The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1938-04-28


MIR. EDITOR: BEING A STRANGER
to the many candidates, would like to
know what party they belong to. do
believe in parties. 1 believe better for
all to have more than party. If the
candidates have no party let us know. 1
don't think that has no belief in
the way our country should be run does
not know enough to hold office. Come out
and tell us where you stand.
A Voter and Taxpayer.
Ordinarily anonymous letters received
around newspaper offices are promptly filed
in the waste basket, the attitude being that
the opinion of anyone lacking courage to
sign his name to it, is of doubtful value. 1t
might be argued that this letter is partic-
ularly deserving of such treatment since the
last line aims at sounding out the editor on
purely personal matter while the letter
writer expressed comparatively impersonal
opinion and then avoided revealing his iden-
tity.
Nevertheless it raises an interesting
point and since two gaping columns loom
before us, may be given more consideration
than it deserves. First on the candidates:
There is no party designation for county Of
fees, including legislators. We pick the
sheriff, for instance, on the basis of quail
fcations, friendship or personal preference
deputy sheriff appointments and offhand we
can't tell you the politics of single one of
the men running.
Furthermore if we said one of the men
was a Republican, you would still be in
doubt as to whether he was younger Re-
publican, identified himself with the old
guard or simply voted the COP ticket be-
cause father did. If he carried the Farmer
Labor label to the best of our knowledge and
belief, that would be dim light on the SUBJ
ject until we said whether he was Benson
FL, Petersen FL or got his orders straight
from Moscow. To get Democrats pedigree
beyond the immediate parentage, a sorely
tried reporter might follow the candidate
around to determine which of the 81 var
ieties of jumpers and sub-rumpers he as
sociated with and end up by finding him to
be like the itinerant postmaster who took
in everything of the genus Democratus just
as job insurance.
Time was when free coinage of silver
and the protective tariff were the great
abyss between the parties and whichever
side you were on, you stomached whomever
and whatever your party nominated. To-
day you can be Democrat and have OPP
posed the spending program, re-organiza-
ton and the supreme court bill or you can
be Republican and have favored them.
Even among so-called leftists, there are
classifcations galore: middle-roader, liberal,
pink, radical, socialist, red, scarlet, COM
munist and the segregation doesn't end
there. What about Trotskyites and Stain
ties dead or Alive in Russia).
Except where machine bosses still hold
sway, and their ranks are diminishing, par
ty lines aren't what they used to be. If it is
because more persons are thinking for them
selves, which we hope is the case, much
should be gained by it.
Newspapers once were Democrat or
Republican and everyone was unhOly who
didn't agree with the editor Today the
news columns of the vast majority of papers
are impartial, printing the speeches of
friend and foe with equal prominence. Only
in the editorial columns do the editors re-
serve the right to blast away and the num-
Der of editors who affiliate with no one
group but reserve the right to applaud or
kick at whomever they believe to be on the
right or wrong track at the moment is grow
ing. The Gazette editor has definite opin-
ions on ''the way our country should be rum
and supports whoever shows signs of want
ing to run it that way
PAUL MALLON,. INFORMED WASH
ington commentator, stated in Mondays
column that Postmaster General Farley was
given S70,000,000 for new postoffces last
August of which $59,981, 300 has been al
located for 388 structures. Bids have been
accepted on but three and only two have
been completed. "In other words only two
drops went down the pump 10 months after
congress appropriated the money" Mallon
comments.
!. Redwood Falls persons who have been
corresponding frequently with Washington
concerning the need for a new postoffice
here will be surprised to know that there is
a balance not allotted. The replies, all hold
ing out dim hope for the future but disap-
pointing as to immediate prospects accord
ing to the standard form of the certain as
sistant answering, assure us that consider
alton will be given when funds are avail
able"
Meanwhile smaller cities with better
buildings are getting new federal buildings
and additions to present buildings, even in
our own district. Some of the towns so fav-
ored have even been surprised at the an
nouncement Of plans for new building,
practically nothing having been done local
ly by way of promotion. Considering these
facts, the suspicion arises that we may be
on the blacklist of someone who must okay