Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-04-14
RE.D|STR|CT|NC
ACT IS invalid
Minnesota Governor Up
held by Highest Court
in His Veto.
Nine Congressman Likely
to be Elected at Large
This Fall.
BY HENRY G.. TEIGAN

BY HENRY G. TEIGAN
The United States supreme court
has declared null and void the So
called Minnesota re-diStricting act.
That decision was not unlocked for.
The courts decision is based upon
both the inequitable distribution of
population in the several districts
created and also on the fact that the
alleged act did not have the approval
of the governor The court decided
that the legislature cannot re-diS-
trict the state without securing the
approval of the governor, unless the
act has been passed over the COVER
nors veto as provided in the state
constitution. That is to say a con
sressional re-districting measure is
no different from any other ordinary
legislative act.
The court also held that the pro-
posed re-districting scheme did not
properly distribute the population as
required in the congressional act
which apportions nine congressman
to the state of Minnesota.
Naturally Governor Olson, who We
toed the bill creating the nine dis
trict gerrymander. is pleased. He
could not help smiling when informed
that the nations highest court had
sustained his veto.
Election AT Large"
The nine congressman to be chosen
in Minnesota next November will un-
dOubtedly have to run lat large"
That is to say they will be elected
by the state as a whole and not by
districts as as been done heretofore.
Farmer-Laborites are pleased. The
only Farmer-Laborite to indicate dis
satisfaction is Congressman Paul
John Kvale. Whether Mr.. Kvale gives
expression to concern over his own
reelection or that of some of his col
leagues, is not altogether clear. II
is generally conceded, however. that
his own reelection to the house will
be as easy under the "at large" plan
as it would have been had the re-
districting scheme been sustained.
q. o. p. congressman Blamed.
The muddle was created a year ago
by the insistence of Republican con-
gressmen upon a re-diStricting plan
which would tend to save them from
defeat. Under the federal re-appOr-
tionment Minnesota was allotted ten
congressman. We have ten congress
men today. Under the new reap
pOrtionment act Minnesota will have
only nine congressman. This neceS-
STATED re-districting of the state.
The bill that finally passed both house
and senate was a gerrymander of tie
worst sort. 1t provided districts in
some cases that almost lacked con-
tiguity as to territory covered and
were far from equal in population, as
the federal apportionment act re-
quires.
Inasmuch as the supreme court de-
cided that the districts were not suf-
ficiently equal in population, it is APP
parent that the re-districting scheme
would have been upset even if Gov
ernOr Olson had not vetoed the bill.
Thus the Governors veto is sustained,
both grounds for the veto having been
upheld by the highest court in the
land.
Andersen Real "Culprit."
Although all of the Republican
congressman must share some respon-
sibility for the failure of the bill 10
receive the Governors approval, the
principal blame unquestionably rests
upon Congressman August Andersen
of the Third district. Andersen hung
around the legislative corridors dur
ing the last six weeks Of the legiSla-
tive session and prevailed upon the
election committee having the re-
districting bill in charge, and later
in lobbying with Legislators to secure
passage of the measure. The only
thought Mr.. Andersen apparently had
was to keep himself in congress.
A look at the Minnesota map shows
conclusively that Goodhue county, the
home of Mr.. Andersen, should be
added to the First district. There
was no alternative under a fair re-
districting measure. But Andersen
didn't want to be thrown into Christ
gau's district. He feared for the re-
suits. He thought he might be elm
mated from congress and separated
from his $4,000 per year job. And
that didn't look good to him.
Well, it is more than possible that
Mr.. Andersen and several others of
his colleagues will be allowed to re-
main at home after March 4, 1882.
They will then find time to mediate
on the fool job they put over on the
legislature.
No Endorsements Made.
None of the state conventions held
thus far have made any endorsements
for congress. The Republicans have,
it is reported, in contemplation the