Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-05-07
BENSON FILES
FOR GOVERNOR
FL. Endorsed Cand date
Issues Statement of
Principles.
Asks Opponents to Remove
Mask and State Clear
Proposals.

Senator Elmer A. Benson fled
Tuesday as the FarmerLabor en-
dorsed candidate for the office of gov
ernor of the state and upon filing
issued the following statement:
I'm filing for Governor on the
Farmer-Labor ticket, l am prepared
to conduct a clean-cut fight on the
basis of my party's principles and
the social and economic changes
which my party advocates.
1.-The Farmer-Labor party is not an
opportunistic political movement. 1t
fought for it's principles when it
knew that these principles were I'M
popular; at no time did it put on false
political cOlOring as have other par
ties. 1t has been honest with itself
and with the voters.
"A political party, if it has a
mission, must have definite philoso-
ply a definite social and eco
nomic program. 1t believes in the
right of money to rule-as the Re-
publican party does-it should not at
tempt to conceal that fact by putting
on the mask of liberalism. This is
not playing fair with the voter.
"The Republican party has taken
a stand for elimination of the state
levy on real property, but it does
not say what will take its place.
Why? Because they intend to put
over sales tax and fear that a sales
tax would make an unpopular cam
paign issue. We of the Farmer-Labor
party would Tighten the unjust load
which real estate-particular the
farmer and home owner-is carrying
by increasing the tax on wealth, in
come in the upper brackets, utilities,
corporations and the like. We believe
in taxation in accordance to ability
to pay. The Republicans believe in
taxing poverty; they would protect
their masters.
For Honesty in Purpose.
"The farmers of Minnesota and the
Northwest, for example, are in favor
of the Frazier-Lemke Mortgage Re-
financing bill. The Republican party
is strangely silent about this meas
ure. Why? Because they are OPP
posed to it, but fear they will lose
votes if they make their position
known.
There was a time in America
when political parties presented their
cases honestly to the people. The
Tories in the days of Jefferson did
not pose as champions of the COM
mon people; they were true bourbons
and spoke rather of the danger of
rule by common people If their
cause was unjust, reactionary, in vio-
lation of the true democratic tradi-
tions of America, they, unlike their
Republican cousins of today, were at
least not hypocritical.
LET us return to elemental hon.
esty in election campaigns. Let the
people know exactly what we stand
for and what we propose to do in
office.
"The people today are suffering
as they never have suffered before.
What makes the suffering so tragic
is the fact that it is so unnecessary.
Nature is as bountiful as ever. Ready
hands and ready brains are waiting to
produce wealth on a scale never
heard of never dreamed of.
1.-THE Republican party seeks to
pereptuate an economic order respon-
sible for this suffering; it believes
that the human race is incapable of
anything better. The Farmer-Labor
party has a program calling for fun
damental changes in this order which
it believes will not only do away with
these outrageous economic cruelties,
but prevent their recurrence. We are
willing to submit our program to the
people in such clear, unmistakable
terms so as to permit of no mis-
understanding. We challenge the Re-
publican party to remove its mask
and do likewise. We ask for a de-
cision on the part of the electorate
based entirely on the merits