The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1938-01-20
LATE IN a POLITICAL CAMPAIGN


when the thinking voters have pretty well
made up their minds anyway, it is perhaps
taking unfair advantage to check-up too
closely on the ill-founded logic by which the
political writer's and speakers try to bring
in the others but this early in the battle the
politicians must expect to have their state
mentS crOSS-eXamined.
We therefore, take issue with the Capt.
tai News Review paragraph written by A.
(for Abe) l. Harris, one of the mouthpieces
of the FL party, in which he says: Gov
ernor Benson has incurred the bitter hatred
and enmity of every reactionary of the state,
a fact that itself is sufficient to endear him
with the rank and flea guarantee, so to
speak, that he must be right"
At best this is very loose thinking 1t
is might makes right attitude, contrary to
democratic principles of government. Mr..
Harris isn't concerned about it, but we con-
tend that the "bitter hatred" of which he
boasts is danger signal to party leaders.
One only needs to recall the leadership
of Governor Olson to satisfy himself that
the Harris theory is wrong. Olson was
thoroughly progressive, Harris himself would
not dispute that, yet he realized that the
state cannot be remade overnight. He re-
cogniZed that his job as leader was to main
tain middle course between those who
would attempt it and those who by nature,
conviction or because of personal interests,
held back.
Olson appreciated that the farmer divi-
sion of his party, when getting anything
like fair deal, is fundamentally conserva-
tive. Like the business man, the farme4
knows that radical changes may affect hin
adversely. Independent by nature and in
an occupation that requires thinking power
far beyond that necessary to be an assembly
line worker, for instance, he is seldom affect
ed by mob psychology.
The laboring man has quite opposite
environment and usually has little or no in
vestment at stake. He sees shorter hours
and higher wages as the goal of progress
sive government. 1t is not strange that he
is more often willing to risk his lot for i'm
mediate and revolutionary change which
may improve his status.
Governor Olson realized the minority has
a right to it's convictions and appreciated
that a militant minority may become ma
jOrity on short notice. In his efforts at pro-
gress, he patiently waited for time to test
the merit Of each step before attempting to
sell another innovation.
Mr.. Harris forgets that Governor Ben
son was 'sold" to the Minnesota voter as a
man of much the same calibre as Governor
Olson, who was responsible for his sudden
rise to prominence. His banking experience,
it was presumed, would make him slightly
more conservative than his original sponsor.
| If Mr.. Benson is bitterly hated as
Harris states, his foes may not be reaction
aries who voted for his opponent at the last
election but progressives who feel the gov
ernor leans entirely too strongly toward the
CIO, the Farmers Holiday group and the
avowed communists of the party whom
Governor Olson kept on the sidelines, all ex-
cept that once when their radical platform
gave him the toughest campaign of his
career.
Minnesota is progressive state but we
doubt if it can yet be classed as an entirely
radical one. 1t is on this assumption that
Hjalmer Petersen bases his hope that the
rank and file of the party may choose him
instead of Benson when the primary election
comes off next June.
!
/ COMPLAINTS THAT BIG BUSINESS
is on sit-down strike hit us as bit ridicu-
lous. The big shots know very we'll that
such a protest, like hunger STRIKE would
affect the striker first and most uncomfort-
ably.
IT'S PRIVILEGES LIKE THAT OF
knowing where your tax money is spent
that Spanish factions have been fighting
over these MANY months