The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-04-16
FARDIER-LABOR
BY A. 1. Harris

HI Lie law OIIlCe OIL DuJieT, milCHcii
and Hoke as office boy. Nights he
studied law. His employers called
him Elmer His full name was FL
mer A. Benson.
A Republican president was per-
suaded to name Pierce Butler, ST.,
Associate Justice of the U. 8. Su-
preme Court. If he was appointed
to perpetuate the status quo OF our
economic order he certainly did a
good job. On every economic ques-
ton determined by the Court. Min
nesota's contribution to the highest
tribunal in the land invariably cast
his vote on the side of reaction.
But the office boy of the firm al
so had a career and fate put him
in politics-on the side of those who
preach changes in our order-on
the side of those who contend that
a man should have more than a
mere crumb of bread to sustain
life.
Last week the u. S. Senate, In
discussing the Capper Stockyards
act amendments, which would put
the packers under more strict fed
eral regulations, ban livestock
feeding by packers and give the
government access to packers
books, the question arose as to the
constitutionality of the amend
ment.
Said Senator Elmer A. Benson:
IT firmly believe that the opinions
of the Supreme Court are, in many
instances, largely influenced by
the economic views of the judges
of that court, and I do not hest
tate to say so here. refer particu-
larly to a recent decision by the
Justice from my state, Mr.. Pierce
Butler. believe that his opinion
in the North Dakota railroad val
uation case was purely an economic
decision, because prior to the time
he took his seat on the bench OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States he was in the employ of
every railroad in the United States
in the very matter affecting his de-
cision and that is railroad valua-
tion."
No matter what Justice Butler
might say about his former office
boy, he cannot accuse him of lack
of courage in speaking his mind,
even in the sanctimonious chamber
OF the sedate Senate. And 1t is
whispered about that Senator Ben
son is the first who has had the
temerity to actually name a Su-
preme court justice to bring out his
point. Minnesota's senator has a
habit Of speaking out frankly and
the people need never be at loss
to know just how he stands.
The fight to have the Capper
stockyards control bill was futile
one. This is the measure which
sought to curb the uncompetitive
buying Of hogs by the big packers
at so-called concentration points
These concentration points collect
locally produced hogs direct from
the farmers and thus, by shipping
them to packing plants, keep them
from reaching the central markets
and the competitive bidding that
exists there. The entire tendency OF
this direct buying is to depress the
price of hogs in the central mar
kets and is, naturally, favored by
the big packing interests. These in
terests, together with the large
western and southern cattle pro
ducers, succeeded in killing the
Capper bill as far as the present
session of the Congress is concern
ed. All the liberal Senators voted
to retain the Capper measure.
-
March payments for old age as
sistance will approximate $780,
10000 Kenneth c. Haycraft, direc-
tor of the division estimates that at
least $1,000 aged people in Minneso-
ia will qualify for old age assist
ance during the quarer ending June
80 next, and that payments during
this quarter will reach one and
one-half million dollars.
Letters reaching the division in
dictate that a large number of aged
people who are in need hesitate to
apply for old age assistance be-
cause of a feeling that they are
seeking charity.
Director Haycraft wishes to have
it distinctly understood that old
age assistance is not charity, but
that it is merely social recognition
given the pioneers of Minnesota for
their tireless years Of work IN
building up this state.
Holding the honor for old age,
among the applications for assist
ance that have so far reached the
Old Age Assistance Division in st.
Paul, is Mrs. Josephine Potacek, of
Anoka county. On March 10, 1885,
she reached the age of 102 years.
Born in Poland in 1884, she has
lived in the United States for 43
years. The State of Minnesota and
the County Of Anoka will do them
selves proud to grant to this CEN
tury-old mother some financial re-
cognition for her services to the
state and nation.
It Is rather amusing, after the
impressive display of unity in the
recent Farmer+L.abor convention,
to see the daily press still persisting
in carrying stories about alleged
splits in the Farmer-Labor ranks
splits which exist only in the dis
turbed minds of the reactionaries.
The latest story is story to the
effect that Magnus Johnson, who
has filed for the governorship, re-
fuses to head an opposition ticket
sponsored by some of the sore
heads of the old Townley commit
tee Of 100. This committee played a
very prominent part in the last
campaign in the columns of the
daily press but the result at the
polls showed that the voters of
Minnesota paid no attention to 1t
whatsoever. And now the press has