The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-04-02
Capitol News
BY A. L. Harris

Friends and foes alike had ewes
focused on Governor Olson when
he addressed the. Farmer-Labor
convention last week. Because of
the Governors recent illness, both
his supporters and his opponents
were concerned with the condition
of his health and what kind of
campaign could be expected from
him this fall.
Governor Olson's two-hour vigor-
Gus talk, in which he never an
peared to better advantage with all
the old typical fire and dash and
masterful resourcefullness which
stamps hi mas one of the outstand-
ing orators of the country, brought
gladness to Farmer-Laborites.
The Governor had intended to
speak only an hour; but he so held
the attention of his audience that
even when he had extended 1t be-
yond two hours the crowd was still
eager to listen to more. There is
something fascinating and gripping
about this man that makes him
the greatest campaigner in the his
tory of our state; what the oppos-
ition saw and heard brought little
cheer from them. 1t brought a mes
sage that the Governor is himself
again, that when the time comes
next fall, he will be out there
with his full strength, ask
ing no quarter and giving no quar-
ter.
What was particularly disheart-
ening to the opposition was the
warm reception given the Cover
nors appeal for harmony within
the party. No matter how one look
ed at it, 1t was a real field day for
the Farmer-Laborites.
Extreme cold weather was res
ponsible for sharp drop in ship
ments Of gasoline during February
and strong increase in shipments
of furnace Oil, according to George
H. Griffith, chief oil inspector.
A total of 1851, 048 in gasoline
taxes was collected in February,
compared to $68O,376 in February,
1885. There was nearly a 100000
gallon drop in gasoline shipments,
but fuel oil shipments rose from
1924 47 gallons in February,
1885, to 18,449, 26O gallons in Feb
ruary, 1885. Kerosene shipments
increased from 2,4OO,6S8 to 2,597,
534 gallons.
Speaking of the Supreme Court
and how these estimable Judges
render opinions based on their So
cial and economic concepts and
not on their legal Judgment, Gov
ernor Olson called attention to two
Supreme Court decisions which are
quite at variance with each other.
In one case the Court held that
the depression must be considered
in determining the value of a util-
ity for tax-making purposes; on
the other hand, it held that the de-
preston cannot be considered in
determining the value of the util-
ity for rate-making purposes. This,
of course, is consistent, however,
with the theory of reactionaries
that public utilities must be pro-
tected and that the public go hang.
The testimony given by Mrs.
Florence r. Struthers, majority
stakeholder of the Strutwear Knit
ting Company of Minneapolis, in
the injunction suit before District
Judge Martin Hughes Of Hibbing,
was astounding to say the least.
Mrs. Struthers testified that she
understood" the American Fedora
ton Of Labor was an illegal or
ganization in this country and in
the state" She also stated that she
didn't consider it worth while to
communications addressed
to her by the Hosiery Workers
Union.
And we wonder why there are la
Dor strikes in some of our indus
trial plants! Here is the head of a
concern employing hundreds of
workers and labor organization
is regarded by this head as some
thing outside the law. One might
accuse Mrs. Struthers of abysmal
ignorance, or with having an I'M
lightened social point of view, but
a problem of no little magnitude is
presented in her attitude. Amicable
relations between labor and capital
are impossible when we have en-
ployers like Mrs. Struthers. Incl
it answers the question of
why the owners of Strutwear Knit
ting Company and the Hosiery
Workers Union are unable to come
to terms. With more employers like
Mrs. Struthers and we are certain
to have anarchy and chaos in this
country.