Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-08-25
State Capitol News
BY A. I. HARRIS

BY A. I. HARRIS
Pointing out that Minnesota is
leading the procession in the general
upward movement of trade, Cover
nor Benson asked the younger bust
nessmen of Minnesota last week to
address themselves to the Number l
problem before the nation today
the maladjustment between the con-
Stunning power and the buying power
of the people. The message was read
before the annual meeting of the
Minnesota Junior Chamber of Com
merce held at Hibbing.
"The heart of the unemployment
problem" Governor Benson said,
'seems to lie in the continuous NAL
adjustment between the buying power
and producing power of our citizens.
This maladjustment arises from the
fact that our thirty-siX thousand
wealthiest families receive annually
as much income as do our eleven
million poorest families. AS result,
the smaller group has the buying
power but not the mass consuming
power, while the larger group has the
consuming power but not the buying
power.
Here is the problem of business,
of labor-of the nation. If it were
solved, most of our labor conflicts
would disappear
81 pray that all of our people, bust
nessmen, workmen, farmers and pro-
fessional groups, may address them
selves to this main problem of the
age, with malice toward none and
seeking justice for all and yet with
an unalterable determination that
any solution we accept shall be in
the interests of the great majority of
our people,
With Republican criticism of VOL
unteer contributions on the part of
educational fund Qess than Is per-
cent of state employees contribute to
this fund.-, it is interesting to re-
call the Carley investigation of 1923
of certain alleged practices and ex
penditures of political parties"
One of the charges that Senator
Carley made was that state employees
at that time were forced to contribute
to the party campaign fund. Mind
you, not the Farmer-Labor party, but
the Republican party! And the four
Republican members of the Senate
investigating ommittee-Senators A.
J. Rockne, c. H. Mckenzie, Allen j.
Furlow and c. Rosenmeier-justifie
these campaign contributions in the
following language:
can examination of the reports
of the receipts of campaign funds
from state employees show that such
contributions were made on some
uniform basis. The committee feels,
however, that appointees, the con-
tinuation of whose jobs depends upon
the reelection of their chief, are sim
ply spending money in the interest
of continuing their own employment
in making campaign contributions
and if such contributions are volun-
tary. for that purpose and are not
the result of assessment or coercion,
there is nothing improper about max
ing them"
Of course, now that state employees
voluntarily contribute to the Farmer
Labor educational fund, that makes a
different situation.
Simple ceremonies at the grave of
the late Governor Floyd B. Olson
at Lakewood cemetery, Minneapolis,
were to be held on Friday of this
week on the occasion of the second
anniversary of his death. Governor
Benson was to lay wreath on the
grave.
Last Sunday Governor Benson pro-
claimed Olson Memorial day. In the
proclamation the Governor pointed
out that ''by most tragic coincidence,
this Olson anniversary also falls in
a period when the threat of another
world war is more intense than at
any time since August, 1914. It
would therefore be highly fitting if
the Olson memorial services this
year were used as an occasion to re-
affirm our opposition to American
participation in another imperialistic
war, and to voice our reputation of
war as cure for depression"
THAT" Governor Benson said in
his proclamation, would be living
remembrance of the late Floyd B.
Olson, who was never afraid of fight
ing and who loved the common SOL
dier and fought for the veterans
rights, and who was unalterably OPP
posed to solving the worlds eco