Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-03-21
WOULD CHANGE
CITY ELECTION
Minneapolis Voters Have Turned
Down Proposition but Old Guard
Goes to Legislature.
BY HENRY G. TEIGAN.

The Old Guard has always been
adept at political scheming. Every
move it makes has a political OBJ
jective in view.
Just now there is before the state
legislature bill to make Minneapolis
city elections coincide with state cleo
tions That is to say, the bill would
cause the next Minneapolis city cleo
ton to take place in November 1886.
1t would automatically lengthen the
terms of the present city officials APP
proximately IS months.
Voters Confused.
The objections to the scheme are
in the main twO-fold: Increase the
term of office of present city officials
by eighteen months and provide
multiplicity of issues for the voters
to consider at one time and thereby
make for confusion.
1t is quite obvious to anyone at all
familiar with politics that progress
politically has been slow because OF
the voters becoming confused as to
issues. There are too many of them
to consider at one time. Progress
can best be made when the number
of issues has been reduced to the min
imum. Such is not the case when the
voters are compelled to consider ma
tional, state and city issues at one
and the same time.
Voters Regulated Proposal.
A powerful argument against the
bill is also that the voters of Min
neapolis have already expressed them
selves on such a proposal. About six
years ago a charter amendment was
submitted to the voters of Mime
apOlis to combine city and state cleo
lions. The city council submitted the
amendment and the aldermen got out
and worked hard for its adoption. The
voters. however, turned the scheme
down by an overwhelming majority.
There can be no justification for
the proposal. The people of Mime
apolis are unquestionably opposed to
it. If they were not then a charter
amendment could have been submitted
dI Tic CICStlOll ldSL hO iSeIooh
for going to the legislature is that
the will of the voters can be over
come by legislators who do not owe
their election to the voters in the
city of Minneapolis. Naturally, man
coming from Sibley county, for ex-
ample, has no fear Of the wrath Of
the voters in Minneapolis. His re-
election is not dependent upon the
good will of the Mill City electorate.
ReactiOnaries for Scheme.
The proposed scheme is supported
by various reactionary groups in the
Mill City who like the present regime.
They want Mayor cambridge and the
conservative group in the city coun-
ell to remain in control for another
eighteen months. Such Is not likely
to be the case II the voters are per-
mitted to hold their election next
June.
FL. Opposed.
The Farmer-Laborites of Minneapo-
measure. They also have the active
support of a majority Of the clergy
men OF the city. Whether the legis-
lators are going to follow the die
tates of the forces Of reaction and
ignore the principles of democracy
remains to be seen. 1t is a certainty
that the proposal is Objectionable to
a vast majority Of the citizens OF
irrespective of political
The scheme is. however. on a par
with other practices Of tie represen-
-atives Of the plunderbund. With the
.heft Of two senate seats and one
house seat so fresh in the minds Of
he people they ought not be at all
at the attempt made to rob
voters OF their rights at |
he polls