davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
natural law supplies all the protection

natural law supplies all the protection
either labor or capital needs.
10. Accumulate as much as he can
and to give it or bequeath it to whom
soever he pleases, free of income, in
heritance and gift taxes.
If anybody can show me a flaw in
these points l shall be glad to be
shown.
The enacting of laws in contrast to
natural law defined in the above 10
points results in creating law-break-
ers (criminals) that unnecessarily
crowd our prisons.
Allow me to state few examples:
1. The import taxes create snug
glers.
2. The income taxes create false
bookkeeping by the big corporations
and catches the smaller man who
does not know how to get away with
it.
3. The craft unions create mon
Opoly and declare economic war on
mankind for the benefit of their class.
This is not justice. How can COM
mon laborer earning 50 day, and
at that but part of the year, afford
to hire craftsmen at $3.50 an hour to
build him a home?
4. Indirect taxation is analosical to
-pocketing.
5. Protective tariffs create mOnOpO-
lies for the protected but-at the
same time makes mankind dependent,
creates a form of guardianship in our
often intolerable.
6. The farmer in classic literature
was rugged Independent individual.
But the general idea of a farmer to-
day is that of an OverwOrked and
luckless fellow who is always clamOr-
ing for relief the victim not only of
drouth, floods. grasshoppers but also
of every business racket besides being
fleeced by indirect taxation.
Z. School is a dead end for youth.
The market is closed for their labor,
consequently crime increases.
| could keep on almost Indefinitely;
however, | think this is sufficient to
show the chaos in which mankind is
involved on account of the unjust eco
monte system under which we are la
boring.
! just wonder how many read my
articles (opinions) with deliberation.
How many cut them out, read them
two or more times at intervals of a
couple of hours or still better couple
OF days and then discuss them with
friends and neighbors. Some of these
articles have taken me days to pre-
pare. The article, Land, Labor,
Taxes and War;" has been laboring
in my mind for years before | have
come to clear conclusion, years even
before l landed in the U. S. in 1891
at the age of SO. Even at the age of
20 / remember | was convinced that
indirect taxation was no better than
pick-pOcketing. 1t is long life's OBJ
servations l am trying to put down
in black and white. l know my OBJ
servations do not click with any po-
litical party. l know some will say
am turning conservative while others
will dub me with the utmost radical
ism-but am Convinced | am talking
common sense and Justice
LUDWIG MOSBEK.
AskOv, Mimi, Jan. 26, 1887.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
ANSWERS MANN
ASkOv Americana:

Editor Askov American:
The editor of the Hinckley News
two weeks ago thought he would deal
Association by printing an article on
the front page dealing with matters
that do not concern the Holiday AS
ISOLATION any mere than it concerns
Mr.. Mann and the rest of the taXpay-
ers of Pine county. The Holiday As
ISOLATION has never at any time dis
cussed the rehiring or dismissal of
the present county engineer at any
of our meetings of the county, nor
the honesty of Mr.. Patrick, as the edi-
tor claims, for that reason the Holt
day takes no credit (althOugh we have
received lot since Mann printed the
article two weeks ago. nor do we take
any blame.
| want to inform those concerned
that delegations of taxpayers have
demonstrated on the courthouse. be-
fore the county board long before the
Holiday organized in the county and
will continue to do so long after we
have men in public office who need
assistance in governing for the best
interest of the public, whether it be
called dictation or what not, our men,
bershir has the full right to take
part in taxpayers delegations at any
time they wish and find it necessary.
Who should have something to say
about the conduct of our government,
organizations representing the masses
CIR rugged individualists, who may not
care for the welfare of the public in
general. Years ago we used to send
representatives to public office, and
they took charge of that office and
the conduct of that part of govern
ment to fit themselves best and the
people in general knew nothing of
what was going on. Taxpayers will
not accept that kind of representation
any more. The Holiday has never,
and never will lose sight of our ORR
ginal issue, which hundreds of farm
ers in Pine county can prove as if it
had not been for the Holiday Associ-
alton they would have lost their home
long ago.
H. SANDELL.
Hinckley, Mimi,
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
COMMENDS c. G. MANN
Editor Askov American:

Editor ASkOV American.
Again we see the value of your pa
per and also honor Representative
Mann. inviting letters to him discuss
ing needed laws. This is very COM
mendable of Mr.. Mann. Taking up
the proposition as to the bill asking
for the state to develop waterpOwer
sites-this, if we follow it far enough
is a vastly different thing than the
business of shoemaking, barbering or
farming. These latter can be dupli
Gated by individuals very easily. but
not so with a natural resource vast as
waterpower Ca public utility which
if left in private hands, they exact
from a third to twice as much per
kilowatt than it can be produced for,
thereby giving them monopoly power,
an immense fund with which they con-
troll press and legislation. So l hope
Mr.. Mann will reconsider and support
the bill as presented by Mr.. Stockwell.
both men strictly honest in their de-
sire to legislate for the best interest
of the people as a whole. We are glad
for such characters, and pray that in
these man-made depressing times,
school authorities demand of their SUI
perintendents and teachers they study
the law of cause and effect, the Law
production and distribution
and get their charges the hopeful
and energetic young people) rightly
informed, so when they are asked to
help make statute laws they will be
built on sound basis, and not as now
brain truster" burdensOme stuff.
A card to Robert Schalkenbach
Foundation No. II, Park Place, N. Y.
will bring literature leading in
helpful way. The city of Tacoma,
Wash, derives great benefit from
its publicly managed utility.
EMIL KNlPS.
Fairhope. Alabama.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
KEEP GOVERNMENT
AT FINGER TIPS

AS has been stated many times be-
fore. we i'm the United States have the
best form of government in the world,
but the trouble is we have let it get
away from us. 1t has been controlled
for a long time by those few who en-
JOY the security afforded by wealth
Capitalization. In other words the
people have been asleep at the
SWITCH
However, there is some gnasf ing of
teeth when the people want t. take
a hand in advising their governmental
representatives as to what they would
have them do and as to what is most
needed back home. Theirs in most
instances are honest requests and de-
signed to alleviate distress. They are
only asking for that which should
be afforded them under flag which
waves over a great land of plenty.
OF course there are always some
every within is not taken care of re-
CARELESS of whether it is humanity
possible to do so or not, but these
are in the minority and if such eff
forts persist, their demands will GER
tainly be turned down and those whom
they champion will sooner or later
lose respect for them.
Organization is a great thing and
is possibly the best available method
to forward a program with any degree
of success. Then too, an organiza
ton can overstep it's bounds. 1t is,
however, always we'll for any organi-
cation to forever keep in sight it's
primary objective and forever let
right and not might govern it.
The National Farmers Holiday AS
scciation in this state has been a
militant organization, and why? Be
cause it has done good work in as
sisting many unfortunates. 1t has
been honest in most of it's demands
and it has mostly been fair in its
dealings and in its cooperation with
governmental agencies. 1t has kept
the rank and file in mind. Respect
for it will certainly continue if the
same quality of leadership is main
tanned as in the past. People should
help themselves through organiza-
tion and make their organization
strong.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
DENMARK LEADS THE WAY

OF course it's all right to talk about
cooperative commemorative, produc-
ton for use, government ownership
of this, that and the other thing, the
Townsend Plan, Share the Wealth,
and every man king. Such topics
are stimulating and they make excel
lent bandwagons.
But when all is said and done, with
much more said than is ever done, it
is not necessary to resort to fiction
or to the weaving of dreams to find
at least one nation under the sun
which has gone ahead without threat
ening to abolish anything.
There are 100000 people in Den
mark. Illiteracy is confined to the
amazing low percentage of one one
hundreth of one per cent. OF the
total area of Denmark, rs per cent is
used for agriculture. There are 2O6,-
900 farms in Denmark, more than
50 per cent of them are worked by
their owners. This little country ex-
ports more agricultural products in
proportion to its population than any
other nation in the world. Collec-
lively, Denmark is the worlds largest
dairy, yet 80 per cent of the herds
have less than Is cows.
1t has an unexcelled network of
cooperatives. Nine out of ten farmers
are members of dairy cooperatives
and each member of cooperative has
but one vote, no matter how large his
share may be. These cooperatives
own packing plants, processing plants
of all kinds, operate enough cement
factories to keep the price of cement
the lowest in the world and buy an(
sell through cooperative agencies
There is no pauperism in Denmark
its crime record is the lowest in the
world; million dollar incomes are un
known and 80 per cent of the adult
population attends what are popularly
known as folk high schools.
Denmark has accomplished by CO
operation almost everything the Unit
ed States has accomplished through
corporations except the perversion o
laws, the corruption of courts, thu
production of millionaires, the pro
granting of panics, the prostitution o
the press and the pulpit, the exploit
tation of poverty, the maintenance o
a crime record unparalleled in thu
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28

pry them loose from the payroll even
with a crow bar. Those who have
held executive positions or are hold
ing such positions know how hard it
is to get rid of an inefficient pOliti-
cally appointed employee; well. it is
much harder to get rid of civil serv-
ice employe-they hang on for dear
life.
None resign. few die. To turn the
administrative routine positions over
to civil service red tape in my opinion
is folly. Keep the state personnel
alive by frequent removals of dead
wood; that is the best way to get real
results and efficiency.
S. j. SIMONSEN.
AskOv, Mimi, Jan. 23, 1887.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28

operatives. Now, in McCall's for Feb
ruary, comes story of how Sweden
beat depression by plan to meet it,
made in 1914, and now is planning
for the next one.
Unemployment in Sweden created 4
serious problem in her late depres-
sion. 1t was met by work relief &
nanced by borrowed money, work that
was needed. Necessarily it bore re-
semblance to our PWA and WPA ef-
forts, but was different at base. Re-
cOvery came, sufficiently to restore
employment practically to normal.
Emergency work ceased. Near Stock
holm, the writer of the story saw road
bed complete, ready for a trolley line,
but no sign of machinery for it's COM
pletiOn. Asking if it meant abandon
ment he was told that it was begun
during an unemployment crisis and is
a reserve work of which there are
many others, that will be completed
when another crisis comes. when"
another crisis comes, not '.if.''
The substance of the article is that
Sweden does better than the United
States in looking clearly ahead We
went into depression deep and wide
spread beyond all precedent, and met
its eXiSencies by gigantic efforts cost
ing billions, that resulted in great
experimentation and no end of mud
ding. Sweden by contrast has met its
problems more quietly and saneiy.
There is much also i'm the permanent
economy of Sweden that writer's re-
Gently have been pointing out as su-
perior.
There is no doubt that we can study
Swedish methods to our advantage.
The principal qualifying considera-
ton, relative to adopting any of them,
is whether they would apply effici-
emily here. Relatively Sweden is
small country, her land surface area
than twice the area of Minnesota, with
homogeneous people numbering not
over seven million. Ours is more
diverse people numbering about $50
million, in a continental area of over
three million square miles. The in
tensive economics practiced in Sweden
might not fit our situation, either for
permanence or emergency. Neverthe-
less we shall hear more of Sweden in
that respect from now on. What we
learn should interest us and may be
to our advantage
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
Hinckley, MINI.
AN IDEAL LABOR PROGRAM
H. SANDELL,

Editor Askov Americana:
1t is generally agreed among scien-
lists not prejudiced by selfish motives
that natural law is infallible and I'M
changeable. The same as in mathe-
maticS, two and two are always four,
regardless of whether our legislatures
Or our Hitlers say it is five or three.
Cause always produces the same
effect regardless of any authoritative
juggling with the figures; and so with
the natural law, as you SOW so you
harvest. Some go as far as to say
God is in nature and others go a step
further and say nature is God. That
however. is matter of opinions. If
economics is a matter of opinions men
can never agree regarding it; and we
shall continue to the end to be many
men of many minds and forever be
unable to present united front.
If economics is a science (knowl-
edge, facts) there is nothing that men
can do about it except to understand
it and make use of its truths. In that
case all debate, all arguments, all
questioning ceases; and men agree;
for there is nothing left over which
unprejudiced men can disagree.
Happily our U. S. Constitution guar
antees every man a right to life, lib
erty, and the pursuit of happiness.
On that basis | will try to define la
bOr's constitutional right, his natural
right and the consequences of break
ing these laws.
According to these laws labor has
the right to:
1. Work without having to pay a
fellow creature either for the privi-
lege or for a place to work.
2. Work with or without joining a
union, or work for himself if he
wishes.
3. Enter any profession, business,
occupation, without the Formally of
taking out a license-eXcept it be to
handle poison and high explosives,
etc. However, those who would enter
the practice of medicine, or law or
be required to show their competence
each according to the standards of his
own school. In no case should So
ciety or the state undertake to fix
these requirements and in all cases
the license should be issued withou,
cost (tax).
4. Work as little or work as Ions
as he pleases and to put whatever
price he pleases upon his service sub.
ject only to breaking his contract.
5. The full product of his labor.
6. Hold his product free of taxes.
7. Interest on his capital. whether
| this interest be the calf of his cow
the fruit of his orchard or the returns
from his shop, etc.
8. Hire whom he pleases on an,
terms he pleases.
| 8. Freedom from the compulsiOn o
collective bargaining, for this is {
practice that is as unnecessary in eco
Monies as it is in mathematics Of
chemistry. 1t is a resort to force ant
should be classified in law as a con
| spiracy as defined in the Sherman
Antitrust law-fOr the reason tina
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28

Harold r. Atwood, (above) recently
appointed Railroad and Warehouse
Commissioner to succeed Knud We
fald, has been a resident of Mime
sofa since 1901. He was elected to
the Legislature in 1924 and served
continuously until January 1, 1885.
He is in business in the city of
Winona where he learned the machin-
ist trade. He was connected with the
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad
for about fifteen years in the mechan-
ical department. He served as vice
president of the State Federation of
Labor in Minnesota from 1888 to 1885.
Prior to being appointed to the COM
mission, he was supervisor of en-
ployment of the WPA with headquar-
tiers at Brainerd.
Mr. Atwood is married and has one
child
Mr. Atwood is a veteran, having
entered the service at WinOna on Feb
ruary %, 1918, and honorably dis
charged at Camp Dodge in July, 1919,
having served one year overseas.
This is perhaps the first time in
the history of our country that a
governor has been called upon to
make an appointment to a commission
which he has been elected to serve
upon. Mr.. Atwood. Hjalmar Petersen
and Charles Mum, the three members
of the commission, have all had legis-
lative experience, having served to-
gether during the sessions of 1929,
1881 and 1888.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
SCANDAL MONGERS ca

Editor Askov American:
If you have read the latest Pine
county boards proceedings you must
have noticed that Mr.. ~ P. Nedegaard
and delegation of taxpayers APP
peared before the beard with request
that the board not rehire the present
highway engineer.
THE Hinckley News carried a
front page editorial condemning the
Pine County Holiday Association for
this action. For how much this Or
ganization is responsible in the act
| do not know. But if it is, this
writer is willing to take his share in
the responsibility and condemn Mr..
Mann for his unnoble attitude towards
that organization, because Mr.. Mann,
also member of our organization,
tries to rip it apart by giving his dis
approval on many actions. This noble
organization has done and was bound
to do in order to stem the tide of
mortgage evfctTons. e.
Yes we admit that we are .dictators
and also that we have tried to stop
oily ftllu al VII
account that we did not receive the
cost of production and therefore I'M
able to meet our obligations. not ask
ing but demanding moratorium I'M
til conditions improved.
Mr.. Mann wants the organization to
make difference, between just and
unjust mortgage evictions. | call
them all just, but regardless of that
we want to prevent those calamities
because the property involved would
stay where it was, and the farmers
would have been without shelter for
their families, thrown into the ranks
of the already too many unemployed.
Let Mr.. Mann call this dictatorship
or communism, just or unjust, l am
proud that our Holiday association
has done amicable work for having
settled more than one hundred cases
peacefully to the satisfaction of mort
gagor and mortgages here in Pine
county.
Furthermore, l am very much dis
appointed in Mr.. Mann because
thought him to be a man with demo-
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28

cratic principles. When he started
his political career advocating a gross
income tax and then a sales tax after
becoming wise that his constituency
did not want that stuff, he threw it
into the waste basket and last but
not least, told them he was going to
and did support, regardless of his pO-
litical difference, our Governor Ben
son.
A man who can sacrifice his prin-
ciples and political differences might
be more of a job hunter than proper
representative to execute the will of
the people, but should understand at
least that people have the right to
dictate to their political bosses, and
that that right exists yet is blessing.
JOHN NIEBOER.
Hinckley, MINI.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
AGAINST CIVIL SERVICE
editor AskOv American:

Editor AskOv American:
According to what you read in most
papers recently you would be led to
believe that our publicly elected Of
ficials. state and national, are of a
low type of citizens. Before person
swallows this, let us consider, pause
and think a little.
The old guard corrupt politicians
within the past six years-have prac-
tically been driven from American
politics. Men of courage and charac-
ter have taken their places. Naturally
when the big fellows can't dictate to
our statesmen they try to discredit
them by ridicule and SANDER and
make out that politicians are not to
be trusted with responsibility but are
secretly working against the best in
terest of the people and country.
The profession of craftsmanship to-
day demands higher type of men
than ever. In order to qualify man
must be of the highest character. He
must have good common sense and
judgment. Among other things he
must have that rare quality, moral
courage. He must be energetic and
alert and trained in economics and
general business procedure. Those
who do not possess these qualifica-
tions can't last long in modern politics
1t is only natural that the old ma
chine controlled politicians try to viii
lily our modern statesmen.
What strikes me right now as
strange is the sudden demand for civil
service appOintees. A person would
think that a man elected to public
office is not capable of selecting his
own office staff but should be handi-
capped by having his staff wished on
him by civil service commission or
inherited from a former administra-
ton. 1t would be great setback to
mental affairs if governor and his
appointees in important positions
would not be permitted to select their
own employees, but in main would
have to depend on subordinates forced
on them.
that is, settled routine work. But the
average civil employe is generally so
infested with dry rot that he or she
cannot initiate and build up new de-
partments and governmental under
takings. Fresh blood and new per-
sonnet always create new ideas and
generally efficiency, also advancement.
The idea that in democratic cleo
tive form of government you can keep
political influence out of the original
appointment of employees is highly
idealistic, but anybody, even if he has
nothing but sawdust in his head,
knows influence always counts in gov
ernmental selection of personnel,
either civil service or otherwise.
1t seems to me that those people
who are trying to promote our repre-
sentative form of government and
who at the same time discredit our
elected officials as a whole are work
| ing against themselves. England has
adopted a strong civil service system
in the appointment of governmental
employees, whether they are more eff
! ficient than we are | can't say;
doubt it.
Here in Minnesota the civil service
question has received considerable
publicity and some system is under
consideration. The trouble with civil
service employees is that you cannot
civilized world. the concentration oil
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
STUDYING SWEDEN'S ECONOMICS
(The Minneapolis JournaD

No one remembers when there was
so great an interest as at present in
the economics of Sweden Written
eXpOsitiOnS of how Sweden has been
getting along, notably one book widely
read, have shown some things done
better, critics have said, in the much
smaller European country than in our
own. President Roosevelt became in
terested. The commission that went
abroad. whose report should soon he
available, included Sweden in it's
itinerary for study of consumers CO.
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28
OPINIONS OF OTHERS

(Short timely letters on topics
whether or not the writer's opin-
ions conform with those of the
American. All letters must be
signed with the writer's name for
our information. Signed articles
always are more effective. but IL the
writer does not wish to have his
name used. it will be withheld.)
Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-01-28

When several rivers unite, the
main stream and all its branches,
great and small, make river system.
All the surface that is drained by
river and its tributaries is called its
basin.