Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-09-29
THE ISSUES

1t is always pleasure to hear a
speaker with the pleasing voice and
with the vocabulary and ability to
handle the American language with
which former Governor Theodore
Christensen is imbued. He spoke
in Askov last Saturday evening and
review of his address is given in
another column of this weeks Amer
lean.
AS he stated in his talk he and
the editor of this newspaper have
known one another for a number OF
years. 1t is seventeen years since
we first met at a Minnesota Editorial
Association annual meeting. Mr..
ChristiansOn was then editor of the
Dawson Sentinel and he was a new
member of the Minnesota legislature.
He served five terms or ten years in
the lower house of the legislature
and following that served as governor
for six years. He is graduate of the
Minnesota University and with six
teen years of service to the public
ne is man of experience and ability
"a we'll educated man, a scholar.
But with all of our appreciation
of his ability, his honesty and his
character-which is undoubtedly be-
yond Reproductive cannot refrain
from calling attention to some things
he said in his speech and perhaps
even more so to the things he left
unsaid.
In dwelling upon the ailment of the
cnppfry-tho donroSSion Chris
tianson said the cure is to reduce
governmental expenses and pay off
the Indebtedness. He warned against
taxing the rich too much and said:
The rich pass on taxes-get that.
All the people pay it."
The former governor is absolutely
right in wanting to economic in gov
ornamental affairs and eliminate
waste. We are with him in that.
And if he goes to Congress he will
have a good chance to go right to
work on lowering the salaries of ap-
pointees of the Federal Farm Board
those men getting $4,000, 100000 and
on up to $4,000 annually-men that
would likely have heard time earn
ing that much in their own business.
The biggest item of expense in the
federal government is militarism-
the cost of past, present and future
wars. Our annual federal budget is
approximately, S4,0OO,OOO,OOO Out Of
this, $1,00O.0O0,0O0 goes to interest
and payments on debts from the last
war; another s1,OOO.OOO.O 900 goes to
disqualification of all the wounded
and crippled, buildings, pensions, etc.;
and $700,0O0,000 goes for the national
defense program each year. In other
words about 70 per cent of the fed
seral expenses are for ornaments or
the causes of it. There is good
place to take ahold and cut When
we set out to cut expenses it is nat
ural that we can reduce more from
the 20 per cent than can be reduced
from the 80 per cent. The 30 per cent
expense of the federal government
takes care of the executive, legisla-
tive and judicial branches, all de-
partments including agriculture, fed
eral roads, etc.-in fact all federal
expenses outside Of militarism.
Who wants militarism? Isn't it
the crowd that Mr.. Christianson is
batting with-the big interests? 1t
is the same crowd that wants the
high tariff wall-the crowd that likes
to have the army and navy with
which to slap some country in the
face if they get too noisy or inter-
fere with their profits.
Who was it from Minnesota that
voted against the World war? Was
it not men like Lindbergh and Lun-
deem? Were they not almost ostra-
cised from society, and their liyes
threatened on several occasions!
And how about the statesman from
Wisconsin, the late Senator Robert
M. LaFOllette? Did big business put
their arms around him and give him
dinners because he voted against the
war? No! Every obstacle that they
could think of was put in his way
Now that we have had the World wal
the cost Of it is upon us and must be
paid. And no one should begrudge
the service men proper hOspitaliza
ton and remuneration for their serv
ices. Those who voted against the
war are leaders in the payment Of
those obligations. But the cost Of
other items of militarism can be re-
duced
AS to the rich passing on taxes