Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1938-06-09

It was quite obvious some months
ago that the Republicans, taking adj
vantage of the nationwide business
recession, were going to try to de-
feat Elmer A. Benson for reelection
by soaring the people into believing
that industry was leaving the state
in order to escape "Farmer-Labor
taxes"
This campaign received jolt early
in January when Mac Martin, an
advertising counsellor, in public adj
vertisements in the papers, disclosed
that Minneapolis, during the year
1887, obtained 80 new factories and
lost only one.
A few firms did decide to move,
and the dailies played up front page
stories to the effect that Farmer
Labor taxes" were driving them out.
But when these stories were run
down, the answer was the same as
the one given by Tropic-Aire, which
moved its plant to Illinois. "We are
compelled to move for one reason
and one reason only-to get away
from discriminatory freight rates."
the plant manager said. Surely, if
anybody is responsible for discrim-
inatory freight rates, it is the Re-
publicans and not the Farmer-Labor-
ties.
A few other things happened that
made it difficult to put over the
scare campaign. The big Twin City
dailies were compelled to publish
the results of a business survey
which showed that Minnesota is the
bright spot on the business map for
1885," and that family incomes here
were As percent greater than the aver
age for the United States"
Albert L. Deane, vice president
of General Motors, dropped into the
Twin Cities with the message that
from a business conditions point
of view, the Northwest is the garden
spot of the entire country" The new
president of Powers Mercantile Co.,
Minneapolis, declared, "This city ap-
pears to be in much better position
than many cities in the country"
Two events of the past week have
completely dissolved the myth of the
industries leaving Minnesota" scare
campaign.
Event No. 1. Forbes Magazine,
looked upon almost as a Bible by
its staff, lists Minneapolis as among
the ten leading cities in the country
for recent business improvement, and
that, together with its trade territory,
comprise the best section of the
United States for concentrating sales
activities for collections and for pro-
noting other business operations"
Event No. 2. Business Week, an
other magazine which circulates
among business men, reports Mime
sofa is in the best shape of the first
five states in the Union, the rating
made on the basis of eight classes
of business on percentage of gain
and loss from the first quarter of 1887
to the first quarter of 1888.
Being very patriotic" Minnesotans,
these "scare campaigners" can now
be expected to get up real booster
theme with plenty of zip in it, en-
titled: "Farmer-Labor Taxes Make
The agricultural recession deep
ened during April, income being fully
Is percent less than during the same
period for year ago. The depart
ment of agriculture reported total
income of $459, 900, 900 for the month,
compared with $646,000,000 in 1887.
Economists expected income to
hold at a level about 10 to Is per-
cent under last year.
Reactionaries busted off an old and
shopworn trick last week when they
started another organization which
they hope will set farmer and work.
er against each other-after which,
of course, robbing them would be
simpler.
This time it is called Associated
Farmers of Minnesota" and was
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