The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1928-05-16
A. j. Rockne Delivers Keynote
Speech at Preston last Thursday

Justice for agriculture was char
acterized last Thursday night by
State Senator A. j. Rockne of Zum-
brota, candidate for the Republican
nomination for United States Sena-
tor as the outstanding issue which
Minnesota voters should consider in
the present senatorial campaign.
Maing the keynote speech of hi
campaign at Preston, county seat OF
Fillmore, his native county, Senator
Rockne stressed over and over again
in his address the paramount import
ance of the enactment of a construc-
tive legislative program that would
restore economic equality to agricul-
ture the basic industry of the state.
Advocating the approval of the Nc
Nary-Haugen Bill as one step in that
program Senator Rockne went furth-
er. "To change conditions that exist, y
he said, requires more than words
and tinkering. We face the facts
that a major operation is necessary.
The action or operation proposed does
not seem nearly so drastic or so radi-
cal or impractical as it would have
seemed before we had cured similarly
severe illnesses in the body of Ameri-
can industry by the tariff, in banking
by the Federal reserve act, in the rail-
road world by the Esch Cummins law,
and in various other quarters by acts
of law.
"In other words as legislator with
some % years of active experience l
see no good reason why we should
not use the law in favor of the farm
er and his markets and in favor Of
business centers, large and small,
which are dependent upon the farm
ing industry, just as we have invoked
it to remedy conditions affecting la
Dor, industry, industrial markets and
industrial centers."
Specifically Senator Rockne advo-
Gated as part of the program for ag-
ricultural justice;
1. Application of the Republican
protective tariff system in deed as
well as in word to the needs of agri-
culture.
2. Approval of the McNary-Hau-
gen BILL
3. Early completion of the Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence waterways pro-
ject and rejection of the All-Ameri-
can route from consideration.
4. Development of the Mississippi
river as means of transportation.
3. Reforestation of areas in Nor
them Minnesota unsuitable for agri-
culture and protection of that dis
trict to insure adequate rainfall for
the farm lands of the Mississippi
valley.
Upon other issues of the present
campaign Senator Rockne pledged
himself to a program of conservation
of the states natural resources; to a
reforestation program; declared his
opposition to the exploitation of pub
lie resources for private gain that
would destroy or interfere with the
natural condition of the states nor
thern boundary waters; declared his
opposition to a relaxation of presen,
immigration laws to an extent that
would reduce the present wage scale
of American labor; pointed out that
rehabilitation of the Northwest can
not be accomplished by borrowing but
must come by opportunity for IN
creased earning; pledged his support
in the future as he has given it in tn
past, to legislation to protect the
equality and prosperity of labor; ia
vored strict and impartial enforce
ment of laws relating in accordance
with President Coolidge's policy il
reference to economy in government
tax reduction, foreign relations, anC
world peace.
In asking his own preference at the
voters hands for the United States
Senatorial nomination Senator Rocknt
pointed out;
/. That Minnesota can best bt
served in the Senate by a Republican
who can sit in the councils of tina
party.
2. Cited his own record of lifelong
Republicanism both in his % year
legislative service and activities o
behalf of the party beginning wit
the Mckinley campaign in 1896.
8. Urged that rural Minnesota wa
entitled to at least one of the Unitet
States Senatorial positions particu
larry with agricultural justice TIT
dominant issue of the day.
4. Referred specifically to his re
cord in the legislature as champio
of farm legislation measures tina
have made Minnesota's laws tn