Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-11-15

mention that through the efforts of
the Farmer-Labor party chain store
tax became law in the 1888 regular
session. This makes it less difficult
for the Independent merchant to COM
pete with the chain store and catalOg
house.
What political party outside of the
Farmer-Labor party in the state of
Minnesota has had the courage to in
vestigate bank stock sales conducted
by the powerful Northwest Bancorpo-
ration at loss of millions of dollars
to people in the Northwest?
The Farmer-Labor party has be-
friended the common people, and it
is wise man who knows his friends.
The reader may wonder, now that
l am elected, why l should write as
am doing. The election Of the indi-
vidual is not the big thing. Striving
as the Farmer-LabOr party is, as "a
whole, for the common good, l feel
that this is an educational process.
We must make known what we are
doing and endeavor to have more peo-
pie see the light.
Big industrialists have inundated
voters against voting as they wish in
the past and are still trying it, but
it does not work out as we'll as IN
former years. Wholesale houses, job
bers and their agents like to talk to
local Independent merchants and en-
deavor to have them think that the
country will go to wreck and ruin if
the Farmer-LabOr party is given more
power.
There was the text book scare by
the book trust and their hirelings.
When, as matter of fact, the Farm
er-Labor party presented only plain
out and out economic program in that
respect.
There was also the biennial cry
about country, flag and home and the
usual scandal sheets against the
Farmer-Labor party to try to fool or
brighten the people. Look up the rec
ords and see what political party is
working and producing results toward
lower taxes on the home and the pro-
motion OF home ownership.
WHY Ill IOlltlcSs
Some years ago friends asked me
why l wanted to enter politics. They
said, you can make living for
yourself and your family, so why be
burdened and bothered with politics
which will only give you additional
trOuble?'
Yes, have in the past been able
to make living for my family and
self and l believe | could continue
to do so, but that is not the point.
When others are on the border line Of
want, those who are still in fairly
comfortable situations have an obi
cation to perform for the public well
fare. We must put our shoulders to
the wheel and do what we can.
Wealth does not willingly give up its
huge accumulations, and there must
be better distribution of wealth.
Maybe those astute politicians in
the villages of Pine county-the mer-
chants and storekeepers - business
men in general-who perhaps belong
to more lodges and are more adept at
playing golf than the farmers, but,
on the whole, do not know more about
economics, will continue their policy
of voting the opposite of their farmer
customers. They may even "remem-
Der" me again if l am candidate for
political office two years hence. But
be that as it may, shall continue to
fight for what l deem best for the
state and its people.
Do the small town business men
still think they are a part of big
business? Some of them are as out
standingly progressive as anybody.
but that is not the average run. It
seems that laborers are the first to
see the economic light, then the
farmers, then professional men, and
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