The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-10-29

their duties were largely to build UP the
farmer-labor party. It is the universal
testimony from all parts OF the state
that these 81 area foremen have done
little outside of campaigning and other
party work. They are paid by the tax
payers of the state; they work for the
farmer-labor party.
sssss
One of the most shameful abuses OF
the farmer-labor control of the high
way department has been the exploit
alton of the men who are employed TO
work on the roads.
Many of these men receive as little
as SIS cents per hour for week Of 80
hours, or $3.50 per week. These are
starvation wages. They are paid by a
party whose heart bleeds for the poor
man. What arrant hypocrisy!
Starvation wages are only a part of
the story These workers at $3.50 per
week, many of them with families to
support, are set upon by farmer-labor
with all sorts of schemes for party and
personal advantage, every one Of which
schemes takes from the worker por-
ton Of the Scanty wages allotted him
One of these schemes which has been
widely worked is insurance. Accredited
party workers round up whole crews OF
highway workers and, by combination
of specious reasoning and bulldozng,
persuade the men to take out insurance
which they do not want and which Is
of very questionable value.
One of the schemes used to blk the
men for the insurance is to flash lists
of farmer-labor higher-ups. all of whom
are represented as directors Of the COM
pany or as having taken out insurance
in the company. IF the suggestion that
it would be wise for the worker to stand
with the big-wigs in this matter does
not quickly take root, hint to the
effect that 1T means the job" generally
terrorizes the poor devil into taking
the insurance
Other schemes are also put upon the
worker, such as an assessment for the
party SluSh fund, an assessment ranging
from So to $40 or more. He is COM
PEELED to assume responsibility for a
block of subscriptions to the Minnesota
MiSleader. With the hapless worker on
the road the idea seems to be to get all
that can be squeezed out of him, and a
threat, openly uttered or implied, pretty
generally accompanies every scheme to
take from the highway worker another
portion of his pitifu1 wages.
A labor party that gratis the poorest
paid of all its laborers.
No one knows how many wardheelers,
henchmen and party organizers are on
the highway payroll in addition to the
81 county area foremen. Some Of these,
like Joseph PORTER, whose sole business
is to make use of the highway depart
ment as a means of recruiting men,
bers for the farmer-labor party, to use
highway funds in promoting the cleo
ton Of farmer-labor candidates to the
legislature and other farmer-labor can
didates, and otherwise to use the high
way department for political purposes
some of these, such as Joseph Poirier,
are paid fat salarieS-out Of moneys
belonging to the taxpayers Of Mime
sofa.
The Minnesota highway department
is SO bold in using the money OF the
taxpayer for party purposes that it ac-
tually assisted in financing the cam
paign of one of its candidates for con-
gress to the extent of s487 30. In the
hottest part of his eighth congressional
campaign this year, John T. Bernard
farmer-labor candidate for congress in
the eighth congressional district, was
made a "bituminous inspector" and paid
the sum of $48732 in salary and ex-
penses.
The attempt of the highway depart
ment to wander off the right Of way
and to pay $4,000 for piece of prop
erty which it had previously protested
had not been damaged to the extent OF
$1,000 is a typical example of scandal
GUS juggling Of highway funds to the
farmer-labor highway department.
This case is replete with sensational
incidents, all of them rejecting, in
greater or lesser measure upon the in
tegrity of the highway department.
The department resisted the award
of appraisers granting Mrs Elsie Apple
ton of Redwood Falls, So 900 in damages
allegedly accrIIing from the fact thai
state highway passed near, but did no
touch, her property. The highway de.
partment protested that the award wa;
grossly excessive, unreasonable anc
contrary to law" A few months late
it turned around and offered to PAL
Mrs Appleton 5000 for the land OF
which her house was built.
It was in this case that Attorne,
General Harry H. Peterson said TIL
state highway commissioner was su
perior to the law and the courts