Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-06-02
State Capitol News
BY A. I. HARRIS

By A. !. HARRIS
State Treasurer Carl A. Halverson
gave some figures on the state debt
last week which are rather illumin-
ating. You can be sure that Ray p.
Chase will not use them in his news
paper releases.
Here are some of them:
Outstanding state indebtedness as
of January /, 1891, when the late
Floyd B. Olson assumed office-$88,-
04,312.
Outstanding state indebtedness as
of May l, 1938-$133,614,853
Difference, $45,210,540.
Note this: The Republican debt
load of $88, 404,312 was acquired vir-
tually within a 10-year period.
In approximately the same period,
under Farmer-Labor administration,
at a time of great economic crisis
{and not even Mr.. Chase will blame
the depression upon the Farmer
Labor movement of Minnesota) the
increase in the debt load was prac-
tically half that which it was under
Republican administration.
But the story does not end here.
Of the $45,210,540 increase in the
state debt load, was issuance of
100000 of highway bonds, $20,-
O0O, 900 of which were incurred by the
1881 legislature, with both houses
solidly in Republican control.
How did the relief load affect the
state debt? To the tune of $21 200, 900.
What reactionary will say that the
state should have shirked this obliga-
ion and responsibility to its unfor-
tunate citizens.
And still the Republicans shout
-'Farmer-Labor spending" The moral
which can be drawn from the above
figures is that the spendthrift is al
ways the first to accuse the other
fellow of spending.
The several thousand persons who
gathered recently in ST. PaulS NUM-
cipal auditorium to attend the dedi-
cation of plaque to Floyd Olson's
memory had occasion to observe the
figure of their late Governor falling
into the focus of history.
Speakers remembered how Olson
led the way with his program for a
moratorium on farm mortgage fore
closures, his plan for student aid
and youth program, and his policy
of employing the machinery of gov
eminent to protect the civil rights
of workers against INSCRIPTIONS as
Sault.
These measures are rapidly becom-
ing recognized as essential parts of the
program of enlightened government
The present national government is
dominated by such ideas. The more
firmly they become established, the
more certainly the figure of the late
Floyd Olson becomes established in
our history as social pioneer, who
led the way toward human better
ment by making fresh applications
under the terms of modern life, OF
the age-old doctrine of equal rights
for ALL
It now becomes plain that this is
his place in history, and that it is
secure.
Liberals, and all persons inter-
ested in education, will be pleased to
note the Governors appointment OF
three of Minnesota's outstanding edu-
Gators to investigate the truth OF
charges of political meddling in the
state Department of Education. They
will also be pleased with the Cover
nor's dignifed, Straightforward COM
munication announcing the appoint
ment.
Liberals know, as matter of fact,
that interference with freedom OF
education comes not from liberals.
Their movement aims to liberate
men from the shackles and artificial
weights surrounding their bodies and
their minds. Liberals are, therefore
in the nature of the case, devoted
to the ideal of freedom to study and
know, to think and discuss, to reason
and debate, to preach and teach.
"Ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make we Free" is inscribed
over the heart of every true liberal.
The persons who are really trying
to put politics into the schools and
into education are the cheap politi-
clans themselves who are busily en-
gagged in shouting charges of politics
in the State Department of Education
Solve the social problem to save
youth, Thomas Minehan, director OF
the Minnesota youth survey and au-
thor of "Boy and Girl Tramps," said