Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-12-03
Governor 0|S0n'S
Farm Plan
CONTINUED from Page II

really did belong to the federal gov
eminent, therefore, in the hour OF
need, there is the strongest possible
moral obligation upon the part of the
federal government to lend helping
hand to the state of Minnesota now.
Some other states undertook to help
their farmers by establishment of
similar institutions and should be en-
titled to the same kind of help that
Governor Olson intends to ask for
Minnesota.
THE FARM CRISIS is NOW A
NATIONAL CRISIS WHICH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALONE is
STRONG ENOUGH TO COPE WITH.
Private Interests Cared for.
The state of Minnesota, or any other
state, should be more entitled to the
consideration of the federal govern
ment than any private interest, no
matter how big.
To the banking interest Congress
turned over our whole financial and
monetary system, which the banks
a
TEN that has sucked the life blood
out of the farmers and which is now
beginning to give to the small bust
ness class the same treatment that
has been accorded the farmers. No
body but the big banker can object
to Governor Olson's request, but con-
gressmen whose campaign funds come
from contributions furnished largely
by these bankers naturally covers in
the dust before them. To safeguard
the investments of these bankers
abroad we keep up military estab-
lishment which costs us over $780,
900 year, in order that the
bankers may not worry. The plight
of our farmers was brought on them
by the war that these bankers led us
into.
The stupendous sum of about
So 100000 that we leaned the al
lied war governments of Europe, on
the advice of these bankers and at
their pleadings, we have cancel ed and
forgiven them, and only ask them to
pay us a small interest rate on the
original debt; yet Minnesota con-
gressmen have not the courage to
ask for Minnesota farmers such a
small favor as a loan of $37,0O0,000
to help heal the wounds of that ghast-
ly war, upon a promise to pay not
only the interest, but also to pay back
the whole principal sum. What man.
ner of men have we now in Mime
sofa anyway?
To the railroads we paid, in six
months, $5OO,OOO,OOO as a guaranty of
earnings; we allowed them to in
crease their property values, for the
sake of figuring rates, by fifty percent
more than they actually were; while
now the farm values have decreased
by more than fifty percent, yet Min
nesota congressman think it would
be a disgrace to ask that Minnesota
might have a place in the sun also.
And Then the Private ShipOwners.
A law was passed in Congress, a
few years ago, and Minnesota con-
gressmen voted for it, under the terms
of which our fleet of merchant ships
is being turned over to the private
shipowners of the East for a song.
Under this law the government also
furnishes the money with which the
shipping interest can buy these ships
and build new ones-at a rate of
interest which the bill states shall
be 1.-The lowest rate of interest OBJ
tainable on government securities, and
which has been as low as 2 percent
Minnesota congressman voted for that
also.
Taking advantage of this law, priv
ate shipowners, soon after the law
was passed, bought more than 100
ships that had cost the government
100000 to build, for $23,OOO,OO
Over a period of about three years
these same ships earned for their
owners over 100000 in subsidies
for the carrying of mails.
When Minnesota congressman now
say that there are no precedents for
a demand like the one that Governor
Olson intends to make of Congress,
they did not ask for precedents when
they voted in the interest of the priv
ate ShipOwners. And so this discus
sion could be continued indefinitely.
But what is the use?