Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-12-28
FARMER-LABOR
PRESS SERVICE
BY HENRY G. TEIGAN


legislation.
The outlook on the public relief
bills is quite favorable. The house
by an overwhelming vote last Thurs
day, voted approval of Governor Oh
sons $5,000,000 relief appropriation
to be used by the state Executive
Council during the year 1884. That
the measure will run into trouble in
the senate is obvious. Relief legisla-
ton has not been popular there. That
was true year ago, and it is true
now.
Even so it is more than likely that
fairly large appropriation will be
voted. Even the most dyed-in-the
wool reactionaries will find them
tion to take care of the tens of thou
sands of needy in Minnesota during the
next year. Moreover, as the Cover
nor stated in his message to the leg
islature on December 6, it is unreal
sonable to expect the federal govern
ment to continue to finance all relief
work undertaken in our state. The
to show a semblance of appreciation
of the efforts of Mr.. Roosevelt and
other federal officials in attempting
to alleviate conditions here and else
where.
Liquor Bill IN. g."
AS for liquor control legislation the
prospects are not so good. The ex-
IRENE vets backed by distilleries and
prospective whiSkey vendors are plan
ming to set up a system for coming
millions out of the hard liquor con-
sumers of this state. Their plan in
brief is as follows:
Permit wholesaling of hard liquors
by private concerns upon orders
through the state liquor control com
missioner; dispense liquors to the con-
sumner through drug stores, hotels and
restaurants.
To be sure it will be contended that
the above is not a correct statement
of the facts. 1t will be argued that
the plan provides for municipal dis
pensaries for off-sale liquors through
municipality owned and operated
stores. But before these stores can
be established vote of the people
in each municipality will be required
Such a plan is unavoidable. This
is especially true in the larger cities.
| Where municipal stores are to be
established no private sale, either by
the bottle (off-stle) or by the drink
| (on-sale) will be permitted under the
bill. Any man possessing intelligence
and honesty will admit that no NUM-
cipal stores can be established in the
| larger cities under the plan.
If the whiskey men prove to possess
a majority in each of the two houses
of the legislature and foist their
scheme upon the people of the state,
a return to prohibition in Minnesota
three or four years.
n. ID. Wants State Industries.
A thing of more than passing in
terest to progressives of Minnesota
ting up state owned industries in
that state. Headed by A. C. Townley,
pres ident of the National Non-parti-
san League, Governor VIM. Hangar.
and the entire state congressional
delegation, the North Dakota state
government has appealed to the Fed
eral Public Works Administration for
a loan of five million dollars for the
immediate establishment of such
state owned industries in that state.
Mr.. TOwnley is author of the plan.
His contention is that the people of
that state should be able through
state-owned factories to resolve their
raw products into finished form.
"Why should we ship our hides to
Massachusetts, to be made into shoes
and other leather goods when they
might as we'll be made into such
things right in North Dakota?" asks
Mr.. Townley.
The outlook for securing the loan
is most promising according to news
paper reports and also from state
ments made by members of the dele
cation upon their return from Wash
ington.
Public Ownership Pays.
The following news item published
in last Sundays Minneapolis Journal
should prove of interest to light and
power users now being supplied with
current by privately owned public
utility companies in the state:
"Owatonna:-The municipal plant
of Owatonna, through the public util-
tiles commission, helped make Christ
mas a merry one this year. State
ments totaling more than $4,000
were forwarded to electrical energy
users of Owatonna by the commission,
with each statement cancelled as
paid, gift believed the first of its
kind ever issued by power plant in
Minnesota to it's consumers"
What Owatonna people have done
in reducing light and power rates in
presenting themselves Christmas
presents" can be done in other cities
and villages of Minnesota.