The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-11-14
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The Majority Rules
BY Harold Knutson

The Majority Rules
BY vote of 26 million to %
million the American people last
week decided that they wanted
President Roosevelt to stay on the
job for another four years. There
were a number Of factors that en-
tered into the making Of that deci-
sion. Many felt that it would be
safer to have Mr.. Roosevelt in the
White House during the present
emergency and were willing to
shatter the tradition against a
third term in order to retain his
services Labor voted for him
practically en- bloc because Of the
labor legislation that has been en-
acted during his two administra-
lions. Then, too, he went into the
campaign with 124 electoral votes
in the solid South where they yet
remember the Civil War and recon
struction days.
The people have spoken and 1t is
up to everyone to accept the YER
dict without reservations. Mr..
Roosevelt has a hard job ahead of
him and he Is going to need the
wholehearted cooperation of all the
people, and this he will have pro-
viding he too shows a disposition
to meet the opposition half way.
This believe he will do as he can
not be but deeply impressed by
the signal and unusual honor con-
ferred upon him on Tuesday Of last
week.
There are those who advocate
doing away with the two party sys-
tenn during the emergency, through
the creation Of a coalition govern
ment. I do not favor that at all.
A strong and alert minority party
is Just as essential to the proper
conduct Of our government as is a
set Of good brakes to an automo-
bile. The curse Of the world today
is that so many countries have
done away with the two party sys-
tenn. Once we remove all checks
on the party in power we invite
dictatorship.
7 have noticed quite few let
tiers In various newspapers be-
moaning the bitter attacks that
were made upon the candidates
during the campaign. To me that
was a good sign for it shows that
the people are taking an interest
in their government. 1t Is to be
expected that the zeal generated by
the campaign will bring out feat
ures that will be deplored in more
sober moments.
Take my own campaign for an
example. My opposition, knowing
that I was laid up in a hospital
in Washington, where I had under
gone an operation, spread the story
that I was afraid to come home.
I was pictured as very wealthy
MANN fact a millionaire. A mod
est cottage that put up at White
fish Lake last year was magnified
into a mansion that cost many,
many times the amount Of money
that was put into it. We cannot
be too thin skinned in politics. Any
man who can't take such punish
ment has no business being in poll
tics.
Would Raise Debt Limit
Last summer Congress raised the
statutory limitation on the size of
our national debt from $4,000 bill
lion dollars to $4,000 billion dollars.
No part Of the increase then auth
orized has been spent. Secretary
Of the Treasury Morgenthau now
proposes a program which would
further increase the national debt
limit to $4,000 billion dollars by
June 80, 1912. In addition he win
ask that all future issues of gov
eminent securities-federal, state
and local, be made subject to tax
alton.
The announcement by the Treas
ury Department brought quick and
favorable reaction in stock and
commodity prices, probably on the
theory that the program may lead
to initiation, something that econo-
mists have been fearing would fol-
low the governments spending pro-
gram. Initiation would do irrepar-
able harm to the country at large.
It would hit all classes with vary