Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-04-09
Newspaper and Organization
BY HJAI4MAR PETERSEN
at before
I.abo Convention of 1886.

carnations of the Farmer-Labor AS
ISOLATION in townships, villages, city
wards and counties. Those units can
do much to elect more Farmer-LabOr
men and women to the Legislature.
The election of Farmer-Labor legisla-
tors is more important to the growth
and development of our movement
than is the election of governor. Leg
islators enact the laws and formulate
the program for the people. We can
not change economic conditions
through patronage, but our real force
is through legislation.
1t is true that governor can veto
Legislatures, and that has been done
to the credit of our governor. That
may, for the time being, appear as a
victory to our party, but the fact re-
mains that after bill has gone
through committee hearings and pub
lie hearings, discussed pro and con
Oh the floor of both houses, finally
passed by the House and Senate, and
then is vetoed by the governor. we
are right where we started. Nothing
has been gained. The result is mega
tive. Let us have positive results by
electing a majority of House members
this fall.
Importance of Organization.
Gaining the organization of either
house of the Legislature is half of
the battle. BY controlling the OrGani-
cation in the 1888 House, we did some
business, enacting into law the net
income tax on individuals and cOrpO-
rations, the chain store tax, mortgage
moratorium, homestead preferential
act, reduced the minimum automO-
bile license fee from $40 to S., and
other bills could be mentioned. The
senators were all to come up for re-
election in 1884, and though two
thirds conservative, with pressure
brought to bear on the part of the
public, a majority of the Senate voted
for those same bills just mentioned.
They were signed by the governor and
became law.
We are facing the same situation
this year. All representatives come
up for reelection so if we elect a
majority of Farmer-Labor representa-
tives and organize the House of 1887,
we can again do business. The SEN
ators come up for reelection in 1898,
and they will constantly ponder over
that during the 1897 session, when
confronted by good bills that have
passed a liberal House.
1t is, of course, important that we
nominate and support men and women
of intelligence. experience, integrity,
and who are fundamentally right, for
membership i'm the House of Perre-
sentatives. None of us is perfect. but
having nominated good candidates to
make the run. let us forget individual
differences, get behind those candi-
dates and put them over.
Tired of Excuses.
Alibis become tiresome. Let us not
continue to talk about our inability to
do something for lack of a friendly
Legislature. 1t is easy to howl and
whine and to give excuses. Let us
gain real responsibility and shoulder
the responsibility. l am for action
and not words.
We should, of course, guard against
selecting candidates who have had
little or no public experience and who
may fall for the wiles of the slick
lobbyist.
Therefore, emphasize again, in
closing, the Importance of selecting
good, able and experienced Farmer
Laborites for the House of Represent
atives this year. Let every township,
village, city ward and county organi-
cation unit of the Farmer-LabOr As
ISOLATION get behind their candidates
for representative and send to the
state Capitol next January. not only
so per cent, but 60 per cent or more
of the entire membership. Then we
will do business again.