The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-29
ON SH|PSTEAD
II. E. WOLFE DON'T THINK
HE'S ON THE SQUARE
Discusses Charge That "kept
Press" Is Not Treating Nom
party Man EARLY

schools at Deer River, former Off
Ger Of the Minnesota Educational as :
ISOLATION and prominent In school az :
fairs Of the state. has sent an open
letter to G. c. ferguson, secretary of
the Shipstead For Governor club,
Minneapolis, refusing a request that
Mr.. Wolfe support Shipstead and pre-
dieting that other educators of the
state will not do So. His refusal is
based on the ground that:
Shipstead Is not ION the square
because in the primaries he proclaimed
himself q republican and now fights
the legally nominated candidate OF
that party.
Shipstead charges there is a kept
press" hostile to him, when no news
papers OF the state are so closed to
expressions Of public opinion as those
controlled by the nonpartisan league.
Shipsteads platform contains mum
-erous pledges designed only to cap
ture votes and which he knows he
could not fulfill IL elected.
Shipstead Is using villification and
arousing class prejudice to gain votes,
thereby corrupting public opinion and
ment.
Mr.. Torguson's letter to Mr.. Wolfe
and the latters reply follows:
Minneapolis. October 16, 1920
River, Mimi. Dear Mr.. Woffe: am
writing this letter to you in the In
terest Of DR.. Henrick Shipstead, who
is Independent candidate for governor
Of Minnesota.
II have known Dr.. Shipstead prac-
ucally all my life and have always
found him to be on the square. He is
q friend Of the common people and
a friend Of Minnesota. The kept press
has refused to give any publicity to
his campaign and the only way he can
the state Is by letter. hence this mes
sage to you.
While mayor of Glenwood and
member OF the house OF representa-
tives, he always worked and voted for
measures that benefited all the peo-
pie OF the state and never stopped to
sectional favoritism.. He is in favor
OF better schools, better school equip
ment and better paid teachers. He
has had an uphill road to get his ed
ucation and will do all In his power to
make 1t easier for the present and
coming generations to secure an edu-
cation. His vote on educational mat
tiers while in the house Of represen-
tatives was always correct. He may
be depended upon to carry out the de-
sires of the majority Of the educators
Of the state.
The enclosed folder will give you
briefly his platform. have cues
toned him closely on school problems
and he is right on all issues. AS you
perhaps know, ! was superintendent
of schools in this state for ten years
and secretary OF the Minnesota Tea
cheers Reading Circle Board for six
years, so feel know what the edu-
Gators of the state want in the line of
school legislation. Let me hear from
you what you think of his candidacy.
am sure you will never regret giving
him your support. Yours very truly
o. c.. ferguson.
What Mr.. Wolfe thinks OF DR..
Shipstead's candidacy Is told in the
following replyi
Mr.. G. c. ferguson, Room 2, An
drews Hotel. Minneapolis. Mimi. Dear
Mr.. ferguson: / am In receipt Of your
letter Of the 14th, soliciting my sup
FORT OF the candidacy Of DR.. Shipstead
for governor. Because 30 many OF
the statements Of your letter, as well
as assertions in the platform submit
actions of the candidate himself, your
request must be refused.
"You state that DR.. Shipstead Is
always on the square, object and
deny this statement.
"a few months ago. DR.. Shipstead
proclaimed to the voters OF MinnesoLa
that he was republican. Accepting
him at his word thousands of repubIi-
can voters decided that they could
stand by their party and vote for DR.
Shipstead for the republican nomina.
ton for governor.
Since the primaries, his actions
have shown plainly that DR.. Shipstead
never considered any party of more
concern than his own selfish interests
He adopted the banner Of q great pol
| ittcal party in an attempt to receive
the nomination of that party, and, de-
feated in that attempt he now fights
the legally nominated candidate oil
the republican party.
square?
you insinuate in your letter thai
there is kept press In Minnesota
II there is any such, II Ia the press
owned and published by the forces
which are backing your candidate fol
governor. No papers Of the state are &c
closed to expressions OF public opin-
ion adverse to the opinions of its edi-
tors, as are the papers controlled by
the NOnpartfsan League.
A careful scanning OF the political
platform Of your candidate clearly in
dicates that 1t contains lot of politi
cal claptrap and bunk, designed tc
capture votes. In your program OF
right things, which you pledge will be
done IL DR.. Shipstead is elected gov
ernor, do not find a single one which
Dur. Shipstead, as governor, could do.
Both you he know this.
! 1.-THE enacting of legislation does
/ not lie In the executive department OF
our state government. The legisla-
ture, and the legislature only, could
enact the things which you pledge N
your platform. No doubt this is q
clever political maneuver, failure to
accomplish which could be blamed on
the legislature afterwafd. II your
candidate stands for the principles
which your printed platform admits
he stands for, let him declare what ne
would do as governor, concerning
things which lie in the control of the
governor. There is ample room for
a declaration OF this kind. Let him
cease hiding behind a platform OF
promises which could be fulfilled only
by legislative enactment, let him de-
clare what governor can do.
"The candidates for governor of the
old political parties are making their
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