Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-10-27
MORE ON FARM RELIEF

Editor ASkOV American:
l have never been able to under
stand just why a radical of any type
can misrepresent the facts to his
hearts content and it is all right,
while Republican or any cOnserva-
tive who tells the truth will not be
believed or even listened to. Presi-
dent Hoover has now made four major
speeches, full of figures and other
proofs showing the wisdom of the
course he has charted to lead us up
out of the depression and the folly of
such few suggestions as the Demo-
cratic leadership has made, and l
venture that not one Of your radical
correspondents has listened to any of
those speeches.
But let us examine what Senator
Wheeler, radical Democrat from
Montana, said as quoted last week by
Melvin Anderson. He said first that
the Republicans gave" 80 millions
to the Dawes bank and only 80 mil
lions to all the banks in Iowa. The
Finance corporation did not "give"
the 80 million, but merely authorized
loan of that amount at 51h& in
terest on Al security, and only about
half of it was taken Similar loans
were made to all Iowa banks that
asked for them. If Iowa banks only
needed and asked for 80 millions, that
isn't the fault of the Republicans. If
they need more at any time, they
know where they can get it.
Then Wheeler says they gave" 60
millions to San Francisco for a
bridge, but none to Minnesota for
Waterways San Francisco had
plans all ready for this bridge and
asked for the loan. Minnesota has no
plans for Improvement of its water
ways and so has not asked for any
loan for that purpose. The govern
ment is not forcing money down the
Threats of banks or states who do not
want it and cannot use it. Further
more, the president of the Finance
corporation is Democrat and so are
a majority of its board of directors,
which is a sufficient answer to the
claim of Joe Hampeys that loans are
being authorized to help the Repub-
lican cause in doubtful states.
For the past two months | have
been devOting most of my time to dis
tributing state relief to victims of the
cyclones and hailstOrms of this past
summer. | have seen a lot of farm
ers who have lost all their crops and
some who have lost their homes. I
am for them and for anyone else who
is down and out or nearly so. But
do not favor the dole" Nor do I
favor a lot of other foolish measures
which have been suggested and which
would merely raise the cost Of living
to the poor man and raise his taxes
if he has anything to tax. / think
the only way to help the poor man is
by stimulating credit and industry to
the point where men will be put back
to work and thereby increase their
buying power to the point where they
can pay the farmer fair price for
be done without discarding the ma
chine in whole or in part. The farm
er can promote that process by junk
ing his tractor and using his horses,
as many are now doing
In my judgment we can't start pros
perity by law either at the top or at
the bottom. Big business, such as
the railroads, the packers, the mail
order houses, the mining companies,
have lost more in proportion during
the last few years than have the
farmers. True they had it to lcse,
but they had it only because they had
put it away as surplus in good times
to meet just such an emergency as
this. Many farmers have done the
same thing, and they are not joining
the holiday strike movement or pick
citing any highways. 1t isn't going to
| help the man at the bottom to bust
all these big enterprises and force
| the government into every line OF
business. 1t is in too many lines now
| | notice that Governor Roosevelt Of