Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-10-08

Editor Askov American:
The mercenary forces of this coun-
try and state-those people who be-
lieve happiness is impossible unless
they know they are better off than the
other fellow, have decided once and
for all to stamp out liberalism. The
mushroom aristocracy of America
have hired the best speakers, orators,
writer's, propagandists, cartoonists and
spellbinders that money can buy and
in every way possible are distorting
the aims of the liberal forces.
Against this mighty array is pitted
the liberals, who are fighting for hui
man rights. the right to live, the right
to enjoy with equal right. the comforts
of modern life. They believe that all
are entitled to the privileges of mod
ern civilization.
When the brilliant Senator Benson
becomes governor, he should have a
legislature that will work with him,
so that he can carry on the unfinished
work. Here in Pine county we have
two candidates for re r. sci tative-C.
G. Mann and Nils Hokstad. Mr.. Hek-
stad is liberal of long standing; he
can be relied on to vote according to
the dictates of his conscience and
judgment, which are known to con-
form with Farmer-Labor policies. Mr.
Mann has served one term in the leg
iSlature.
Let us examine the record and his
vote on important measures. The rec
ord shows from liberal point of
view out of Is votes he was right 4
times and wrong IL times. OF course
it could have been worse-he could
have been wrong all the time. He was
wrong on the election of the speaker;
he voted for the conservative Johnson
instead of Barker. This made it pos
sible for the conservatives to or
ganlZe the house.
On the Barker amendment No. 2 he
was also wrong. This provided for
million dollars immediate relief for
livestock pending federal funds and
the regular state appropriation. He
voted against the New Corporate Elk
cess tax, increase in the inheritance
tax, increase in the telephone tax,
tax relief for small telephone compa-
MES, state owned power system, rural
power extension and to cut the in
terest rate. Worst of all he voted for
the so called Omnibus tax bill, prov i'd
ing for sales tax. When the ma
jcrity of the people are either on re-
lief or living from hand to mouth,
they-the conservatives-wan to
hook about ninety per cent off on the
masses.
For instance, a poor man with a
large family would pay more taxes
than rich man with small family
as far as the sales tax is concerned
This would lessen the buying power
of the people and would in turn cut
down production still further. The
Republicans want to go back on the
gold standard, thereby Tightening
money. When all major countries are
Initiating and trying to make money
cheaper the presidential candidate
for the Republican party comes out
favoring the restoration of the gold
standard. The trouble with this
country right now is lack of buying
power. Production can more than
take care of buying power, the thing
to do, of course, is to increase buying
power by making money more plenti-
full. The monetary system should be
adapted to the industrial system, not
the industrial system to the monetary
system. The only way production can
be increased is through the buying
power of the masses. Hooking a sales
tax on now would retard buying power
A person can go further than that.
The only way the budget, state or fed
eral, will ever be balanced is to in
crease business and money turn over.
Amendment No. 2, which the Repub-
licans are trying to put over is also
bad
The welfare of the country depends
on the reelection of the New Deal and
in Minnesota on the election of Farm
erLaborites and liberal Democrats.
To elect Republicans can only mean
the return to the curse of Hooverism.
If they are elected it means back
to the bread lines, back to Hoover
villes, back to the garbage cans for
the unemployed and the poor. Old
age pension will be no more. Every
thing will be repealed or nullified.
1t is extremely important to elect
liberals to the state legislature, so
that the liberals can control the low
er house, if the reactionaries are
overwhelmingly defeated the border
line senators will switch over to the
liberal side.
S. ]. SIMONSEN.
ASkOy Mimi.