The northwestern bulletin-appeal., 1924-10-04
SOCIALIST RULE
MENACES STATE,
REPORT REVEALS
Minneapolis Farmer-LabOr Coun-
Gil Plunging State Toward
Bankruptcy, Says Lee.

Important revelations that should
have a material effect on the results
of the state election have just been
made by Rudolph Lee, a country
newspaper owner and editor from
Long Prairie, Mimi, who. in response
to a request from farmers of Todd
county spent a week in Minneapolis
gaining first-hand information con-
cerning the city government there.
The investigation was inspired by
visit to Long Prarie made by Floyd
Olson, Farmer-Labor candidate for
Governor, who stated that II am af-
filiated with the Farmer-Labor par
ty, and l am proud of it; am proud
of the record that has been made by
the Farmer-Labor council of Mime
apolis, and want to say to you that
If elected I shall transfer to the state
methods that have made such an un-
qualified success in Minneapolis.
The Todd county farmers request
ed Mr.. Lee to investigate the Mime
apolis city government and report to
them. He did. His report is a rev.
elation. 1t will be difficult for Mr..
Olson to explain some of the things
that are contained therein.
Mr.. Lee found, among other things,
that the Farmer-Labor council is
plunging the city of Minneapolis in
the general direction of bankruptcy.
This is not Mr.. Lees opinion but a
fact that is>brought out by the rec
ords.
He found that $30.000,000 was
spent last year to operate the Mime
apolis city government, or about $10.-
100000 more than was required to
operate the entire state government.
He discovered that since the Farm
er-Labor administration became effec-
tive, the taxes for the city of Mime
apolis have increased exactly 100 per
cent, exclusive of bond issues.
He found the grossest kind of busi-
ness inefficiency, as evidenced in the
case of the New Nicollet hotel and the
municipal auditorium. On the same
day that the people of Minneapolis
authorized the city council to proceed
with the construction of the auditor
ium, private interests started raising
money for the construction of the ho-
tel which represents a greater cash
outlay than does the auditorium.
The hotel has now been in operation
since June, while not shovelful of
dirt has been turned on the auditor
ium. This is due to the fact that the
members of the council have been
fighting for many months as to
whether they will build the auditor
ium by contract or day labor. The
radical members favor day labor, but
Mayor Leach has refused to sign the
order in that case.
The records show, according to Mr..
Mr.. Lee, that the council has been do
ing virtually all of the public work
by day labor, the theory of which is
more and more of the public money,
shorter and shorter hours and less
and less output, with the result that
every public job that has been done
under the direction of the present
council has cost 100 per cent. more
than the original estimate.
Mr.. Lee found that M. Olson's per-
sonal campaign manager is Alderman
I. G. Scott, who admits his connection
with the /. w. w. Mr.. Scott wears a
red flag in the lapel Of his coat.
The records of the council show that
Mr.. Scott has openly defended the
methods of the I. w. w.; that he
bitterly opposed and voted against a
resolution of sympathy proposed for
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt at the time
of the death Of her illustrious hus-
band; that he protested interference
in /. w. w. meetings by service men.
other famous radicals, such as
Richard Wiggin, assistant city attor-
ney and Henry Wuerzinger, are close
ly linked with the Olson campaign,
while st. Paul's own William e. Ma
honey, whose radicalism was too
much even for Robert M. La Toilette.
is the personal representative on the
state central committee of Emil e.
Holmes, Farmer-Labor candidate for.
lieutenant governor.
Continued on page ~