Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-08-16

tober. So next time | will try to give
the meetings more publicity.
Swanson gave a good clear and
clean cut talk, straight from the
shoulder, stating that he was back
of the Farmer-Labor platform. He
made no apologies for any planks in
the platform that seem to be too rad
ical for some people. He said the
party did not intend to put everything
advocated in the platform in force at
once, in one or two years, but the in
tention was to go ahead gradually as
we were ready for it.. He favored the
cooperative commonwealth and NUM-
cipal ownership of public utilities,
etc. He did not rake down his OPP
ponent or opposing parties, he made
no sweet sounding promises as to what
he would do if he were elected. He
made it clear as to where he stood on
many issues and | am sure that the
people who heard him Monday night
know just where he stands and what
he stands for. They are either for
him or against him. There is no
doubt in their mind if they will vote
for him or not. They are not stradd-
ling the fence as far as he is con-
cerned.
Swanson told about some of the alb
surd methods used in the Minnesota
legislature as compared to other
states; how votes are taken on bills;
how bills are introduced and immedi-
ately given over to committees to
work on. Each Legislator is on an
average of seven committees and some
of these number as high as thirty
nine members, so you can readily see
how many bills can be and are killed
in the committee rooms. The Mime
sofa legislature is limited to 100 days
in session and if some committees do
not favor bills given over to them they
can be killed by not being put through
the committee. In Wisconsin he stat
ed that the legislature is in session
until all bills which are introduced
have been acted upon. He also stated
that when a law or bill was intro
duced, three copies were made and
that was all they were allowed to
have made, so the public and also
many of the Legislators did not know
the substance of the bills. He advo-
Gated that as soon as a bill was in
troduced that copies be made avail
able to all that might be interested
in them, each legislator to receive a
copy so he will know what it is all
about, without waiting for the COM
mittee report. He stated that it was
the duty of the people to keep posted
on each bill as it was introduced and
to study it and to advise their legis-
lators how they wished to vote and
the legislator should vote as the ma
jority wished him to vote and not nee
essarily as he himself might wish.
/ read a definition of committee, re-
Gently as follows: "a body that keeps
and wastes hours" A very
good definition, in many instances.
After his main talk, Swanson was
introduced to each one present. The
floor was open for questions and dis
cussion. A lively discussion followed
and several questions were asked by
the audience. Swanson seems to be we'll
posted on economics and had every
thing at his finger tips; he did not
have to tumble around for words or
examples to express his views or
stand. Swanson expressed the wish
that he might meet us all again and
1 am sure his wish will be granted.
The audience dwindled to about six
or seven. They were not ready to
go home yet for while. There was
more they wished to have
cleared up. They finally got outside
and there, they stood again for Is or 20
before they finally went home.
Supt. A. E. Gustafson from Willow
River, candidate for county superin-
tendent of schools, was at the meet
ing, but did not talk, but he was one
of the remaining six or seven and
Swanson and GustafSOn got into quite
an argument in regard to certain
questions in regard to school matters
which was not settled when they left
AskOv, but was to be continued at
that same night. Gustafson
asked if he might come and speak to
us some time. l think we will ask
him over and let him speak his piece,
then we can form our own opinion of
him and take our stand.
l do not know if | have managed to
make a good write-up of the meeting,
but l want to impress on those that
were not present that they missed
hearing a good speaker. The, same
holds true the evening Mrs. LeSeur
was here, we should have had a much
larger attendance. Why be afraid to
go to lecture because the speaker
is of different political party than
you may be? Why not go and hear
them first hand, then you can get the
goods on them yourself and not de-
pend on someone else's word for what
they said. OF course l don't expect
everyone to attend all the political
meetings there will be during this
campaign, but there are too many
people that never attend political
meetings. They rely on what they
read or hear from others as to whom
or what to vote for. We should all
be more interested in politics. If we
sit back and let the other fellow do
it, we will get what the other fellow
wants The voico IF tha npOn1o will