The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1936-02-13
FARMER-LABOR
BY A. l. Harris

Because he attacked uncompro-
misingly those vested interests who
ruled and plundered our state for
many years, Governor Olson has
been subjected to more vicious
criticism and downright abuse
than any other chief executive in
the United States. He took this
criticism as matter of course,
smilingly, philosophically, always
going back into the affray with
more determination than ever to
carry out the pledges he made to
the people.
The Governors newspaper crit
les have been many and resource
ful-with all the power behind
them that money can command.
But none Of these critics ever felt
nor does he feel today-any
physical jeopardy involved in at
lacking Olson. Matter Of fact, an
eastern newspaperman visiting
here, reading some of the poisoned
stories sent out for foreign" con-
sumption, expressed amazement
that it could be conducted on such
large a scale with perfect immun-
ity. TT couldn't be done in my
state" he remarked.
The fact Is indisputable that no
important critic of the Governor
was ever molested, much less
harmed, in pursuing his game, at
times outrageously unsportsman-
like. It was an open season, and
nobody attempted to close 1t or re-
strict it.
No matter what one might think
of the type of yellow journalism
INDUCED in by the late Walter W..
Liggett-and the Minneapolis
Journal said editorially that it did
the city of Minneapolis no credit
this writer and every decent citizen
of the state were shocked by his
brutal Staying, which was chal-
lenge on the part of gangland not
only to freedom of the press and
to the right of free speech, but to
organized society itself.
It is unfortunate, however-and
will injure rather than aid a solu-
ton of the murder-that political
enemies, the hirelings of the mon
eyed plunderbund of the state,
have maliciously, criminally, in
jected the Governors name in the
case because Liggett at the time
was attacking Olson. One can al
most forgive a widow for doing
this, her mind muddled by the ter
rible sight of witnessing her hus-
band shot down in cold blood. But
the people of this state will never
forgive the diobolic politicians and
political scandalmongers who are
spreading this libel by word of
mouth and through a subservient
press for their own selfish pur-
poses.
There has been much said about
the rehashed charges made by Lig-
gett against the Governor, to lend
force and effect to the vile insinu-
atoms The writer is quite familiar
with them, and with their falsity
To say that Olson feared them is
the worst kind of tommyrot.
During the last regular session
of the Legislature, the reactionar.
les ordered an investigation Of
these same charges . and one
was had. It was headed by Sena
tor James A. Carley. The commit.
tee hired investigators who follow
ed persons and snooped into private
matters. No piece of gossip, nc
matter of how intimate a nature il
was, failed to escape the attention
of these stool pigeons, bent on
blackening the Governors charac,
ter. It's unfairness and prejudice
was so manifest that its stencil
reached to high heaven. Reaction.
airy leaders, led to believe, before
the investigation, that those who
preferred the charges had factua
evidence to sustain them, became
frantic at the failure of the in
vestigating committee to produce
this evidence.
Will Senator Carley deny now
that Liggett was called in to aid
the committee? He was. Matter Of
fact, he was in almost daily secret
conferences with Thomas Mouer
attorney and chief muckraker fol
the committee. If Mouer was i'm
pressed by the facts in Liggett':
possession, they certainly would
have been presented at the com
mittee hearings. The claim tina
these reactionaries made a deal
with Governor Olson to protect hi!
good name is one which can b.
presented only to a class of feeble
minded.
The writer of this column wa!
served with a subpoena on two oc
casions to appear before the in
vestigating committee. The com
mittee stated to the press that h,
wanted the writer for examination