Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-08-06
THE PROBLEM Is NATIONAL

When there is dissatisfaction with
the two older political parties through
their representing the special in
terests more than the common people
in that they send men to legislative
halls who will do their bidding in
order to feather their own nest which
eventually spells decay, then the peo-
pie rise up and demand a change.
The result is a progressive political
party-a third party like the Farmer
Labor in Minnesota-or the selection
of men who are true and tried under
the old party labels-like Norris in
Nebraska, Blaine and LaFollette in
Wisconsin, Walsh and Wheeler in
Montana, and others.
A new party if it is to be national
in scope must have beginning some
where and this beginning has been
made by progressives in the state of
Minnesota under a third party label.
For the first time in ten years his
tory of this party it elected a COVER
nor in Floyd B. Olson last fall and
also a lieutenant governor-Henry
Arens. But a majority of the legisla-
tive members-both House and SEN
ate--are still of the conservative or
reacuonary type. In some counties
or legislative districts where Olson
carried by vote of two to one or even
better, old party men or reactionaries
were sent to the legislature. These
men voted and worked against the
program of the administration in the
main. 1t is not very consistent to
elect a progressive governor and lieu
tenant governor and then send men
to the legislature who work against
their program. Likely the voters in
many counties out over the state will
see the folly in this and in the cleo
tion of 1882 will send men to the leg
islature who will work in their in.
terest.
While a good state administration
can right many things and make for
improvement in government, yet the
general depression, unemployment
and resulting low farm prices today
go much farther than state lines and
it requires national force to remedy
or alleviate the condition. The body
cancer is much deeper rooted than
real national leadership to do some
thing about it.
With a good state administration
and a majority of the legislative mem
bers in accord with their program
legislation can be enacted to curb
special privileges of the street car
companies, the power companies, the
steel trust, lumber barons, and the
like within the state, and see to it
that those interests are taxed proper
tionately with other corporations and
private individuals. The administra-
ton can also make good appoint
ments of heads and members of the
various state departments and in gen.
eral work for good service to the peo-
pie at the right price.
The old gang whose game it is to
keep farmers and laborers divided po-
litically have been busy criticising
Governor Olson's order for As cents
per hour for common labor on state
highway construction, calling it Ia
Dor measure. In the first place it is
no more labor measure than it is a
farmer measure. 1t is common
sense workman's square deal, and the
workmen on the roads now getting As
cents per hour are farmers and farm
ers' sons as we'll as laborers from the
cities. There is nothing to prevent
any man applying for such job. In
the second place it is little enough
to get As cents per hour for a man
with wife and several children. A
common worker is lucky to average
seven or eight months of work in the
year. And then in times of depression
like these it is certainly no time for
the government to let contractors
take advantage of common laborers.
True, many men will work for less,
they will agree to clear an acre of
land where the road is to be built
for less than that particular item is
costing the contractor now.
When people are hungry and facing
starvation they will work for little or
almost nothing. 1t requires courage
for a state executive to issue an order
such as did Governor Olson and we
admire him for it. He knew that he
would be subjected to criticism but
he has the courage of his convictions
something lacking in many of his