Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-10-20
VITAL ISSUES
BROUGHT OUT
Lobbying, Patronage Club,
and Such Methods of
Bribing Explained.
]. L. Peterson and Editor
Creel Well Received at
ASkOv Meeting.

The political meeting at the ASSeh-
bly, hall in Askov last Friday evening
was an enthusiastic affair and the
crowd listened very attentivey to the
speakers, j. L. Peterson OF Proctor,
UP in ST. Louis county, candidate for
Congress-; and H. G. Creel of st. Paul.
managing editor of the Farmer-Labor
Leader.
Folks were so taken up with their
presentation of the issues that they
desired more meetings in the county.
Editor Creel has consented to come to
Pine county again on Oct. q and %.
On Thursday evening, Oct. 81, he will
speak at the Pine River Community
Club hall, miles northwest of Fin
layson; Friday afternoon, Oct. %, at
2:3O o'clock, he will speak in the
Community hall at Duquette; and on
Friday evening, Oct. %, at the l. O.
G. T. hall in Sandstone, commencing
at s o'clock. A. H. Kleffman Of Hib-
bling, candidate for treasurer on the
FL. ticket, is expected to join Mr..
Creel and speak at the Sandstone
meeting.
In his address at Askov Friday eve
ming Mr.. Peterson said that there are
not enough people who exercise their
privileges as citizens and vote. Folks
must make a study of government In
a democracy and they must make con-
tributions towdfd good government.
They can not keep on drawing If they
do not contribute. Try checking on
a bank if deposits are not made. In
the last 10 to Is years we have been
asleep so far as politics are con-
cerned. said the speaker.
Big business is the million dollar
class, and there were over 500 indi-
viduals in the United States who had
a net income of over one million dol
lars each in the year of 1929. Big
business spent between 10 and 20
million dollars in the last presidential
campaign. Now that things have gone
bad, said the speaker some folks want
to make a change over night by
strikes and other like methods. Sick
ness usually does not come on over
night but creeps in by degrees, and
having neglected looking after it, we
the ailment Immediately. We must
pay attention to men elected to Of
fee said the speaker.
Do Not Use Cold Cash.
AS a legislative representative of
the Railroad Brotherhoods. Mr.. Peter
son has had the opportunity for a
number of years to watch the work.
ing of the state legislature and de-
scribed how the lawmakers are in
fluenced to vote for favorable legis-
lation for the special interests such
as the railroads, the steel trust, the
power trust. the street car systems,
etc. Pointing out a specific case as
an example he said that a farmer
elected to represent a western Mime
sofa county in the legislature was
invited to dinner with the president
of the Great Northern railroad upon
his arrival in the capital city. The
representative swelled up, he was
er. but was now keeping company
with a railroad president. He voted
regularly with the corporate inter-
ests. The lobbyists of big business
study the members of the legislature.
find out their weaknesses and work
on them. They do not bride the law
makers with cold cash today, that
method is too crude and outworn, but
some of the lawmakers fall for such
favors as jobs to sons, daughters,
nephews, uncles, and other relatives,
in the state capitol or from the vested
interests. Various methods are en-
ployed to have the lawmakers repre-
sent big business rather than their
constituents, said the speaker, and
added that one of the most important
votes cast is the one for members of
the state legislature-they being close
to home.
Mr.. Peterson advocated the re-elec-
tion of Governor Floyd B. Olson, stat
ing that he did the best he could
under the circumstances with two
thirds of the legislature against his
program. The governor is able and
has shown great courage in the veto
of the metropolitan drainage bill and
the redistricting bill. Lieutenant
governors have made committee ap-
pointments in the Senate the past
forty years, but the react Onary sena-
tors stripped the Farmer-Labor lieu
tenant governor, Henry Arens, of that
power in the session of 1881. Legis-
lative appropriations were approved by
the Rocknes and Sullivans in the
Senate and Nortonism ruled in the
House.
Power Being Centralized.
The speaker said that in late years
there has been a trend toward more
GENERALIZATION of power, taking away
some of the rights of the elected rep.
fConfipnad IN Daoa