The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-04-13
A TERM OR TWO IN PUBLIC OFFICE
a liberal education, even an outsider can

A TERM OR TWO In PUBLlC OFFIC
is a liberal education, even an outsider can
see that.
During the campaign we listen to assur-
ing promises from candidates, most OF which
deal with economy and public benefit. One
candidate during the recent legislative race
was sure a SO per cent reduction in state
employees and expenditures could be made
with ease.
Then comes the awakening The sue
cessful candidate, whether he be governor
or senator or representative, suddenly dis
covers that savings are popular only with
the people they do not affect. The slightest
trim of an appropriation brings an avalanche
of criticism. Really slashing into budget
requirement has the whole state on the OF
tenders neck.
Since the office holder is of necessity a
politician, the slightest tremor out among
the voters is noted with interest. Budgets
may temporarily be lower than the previous
a few hundred thousand, if not millions,
more when the final appropriation bill is
passed and signed.
The current legislative session is no eX-
ception. Boldly economical, backing up an
equally frugal governor, the solons gave
every indication that the eXtravagances
many of them had complained about in get
ting elected would be cured. Today indica-
lions are the state university will get more,
the state school fund more, the highway de-
partment approximately as much, relief as
much or more and so on through the list.
The savings were possible, just as most
families could live on less if they had to-
but they weren't made because it wasn't
popular to make them. Most of us didn't
care to see them made if they affected us.
THE GOOD WORK MAY BE UNDoNE
before the session ends but the decision
reached by the house of representatives to
ployment compensation assessments rather
than provide for outright exemption of small
employers is wise one.
Any figure the solons might have set as
the minimum would have been an arbitrary
one It would have eliminated from unem-
ployment protection thousands of persons,
many of whom are in low income classified
tons and would have been unfair to competi-
tors hiring more than the minimum
A merit system properly set up would
furnish incentive for providing permanent
employment wherever possible and might
concevably cost the unemployment fund but
little, since expenditures would fluctuate
somewhat in proportion to income.
WE CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF US
understand how anybody can believe that
there is danger of a war that would involve
this country. What country would try to
take over this one, knowing that there is
40 billion dollar mortgage on it.-Minneota
Mascot.
THERE'S SOMETHING FUNDA-
mentally wrong with the leadership of the
Minnesota house of representatives when it
would spend Ii weeks doing nothing and
then approve reorganization bill that I'M
does half century's progress in the short
space of a day.-St. Paul Union Advocate.
UNLESS EXPERIENCED LEGISLA-
tors use eternal vigilance, the usual batch of
''woodchuck" measures designed to give
state funds to clever individuals or corpora
lions, will slip through and become laws in
the closing days.-Waseca Herald.
WE TALK OF REORGANIZATION
That will accomplish little. Any govern
ment that does good job depends upon its
personnel, rather than the laws under which
it operates.-Grand Rapids Herald.