Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-12-08
ONE LESS OLD GUARD

Much noise seems to be made on
account of Governor Olson asking
Highway Commissioner Babcock to
resign. To read some of the COM
ments in the conservative and reac-
tionary press person is almost led
to believe that those writer's think
there is no other person in the state
but c. NJ BabcOck who can fill the
position of highway commissioner.
Minnesota has population OF two
and one-half million people and the
state would be i'm bad way if there
was not another man who could Till
this position Some of the comment
sounds ridiculous. Mr.. Babcock is
man with considerable executive abll-
ity. but there are others with as
much or more ability. and the law
says nothing about the position hav-
ing to be filled by a Republican.
There are other dry goods men who
have executive ability and there are
men in other lines of business or
trade that have learned how to give
orders and have them executed.
1t might be well for some of the
critics to reflect on the fact that
FLOYD B. Olson was elected governor
of Minnesota for the first time in
1880 and he could. had he so desired,
removed Mr. Babcock from the office
of highway commissioner two years
ago. He took his time and acted
calmly. though there was plenty of
pressure put on the governor to have
the commissioner removed right away.
If there is to be any criticism it
should come after Olson's new APP
pointee. Mr.. Elsberg. has held office
for some time and his work should
prove unsatisfactory. However there
is little chance for such criticism
Justified criticism-for the governor S
appointee is a man of ability, an engi-
neer. and he is not coming out from
behind dry goods counters. The state
does not owe life time job to any
official The notion that ability is
possessed only by men bearing GER
tain political label seems not to have
been entirely removed from the cram
ium of some folks.
The St. Peter Herald goes so far as
to suggest that legislative inquiry
is in order to find out why the change
is made. The Herald's comment fol-
lows:
Governor Olson has called for the
resignation Of Charles NJ. Babcock
commissioner of highways for q
years and recognized as one of the
outstanding authorities on road build.
in hn NIT
call and the resignation make no ex.
PLANTATION for the reason, although II
is fair to assume in the absence Of
any other cause that it is purely g
political move The action has beer
predicted for some time, for the com.
missioner was the center of fire from
the Democrats in the last campaign
but they have now turned their fire
on Olson, criticising him for not re-
turning to manual labor instead OF
machinery for highway work. The
action is one of the most sensational
of recent political DEVELOPMENTS. anC
legislative inquiry now is in order t
find out why the change is made il
the absence of a statement from
either party"
Ask John f. Regain. Democratic
candidate for governor in the las
campaign, as to the great ability o
Mr. Babcock. He promised high, wide
and handsome, if elected governor
that one of his first official acts would
be to remove Babcock. Governor OIL
son was not so strong on promises blu
he acted.