Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-11-03
CHR|ST|ANSON
TAKES UP Pen
Former Governor Replies
to Editorial in the
ASkOv American
His Speech at ASkOv in Sep
tember Brought on the
Controversy.

The Honorable Theodore CHI istian-
son. former governor of Minnesota
who is a candidate this year for the
office of representative in Congress
on the Republican ticket, and who
gave a political speech in AskOv on
September oath, wrote letter last
week in reply to the editorial criti-
cism of his speech which was con-
tanned in the Askov American of Sep
TENDER 29th. Mr.. Christensen let
ter and the reply of Editor Hjalmar
Petersen are given herewith:
Hon. Hjalmar Petersen,
''Askov American,
'Askov, Mimi.
Dear Mr.. Petersen:
"A friend has just sent me a copy
of your paper for September 30, in
which | find some editorial comment
on my speech in your village. | APP
preciate your kind references to me
personally. However, | feel that in
your zeal to make out case against
all who bear the Republican label
you have put up a wooden Indian,
labeled him Ted ChristiansOn, and put
in his mouth words and opinions l
would not care to support. For in
stance, you leave the impression that
am opposed to taxing the rich.
Such is not the case. l have time and
again in public addresses expressed
myself in favor of shifting the tax
burden to incomes and inheritances.
You may recall that in my keynote
speech two years ago | went so far
in my advocacy of taxing the rich"
that | brought upon myself severe
censure from the press. l am too
honest, however, to try to make the
people believe that Corporations will
not pass income taxes on. You are
we'll enough acquainted with business
practices to know that every corpora
ton sets up reserve for taxes" and
includes it in the cost computation
on which the prices of its products
are based. 1t is quite elementary that
taxes are ultimately paid by the con-
sumer. A little study of high school
economics will convince anyone of that.
The inheritance tax and (under pres
ent cOnditiOns) farm taxes are per-
haps the only exceptions. My point,
that the cost of extravagant programs
such as that embodied in the Garner
bill will ultimately be borne by the
people and will take so much of their
purchasing power as to obstruct the
return of prosperity, cannot be met
successfully by misrepresenting my
position on taxation.
You call attention to the possibility
of cutting the budget by reducing ex-
penditures for war. You must recall
that | was very emphatic in my ad-
vocacy of such reduction in my Askov
speech. Your structures against the
big bankers who have loaded the
American public up with foreign Sc
curities is also beside the point. I
have condemned it time and again,
but am not aware that any members
of your own political group have in
trOduced any bills to check this evil.
Hindsight is better than foresight.
"You say that, after all, reducing
taxes is not as important as getting
better prices for farm products.
There is no room for argument there,
but has it never occurred to you that
when taxes take 81 per cent of the
peoples income, there is a curtail-
ment of buying power which is one of
the principal reasons for ruinous
prices? Cut taxes to the limit, stop
issuing bonds, and bring commodity
price levels up by reasonable expan-
sion of the currency and closing the
gates which still admit farm pro-
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