The Redwood gazette., 1936-10-15
and
PeacePrevail
at Rally Here
CROWD OF 500 GREETED
SENATOR ELMER A.
BENSON

For the first time in its rather
exciting political history this sec
ton of the state Tuesday witness
sed mutual action of Farmer
Laborite and Democratic candid
ates on the platform at liberal
rally in the armory, advocating
the election of fusion Farmer-La-
bor-Democratic state and federal
candidates to office.
An audience of better than 500
persons greeted the aspirants, who
were introduced by Julian E..
Morten, Redwood Falls Farmer
Laborite, chairman of the mass
meeting.
United States Senator Elmer A.
Benson, principal speaker on the
program, was the last to address
the large crowd in the armory.
Prior to his introduction, howev-
er, his candidacy was advocated
by each of the speakers.
The Scenic City Band gave the
meeting the usual political rally
atmosphere. Prior to the meeting
the candidates were feted at a
dinner in the American Legion
hall, sponsored by the American
Legion Auxiliary.
"The same handicapS which
were encountered in past cam
paigns by liberal candidates are
present in greater numbers in the
campaign because the Farmer
Labor drive for election this year
has much at stake for the reac-
tionaries who are trying to re-
turn to power" Senator Benson
told the crowd.
''The daily press and the hire
lings of the reactionarieS Of this
state are attacking the present
candidates just as they attacked
the senior Lindbergh, Rev. Kvale,
Shipstead and more recently the
late Floyd B. Olson. This attack is
neither new nor strange. Never
having had anything to offer the
people the G. 0. P. has to resort
to time-Worn tactics of personal
abuse and play on prejudice.
"Just as they attacked the Am
ericanism of the gentlemen I've
mentioned, they're trying to at
tack my patriotism. They're try
ing to make me out dangerous
man. And isn't that rather stupid?
At this point the Senator asked
to crowd to look at him and draw
its own conclusion if he was the
the communist or the ''red' that
his Republican opponent has
been trying to make me out"
This drew a laugh from the
audience. Benson then went on to
state that he had been born and
reared in a typically American
town of 1900 people, and had
always been able to get along
there" and had frightened none of
his neighbors. He said that the
vote in the primaries would re-
veal what the local folks thought
of him in this respect.
zone of the important issues in
this campaign the Senator as
serted, "is the tax question. The
Farmer-Labor party is honest on
this issue. It tells that it proposes
to lower taxes by corporate eX-
cess taxes, by increasing net in
come, gift, inheritance, railroad,
gross earnings taxes. The Repub-
means propose to perpetrate a
sales tax on the public.
"Now that election day is draw
ing near and all indications point
to a sweeping Farmer-Labor vic
tory, my Republican opponent
Martin Nelson attempts to hood
wink the voters into believing he
is against the sales tax with a
thinly yelled radio address on the
shbject. First the Twin Cities
press announced in banner lines
that Nelson would oppose the
sales tax. Then he states his pos
ition and it was the same as the
one he took at st. Cloud. He did
Continued on page 12)