New Ulm review., 1922-08-02
This Years Opportunity.

The Minnesota Railroad and Ware
house Commission is one of the most
powerful boards in the state govern.
ment. Since the passage of the Brooks
Coleman act, which takes away from
the city councils the power to deal
with public utility corporations and
places that power in the hands of the
Railroad and Warehouse Commission,
it is more powerful than ever.
1t has the dispensation of millions
of dollars and is now in direct contact
with one of the most corrupting in
fuences in the state, Lowry's Twin
City street car system, whose records
show the paying out Of huge sums of
money to politicians for no apparent
reason except political influence. The
inspection of grain comes under the
control of the commission. Weights
and measures are inspected by en-
ployes Of the state working under the
commission. Telephones, rates and
system of management, come under
its control.
Ivan Bowen, O. P. B. Jacobson and
Fred W. Putnam comprise the COM
mission. They are all Republicans.
Bowen and Putnam are rock-ribbed
reactionaries, getting on the commission
by appointment in the first place at the
hands of J. A. o. Preus and J. A. A.
Burnquist respectively, two OF the
most thoroughgoing reactionary COVER
nors the state has ever had. 0. P. B.
Jacobson is progressive. At the
general election two years ago, when
he was candidate to succeed himself,
the people of Minnesota gave him the
largest plurality accorded any state
candidate in that election, Jacobson's
vote being 445, ,557 to TT, ,256 for Mac
Kenzie, the Farmer-Labor candidate,
72,964 for Robinson, Democrat, and
$4,000 for May, Socialist
The people OF Minnesota have big
opportunity this year to get a majority
of the Railroad and Warehouse Com
mission as Ivan Bowen, reactionary,
is up for reelection to six-year term.
Jacobson and Putnam have four and
two years, respectively, left of their
term. The Democratic candidate this
year is William j. North, an obscure
St. Paul attorney, to the best of our
recollection, whose name was filed as
a filler" on the Democratic ticket.
But Mr.. Bowen has real oppo-ition in
W. W. Royster ofGlenwood, true-blue
progressive, we'll known in organized
labor cirlces throughout the entire
state, a prominent member OF the
Railroad Brotherhoods, who is the
nominee of the Farmer-Labor party.
If Ivan Bowen is successful in winn-
ing reelection at the hands Of the
people, the commission will remain as
at present, two reactionaries and one
progressive member. If w. W. Royst-
er, the Glenwood railroader, wins the
election, his vote and Jacobson's, two
progressives, will form the majority Of
the commission with Fred. W. Putnam,
reactionary, the minority member.
W W Royster has the best qualif-
cations for making good railroad and
warehouse commissioner of any can
didate who has appeared for that
position in Minnesota in years Being
q railroader, he has technical knowl-
edge of some of the problems of the
commission which the other members
could not possibly have. He is we'll
educated and we'll read man and will
measure up very favorably with the
other members of the commission. In
natural ability, he is way ahead of the
ordinary. His judgment is exception
ally good. He is cool-headed and
patient with those who do not agree
with him, and his sound and pene-
trating logic has carried many debate
in labor conventions. He is what
might be called conservative progress
sive, careful but firm. The merchant,
the farmer and the laboring man would
find in him true friend as member of
the powerful Railroad and Warehouse
Commission. The only people who
have any reason to oppose the election
of W. W. Royster are those who expect
some advantage at the hands of the
commission at the cost of the rest Of the
people.