Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-06-28
About Politics
BY H. G. Teigan

The primary election is over. Each
of the three political parties in Mimi
esota has made its nominations for
state and congressional offices.
There were but few surprises.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the
nomination of Victor Christgau over
Congressman Allen ]. Furlow in the
first district. Few persons at all
familiar with the first district situa-
ton would have prophesied Christ
gau's nomination.
The denomination of Senator Hen
rik Shipstead by the Farmer-Labor-
ties and of Governor Theodore Christ
ianson by the Republicans was not
only expected but was foregone con-
clusion. Shipstead won by vote of
approximately ten to one over Will
lam Watkins. Christianson's mach
inc and the utter lack of similar sup
port by his opponent, George T. Simp-
son, made the Governor an easy vic
tor.
Lundeen Wins
Ernest Lundeen, former congress
man from the fifth district, was NOM
mated by the Farmer-Labor party for
Governor. Mr.. Lundeen won the NOM
ination over DR.. L. A. Fritsche of
New Ulm.
The Farmer-Labor vote was un-
usually light this year. This was
mainly due to the lack of any real
contests within the party primary. 1t
is true Shipstead was opposed by
William Watkins of, Minneapolis for
the United States senatorship and
that Lundeen and Fritsche were OPP
posing candidates for the governor
ship. But neither contest involved a
fight. The vast majority of Farmer
Laborites had no doubt as to the nom
ination of Shipstead and few of them
had any real concern over the out
come on governor. DR.. Fritsche and
Mr.. Lundeen have been for years the
warmest of personal friends and each
continued to laud the other through
out the campaign. The fact that
more than $4,000 members of the
party saw fit to go to the polls at the
primary in spite of the conditions re-
ferred to, speaks we'll for the spirit
of the "tiller and toiler" group.
FL Suffers
There is, however, an aspect of the
situation that does not look quite so
good. While it is a simple matter
for tho E,armorT ahor follyc to ,,oro;p
ate their candidates, for state and con-
gressional offices it is not an easy
matter to nominate legislators.
Legislators in Minnesota are nom
mated on the ''nonpartisan" ballot In
other words, Republicans, Farmer
Laborites and Democrats all nomin-
ate from the same group of legislative
candidates at the primary election.
And thus it happens that the party
which fails to bring it's members out
to the polls on primary election day
may find itself without candidates at
the. general election. And this not
only may happen in districts where
the party is weak but has actually
happened in a number of districts
where the party is strong and could
elect its legislative candidates on
election day.
Method An Absurdity
Surely the nonpartisan scheme of
electing legislators in Minnesota has
little to commend it to thinking
people. Voters should register their
views in respect to party principles at
the polls and should not be primarily
required to choose between a large
number of persons who have set
themselves up as being specially
fitted to care for the public interest.
At any rate Farmer-Laborites
would do well to consider the prop
osition of returning to the partisan
system of electing legislators. They
may find themselves in the peculiar
position of having a Governor of their
choice but a legislature of far diff