Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-06-16
FL. SHOULD
STAND BY SHIP
Shouldn't Have Any Part In Making
Republican Nominations In Pri-
mary.-OlsOn UnOppOsed.
BY HENRY G. TEIGAN

BY HENRY G. TEIGAN
Omitted from publication last issue
for lack of space.)
The withdrawal of Truman Pier
son from the Farmer-Labor guber-
Material contest leaves Governor
Floyd B. Olson without opposition for
the nomination. AS a result Olson's
name will not appear upon the pri-
mary ballot.
There will, however, be contests
for other Offices in the Farmer-Labor
primary. In the race for lieutenant
governor, there are two candidates
DR.. B. F. Opsahl of MontevideO and
former Senator X. X. Solberg of
Clarkfield. Both men are we'll known
to Farmer-Labor workers in the state.
Wefald Likely Winner.
There is also a contest for the
nomination for railroad and ware
house commissioner. Knud Wefald,
the convention endorsee, has opposi-
ton in the person of Elmer G. john
son, of Hibbing. who was the nominee
of the party for the same office two
years ago. Mr.. johnson. who was a
candidate for endorsement at the
convention, decided to remain in the
race regardless of endorsement
With the strong support that will
naturally come to Mr.. Wefald on ac-
count of the endorsement and also
because of his four years service as
congressman from the Ninth district,
there can be little doubt of the out
come.
35 I'm Congress Race.
In the COMPRESSION race there are
no less than 35 candidates. None
of these carry the endorsement of the
state organization, though several
have been placed on the preferred
list in their home territory. 1t would
however, be extremely difficult to
enumerate here just what local en-
dorsements have been given congress
sional candidates. Many of them are
we'll known and have held public Of
fee in the past. Others are new
corners in the movement and one or
two at least have not a record to
conjure with. 1t seems a bit unfOr-
tunate that the recent state conven-
tion had no alternative but to pass up
endorsements in respect to congress
sional candidates.
PiersOn Explains Withdrawal.
Mr.. Pierson in his withdrawal from
the gubernatorial contest explains
that he did so because of the fact
that a number of reactionary Repub-
licans viewed his filing with approval.
Il am a progressive and have al
ways supported the progressive can
didates, including the leader of the
Republican party in Minnesota, Sem
ator Schall," he said, in a statement
to the press.
"Since filing l have been contin-
ually approached by reactionary Re-
publicans and those who are inter-
ested in defeating the progressive
cause in any part of Minnesota, with
promises of remuneration and of re-
wards if l would remain in the fight
and assist in destroying the progress
sive movement. This situation is i'm
possible and intolerable and because
l believe in the progressive cause
and because l believe that my re-
naming in the fight would assist the
reactionary Republicans in this state,
l am, therefore, withdrawing my
name as a candidate for the Farmer
Labor nomination for governor. l
am doing this in the interest of the
progressives of all parties.
Il fully appreciate the efforts which
my friends have asserted in my behalf
and appreciate their kindness and
thoughtfulness but feel certain that
they will approve of my action be-
cause my friends are progressives."
Republican newspapers will, OF
course, construe the Pierson with
drawal as a maneuver on the part OF
supporters of Mr.. Ellsworth who are
anxious to pull FarmerLaborites into
the Republican primary to nominate
their candidate. The writer has not
seen any proof of this contention and
it is to be presumed that Mr.. Pier
sons statement should be taken at its
face value and that he withdrew in
the interest of the progressive cause
Farmer.LabOriteS to Vote Ticket
Farmer-Laborites cannot, however
have any interest in making Repub-
lican nominations. The one just
criticism that can be made against
the primary system is that it affords
an opportunity to the members of one
political party to aid in nominating
candidates of another party. This is
obviously wrong in principle and dis,
astrous in practice. Farmer-Labor
voters who call for Republican bal
lots on June 20 are not serving the
party to the best of their ability. They
are, on the other hand, helping create
a defeatist psychology among the
Farmer-Labor workers generally by
cutting down the Farmer-Labor vote
Moreover, it becomes little harder
to swing the voters back into the fold