Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-06-27

mlttee which has the authority TO
elect members of the state central
committee. (See Sections and Z of
Article of our conStitution).
Has the governor changed his posi-
inc the record. Immediately following
the adoption of the constitution he
insisted on naming the state chair
man. Many of us deferred to his
suggestions and insistence and the
then chairman, for the sake of har-
mony, yielded. What is the COVER
nor's attitude now? For many months
the governor has been attending Re-
publican meetings in various parts
of the state and has made it known
that he wants to name the state chair
man. Not only does he want to do
the naming but he insists that the
Republicans have no choice in the
matter. Are we not competent to
nome our party officers? Are we
willing to permit the governor to
disregard the provisions of the con-
stitution and turn over to him the
power to dictate the actions of our
members? If the governor was sim
cere in his argument for the adoption
of the constitution and his many cam
paign speeches for our revitaliZed
party hereunder, he cannot now be
sincere when he refuses to permit the
organization to administer its own
affairs and to elect its officers without
any dictation from the governor.
Some may make the claim that
by calling attention to these facts
1 am attempting to wreck the
Republican party. That is not
my purpose. 1 am attempting to
salvage something out of the
wreckage. The Republicans had
very little, if anything, to do with
the wrecking of the party. In
order that we may keep the rec
ord straight, let us again examine
the facts.
The Republican ship had weathered
many hurricane campaigns before the
last one. She had been tossed upon
stormy political seas but was still
sea worthy. However, the captain
of the ship had prior to the campaign
of 1888 steered her straight on her
course and after the battle, whether
victorious or beaten, brought her safe
ly back to port. What happened in
the last campaign when our Repub-
lican ship was captained by our pres
ent governor? Throughout the en-
tire campaign her decks were awash,
and the all party ship rode high upon
the political seas. After the election
was over the governor completely
| scuttled the Republican ship and he
and his deck crew, GOlling, Rada-
baugh, Purcell, Haskins, Coffee. Slet-
ten and Lindley were taken in the
| life boat to shore, while the rest of
us had to jump to save our lives,
and without even life preservers, sink
or swim. We swan. We have reached
shore. We propose to take control
of our again buoyant ship and select
such men and women that we can
safely rely upon and trust. We pro-
pose to charter our own course and to
be the masters of our own destiny.
Can we trust our affairs in the hands
of our governor who scuttled our
ship-who compromised with the
enemy-who was willing to accept a
dishonorable political victory?
A Personal Political Machine.
If further evidence is necessary of
the wrecking of our party let us
further examine the record. Let us
stick to the facts. Following the last
election there was set up in the Hotel
st. Paul a job dispensing agency
Did you Republicans have any voice
in this set-up? Again 1 say let's be
fair. Democratic Congressman Elmer
Ryan was in close touch with the
rooms in the hotel where thousands
and women who in good faith were
led to believe that they had a chance
to secure state job. The governor
then knew that he would not place
more than five or six thousand on
the state payroll. Yet they accepted
more than twenty thousand applica-
tons. Do these facts demonstrate
SlIlCeIlty Again WHO'LL OlO he place
in charge of receiving applications
for state jobs as the chief job dis
penser? None other than Joe O'Con-
ner, one of Elmer Ryans Democratic
henchmen. Can it be successfully
argued by the governor that placing
Democrat at the head of the Repub-
lican administration to handle patron
age, promotes harmony and confd-
ence amongst the Republicans? Was
the governor by this arrangement
building Republican, a Ryan or a
personal political machine? Many of
us are still waiting for an answer.
If further proof is needed of the
wrecking of our party let us turn
again to the record and examine the
facts. During the last campaign the
governor refused to support openly
all of the duly nominated Republic
can candidates. In fact he repudiated
the statements made by Radabaugh to
the effect that the governor had stated
to him (Radabaugh) that he would
come ont for tha entire Rep,lhIioan