Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-08-30

and women throughout this land know
the anxiety and worry which has been
brought to them by their children's
use Of liquor in a way which was UNI
known before prohibition. believe
in reverence for law. Today disre-
gard of the prohibition laws is in
sidiously sapping respect for all law.
I raise. therefore, what l profoundly
believe to be great moral issue in
volving the righteousness of our ma
tional conduct and the protection of
our children's morals"
The remedy Is to be found in the
fearless application Of Jeffersonian
principles, he continued, to allow for
different habits and customs of differ
ent parts Of the country.
Some immediate relief would come
from an amendment to the Volstead
law giving scientific definition Of the
alcoholic content of an intoxicating
beverage" he said. "The present def
milton is admittedly inaccurate and un-
scientific. Each state would then be
allowed to fix its own standard of al
coholic content, subject always to the
proviso that that standard could not
exceed the maximum fixed by the Con-
gress.
II believe, moreover, that there
should be submitted to the people the
question of some change in the provi-
sions of the 18th amendment. Certain
ly, no one foresaw when the amend.
ment was ratified the conditions which
exist today of bootlegging, corruption
and open violation of the law in all
parts of the country. The people
themselves should, after this eight
years of trial, be permitted to say
whether existing conditions should be
rectified. l personally believe in an
amendment to the 18th amendment
which would give to each individual
state itself only after approval by
referendum popular vote Of its peo-
pie the right wholly within its borders
to import, manufacture or cause to be
manufactured and sell alcoholic bev.
erages, the sale to be made only by
the state itself and not for consump-
ton in any public place"
"Our Canadian neighbors," he said.
"have gone far in this manner to solve
this problem by the method of sale
made by the state itself and not by
private individuals.
Saloon Won't Return
There is no question here of the re-
turn of the saloon. When stated that
the saloon is and ought to be de-
funct institution in this country I
meant it. mean it today. I will new.
er advocate or approve any law which
directly or Indirectly permits the re-
turn of the saloon"
On the subject of transportation
Governor Smith said he believed in en-
couraging the construction and use OF
modern highways to carry the short
haul of small bulk commodities and to
aid in marketing farm products.
Also of great Importance, he said, is
the development of transportation by
our waterways, which are still in q
highly undeveloped state.
Linked with waterways develop
ment is the control Of floods, the gov.
ernor said. He declared that the two
Republican administrations had wait
ed for the Mississippi food of last
year instead of taking leadership in
this important work.
"The money actually appropriated
for food relief Is too small to make
even a start" Governor Smith assert
ed. "Too much time has been spent
in squabbling over who shall pay the
bill"
Governor Smith pledged himself
Ito a progressive, liberal conservation
policy based upon the same principles
to which have given my support in
the State of New York." and to fight
against selfish aggression wherever
it appears and irrespective of whom
it may involve"
"The sources of water power must
remain forever under public owner
ship and control" he said.
Dement'S growing from the develop
ment of water power as an incident
to the regulation Of the Colorado Riv.
er should be "equitably distributed
among the states having right of own
ership," Governor Smith declared.
It would be the policy of his admin.
istration to develop method of oper.
alton for Muscle Shoals which would
reclaim for the government some fair
revenue from the enormous expendi-
ture already made, he said.
Red tape and autocratic bureaucra.
cy should be brushed aside in caring
for veterans In distress, Governor
Smith said. Likewise, he said he
would continue his sympathetic inter-
est in the advancement of progressive
legislation for working men and wo-
men, the proper care of maternity,
infancy and childhood, and the en-
enlargement of activities which adj
vance public health.
His Labor Policy
Turning to the labor question, Gov.
ernor Smith said:
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