Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-09-03
GOOD BUSINESS
IN GOVERNMENT

Governor Hjalmar Petersen, in
his first radio address over KSTP
and WEBC following his inaugu-
ration to the office of chief execu-
tive, pledged honesty, efficiency
and sincerity of purpose in the
conduct of the states business.
His address follows:
The untimely passing Of Floyd B.
Olson is not a loss alone to his party.
1t is a greater loss to the people OF
this state and to the nation. His in
terest in men and women transcribed
the boundaries of party and was
wrapped up in the eternal struggle
of a suffering humanity. More than
any American of his day, he articu-
lated the feelings of the common
man and was his spokesman. Nat
ural born leader with unequalled Vik-
ing courage, he truly was the Happy
Warrior" No matter how intense the
struggle or how bitter the battle, his
face was pointed always bravely for
ward and he never turned his back on
friend or enemy. He had natural
genius for the problems of politics
and craftsmanship and he never for
got the lower classes from which he
sprang. He had a deep and broad
vision of our economic ills but in
their treatment and mitigation he
never consciously did injustice to any
man or group but looked always to
no
saw clearly the economic transition
from an age of scarcity to an age
of plenty and he was among the first
to advocate an economy of abundance
and cooperative effort and organiza-
ton. Everyone must recognize that
forces of change in this period.
Not in this generation will his gen.
Jus of leadership be fully recognized
nor the full measure of his worth be
understood. Thus it is always with
great men. In the moment of bitter
struggle, when it is natural that a
leader who advocates social and eco
nomic change is bitterly assailed and
criticized, we are temporarily blinded
in taking his full measure, but his
tory, when recording his passing, will
write:
He was a natural and out
standing leader of the masses.
He understood their problems and
devoted himself unflinchingly to
the solution. He was generous,
genial, diplomatic and God had
endowed him with superlative
ability. 1t took generations Of
struggle to mold him.
The task which confronts me. there
fore, as his successor, is a difficult
one. 1 fully recognize the heavy re-
sponsibility of this office and being
conscious of my own limitations, 1
can only say that l shall devote my
whole strength and apply, to the best
of my ability the knowledge and ex-
perience which l have gained in pub
lie life, in the service of my state,
to render the best accounting possible.
While the business of government
is perplexing and involved task, we
understand its function to be to serve
the people, and in carrying out this
service it must be characterized and
simplified by three cardinal rules:
First, honesty; second, efficiency, and
third, sincerity of purpose.
In fact, 1 believe it can be stated
as fundamental rule that the bust
ness of state and all other business
in public and private life, stand a
pretty good chance of success if we
remember to handle it honestly and
efficiently. Public office, being pub
lie trust, should inspire the highest
degree of honesty and encourage us
to be efficient to the utmost in it's
management. This is so because we
are representing all of the people,
and we are handling money of all of
the people. Such responsibility should
of itself deeply impress every public
official. The day when our demOc-
racy, whether local or national, can
boast of honesty and efficiency in Of
flee, on that day the people can boast
that democracy has succeeded.
l hold a firm conviction that the
administration of public office with
efficiency and simple honesty will
commend itself not only to the
people but also to the party. Too
often a man, placed in public office,
forgets that once the obligation is as
sumed, the people as we'll as the party.
are entitled to his loyalty and to his
best efforts.
In carrying out these beliefs and
in conscientiously impressing the pub