
OF this attack on the Nonpartisan
league and you will find proflteer or
a politician in every instance.
Flags Press.
+ incidentally, let me say that the
special interest press, to my mind,
is the most unpatriotic influence in
the state of Minnesota today. It's
wholesale ISLANDERS have caused wide
spread bitterness and done this state
an injury in the outside world that
it will take years to undo"
Three men were running in oppo-
sition to Mr.. Keller: c. w. Cummins,
the Republican nominee, was second !;
R. D. O'Brien, the Democratic nomi.
| ueo, IuA1u, anu ". II. CdTlST0u, the
Socialist candidate, fourth. The vote
was, Keller, II, 900; Cummins, S,S2S;
O'Brien 6,647; Carlgren, 422.
The vote of the Socialist candidate
is interesting. 1t shows that the par
tvs radical stand is costing it votes.
Mr.. Keller first announced a pro.
gressive program of his own. This
called for the league of nations, gov
eminent ownership of railroads, re-
tention of the government merchant
ships, the right of labor to organize
and the principle of collective bar
gaining and comprehensive program
of reconstruction and of American.
ization.
Later the St. Paul Trades and La
Dor assembly adopted a platform SIM
liar to that approved by the American
Federation Of Labor, the Labor party
of, Illinois and similar organizations
It called for government ownership
Of public utilities and naturalization
of all natural resources, elimination of
extortionate profits, against profiteer-
ing of needless middlemen, against
watering of stock, for a federal de-
partment of education, equality of
men and women in government and
industry, universal establishment of
the eight-hour day, federal aid to re-
turned service men, right of workers
to collective bargaining, mothers pen
nL,.1n