The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1938-10-20
IF GOVERNOR BENSON is DE-

IeaCeQ tnlS 1allVand StaSSen support QOeS
not appear to be diminishing as November
8 approaches-it will be by a protest vote
of citizens who are dissatisfied, not with
Farmer-Labor or liberal principles but with
the party's leadership.
No particular principle of the admins
tration can be pointed to as prompting at
tacks of the opposition. Instead the Repub-
licanS in their platform are definitely inclin-
ed to accept the social legislation so far en-
acted by the administration. While the
stand-patters are on the Stassen band
wagon-lacking no other place to ride-it
is generally doubted that the frankly con-
sentative leaders will get more than an au-
dience from the new administration, if the
new COP leader is inaugurated next JAN
uary.
The Hjalmar Petersen episode of the
primary was largely an attack on the party
machine, violent objection to high-handed
methods copied from earlier machines and
enlarged along modern day mass production
lines.
That attack might have subsidized. The
breach might have been healed and the ad-
miniStratiOn been preserved had a more
adroit political general been in the drivers
seat Obviously Governor Olson would new
e. have got in such position, but had he
been so embarrassed he would still have
recognized the road out and steered brave
but wise course.
From an attack on the machine the
scenes have shifted and today Governor
Benson more than seemed possible a few
weeks back bears the brunt of the attack
If the Stassen bud blossoms at election time
it will be the governor himself-not the ma
chine or the party which has watered the
roots and provided the warm sunshine
Here only six weeks ago, Benson gave
evidence that his campaign was off on the
wrong foot There was little attempt then,
even in talk to small crowd generally
friendly, to heal the primary campaign
wounds or bolster the party's standing with
enthusiastic recital of it's accomplishments.
And there was much along that line which
could have been said to advantage.
Instead his listeners ears caught the
bltterest of campaign denunciations. The
governor declared of his pride in his enc
mics. He singled out individuals of the SEN
ate for attack and went from enc to another
OF his pet gripes, questioning not their thor
oughness Of thought or condemning their
failure to keep pace with modern life-but
accusing them of corrupt and dishonest in
tentions One got the very definite impress
sion that all who disagree with him are not
mistaken or misguided but immoral in his
eyes.
Here again few weeks later to address
Farmer-Labor picnic crowd, largely
friendly, there was still no effort to arouse
pride In party accomplishments, no spark to
light the enthusiastic response usually
seen at such meetings. Instead only more
accusations against persons not present to
defend themselves. The party's one great
; leader would have had the crowd begging
for campaign literature that it might 90 out
and preach the rightness of the party's
.xcause.
Intolerance gets one quickly into trou-
BILE, particularly political intolerance, and
the Red Lake Falls episode of last week is
proof of the statement. Even a minister
could not ask the governor simple ques-
ton without being treated as a common
-heckler. Your father would be ashamed of
you" he told the daughter of the late Char
les A. Llndbergh, a founder of the FL
movement.
Such incidents do not build a campaign
following. They do not attract to a candi-
date those of us who ignore party lines and
vote for the man rather than the party.
And it is we who decide elections They
are only headache to campaign managers.
Not the governors tractable opponent,
not the communist issue, ignored by the
governor when he could have made short
work OF it; not the building scandal which
might have been disposed of more reassur-
ingly; not the newspapers whom he so loud
ly ISLANDERS, not all his foes or the issues
they stress will beat the governor, after one
term to which he was elected overwhelming
ly. If it's done, he'll do it himself.
SINCE THE HIGHWAY ASSOCIA
tion method seems to be the best wav to
get something done on pet road project,
why not Hill Road association with Red
wood Falls and North Redwood as men,
bers?
SOME PEOPLE LIKE THE COURT
house better with two less cupolas Some
preferred the extra gingerbread So far,
however, no candidate for county office has
withdrawn claiming the building isn't de-
sirable office site since its haircut
- .
ANY OTHER SEASON IF A STRANGE