Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-03-02
THE GOVERNOR SPEAKS UP

. In no uncertain words, Governor
Floyd B. Olson reprimanded the State
Senate special highway investigating
committee for the manner in which IL
is carrying on its investigation OF
trung highway road contracts, at
meeting Tuesday evening before
special House committee, Investigate
ing the same proposition. The gov
ernor also rebuked the high court OF
the state. His rebuke was administered
to Justice Charles NJ. Loring of the
State Supreme Court, for writing re-
Gently the decision describing OlsOn's
highway construction bidding regula-
tions as IAN invitation to fraud. The
governor called LOring's opinion a
political declaration He also APP
piled the same description to the Sem
ate inquiry but was even more bitter
and determined when he said it was
an effort of the right wing of the
defunct Republican party to dis
credit his administration.
The fiery and hard fighting COVER
nor said that he is not an advocate
ism. that it is not part of his make
up. but it had been the policy of the
state and the nation to protect home
people. He reiterated that regula-
tions of the state highway department
formerly required that a contractor
should have paved at least 10 miles
for the state to be able to bid and
receive contracts for jobs of that size
or larger. His later order made it
S.4 miles. Any contractor could bid
on jobs under that size and the limit
ing of contracts was approved by the
Federal Bureau of Roads. In the
meantime. Minnesota, as well as other
states, was receiving much federal
aid for the trunk road system.
The policy of the state has been to
create work for home people and
home contractors. The executive or
der was made to keep Iowa. Nebraska,
Wisconsin, South Dakota, and North
Dakota contractors from securing
much of the work in Minnesota when
employment was badly needed here.
as was also the case in neighboring
states where they were giving protec-
ton to their people.
Soon after issuance of the original
order of Governor Olson, he amended
the rule so that If the aggregate Of
road contracts, whether it was with
the state, county, city, or other mu-
inequalities within the state, amounted
to S.4 miles of pavement it would per-
nit such contractors to bid on mile
age above that. The governors order
made it easier for contractors to bid
on all the jobs than was the case pre-
viously. IF there has been any col
fusion between the large contractors, -
said the governor, then the attorney
general of the state will take such
steps as are necessary for the protec-
ton of the state" No brief is held
out for the contractors. The COVER
nor stated further that Mr.. BabcocK,
then head of the Highway Department
and Mr.. Ellison, the chief engineer,
who is still in that position, had SUI
pervision of the letting of contracts.
He further stated that they are men
of integrity. l thought them to be
so then and nothing has since hap
pened to make me change my mind
Throwing a bomb shell into the
meeting which was held in the House
Chamber and attended by full house
the governor said that if the Senate
is real DESTROYS of investigating, they
might look into the price of cement
stating that he had no knowledge OF
any collision, no facts or testimony
concerning such, but it is matter oil
record that since 1920 there has never
been a single penny of difference In
tn price of cement on bids presented
to the State Highway Department.