Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-06-30
FARMERS TAKE LEAD

A study of the Pine county election
returns in the primary election of last
week reveals that out of the total OF
"A precincts the Farmer-LabOr ticket
carried more votes than either of the
two old parties in 80 precincts. And
in % precincts the Farmer-LabOr
ticket had more votes than the two
other parties combined.
The % precincts that carried more
FL. votes than Republicans and
Democrats combined were all town.
ships. Among the townships having
the largest percentage of Farmer-La-
Dor votes may be mentioned Partridge.
Bremen, Birch Creek. Windemeye.
Finlayson, Pine Lake. Norman. Bruno.
Park, Sturgeon Lake. Kettle River.
Dell Grove, Brook Park, ArlOne,
Hinckley, Rock Creek. Royalton, Pine
town, etc.
Out of the 80 precincts carrying a
plurality vote for the Farmer-Labor
ticket only one was a village-Askov
and the plurality FL. vote in that
precinct was nothing to brag about.
Out of SO townships in the county
% gave a FL. plurality and out of
eight villages in the county only one
gave a FL. plurality. Strange that
there should be so much difference
when the farmers and village folks
are so close neighbors and they have
so much in common.
Federal and state appointees usual
~ live in the villages and that in
some measure accounts for the village
vote sticking to the grand old party"
In fact it counts for quite bit-the
appointments politics. An
other thing is that the business men
come in contact with more conserva-
tive elements, the statesmen and
agents, the wholesale houses, the
financial interests, etc. A third reason
that can be given for the more con-
sentative vote in the villages is the
embarrassment to the average voter
in asking for a Farmer-Labor ballot
when several, if not majority or all
of the election judges and clerks are
members of the conservative parties.
The eyes of the election officials are
cast upon the voter when he or she
is asked what ballot is wanted. If
the voter is obligated in any manner
to an official-financially, socially or
otherwise-and that official is one Of
those ROCK-RIBBED, RUGGED con-
servatives who thinks everybody
should vote as he does and that the
country will go to the dogs if the
conservatives do not win, then you
can imagine what ticket the voter is
apt NOT to ask for This is one
reason for the usual light Farmer
Labor vote at the primaries each
year, especially in the Industrial
centers like up on the Iron Range.
The workers in the mines are very
timid about revealing their party
identity and hence a big percentage
stay away from the primaries, fear
ing what might happen to their job
III they ask for the FL. ballot. A
consolidated primary ballot is needed
in this state, so that voters need not
reveal their party identity and so
that they will feel free to come and
vote at the primaries as well as at
the general election, so that there
will be no coercion and the same
secrecy in the primary vote as at the
general election. This election re-
form would be forward step. The
measure carried in the House of the
State Legislature in the 1881 session
but failed in the Senate.
But coming back to the compari-
sons between the village and town
ship votes in Pine county in the re-
cent primary. There is no doubt that
the votes in the villages will show a
much larger percentage of Farmer
Labor in the general election this
fall than was the case in the primary.
When the voters cast their ballots
secretly it will be different as it has
been in past general elections. The
FL vote however, even in the gen.
eral election will not be nearly as high
comparatively in villages like Pine
City and Sandstone as it will be in the
townships for in the recent primary
election the Republican vote in Pine
City and Sandstone villages was three
To one over the FL. vote. While that
high percentage Of Republican votes
will be brought down considerably in
the fall when more Farmer-Laborites
come out to vote In those two villages
IL will not be like the township votes
and that IL the point under considera-
ton.