Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-03-06
cational and as a movement to
further beneficial legislation for
the people, became another Tam
many hall patronage machine.

1urther benenclal legislation Tor
the people, became another Tam
many hall patronage machine.
With honest and outstanding
leadership the Farmer-Labor
party could have continued to be
a force for good. A third po-
litical party must be better than
the two old parties it hopes to
supplant, if such new party is
to continue. If the third party
is no better than the others, it
has no cause for existence.
If the Farmer-Labor associa-
ton was something separate and
apart from the party, there need
not be much concern by Farmer
Labor voters over what is done
by the association, but the as
ISOLATION is not divorced from
the party.
For instance, in the February
issue of the Minnesota Leader it
was stated, on the front page,
that the Farmer-Labor party is
inextricably bound up with the
Farmer-Labor association, an d
on the back page of the same
issue, one of the leading left
wing spokesman states that the
Farmer-Labor association is a
separate and distinct institution
from the Farmer-Labor party.
When the party has permitted
the association to select its cam
didates and dominate its affairs,
it can hardly be said that the
association is something separate
and distinct from the party.
The association has conducted
state conventions to en- d ors e
candidates, adopt platforms and
resolutions, and has been up to
its ears in political patronage.
Therefore when the Farmer-La-
Dor association, at its recent state
convention, defies the electorate
by choosing as officers, individu-
ais who represent the very group
that was defeated overwhelm-
ingly by Minnesota voters in
1888, it does become a concern
of the Farmer-Labor party and
those who for the past twenty
years have voted that ticket.
No one would expect that all
of the several hundred dele
gates at any political conven-
ton, would know what it is all
about, be all-wise and able speak
ers. There would naturally be
some delegates who are not so
we'll informed as others, who
have not had the opportunity to
learn all about the movement or
the political party, who have
not had as much opportunity as
others to become informed on
economic questions, and who are
not familiar with all the inside
Vaccinations. No one is expert
in everything, and all can learn
from one another. With citi-
zens willing to learn and willing
to cooperate, it is we'll that there
be gatherings of the rank and
file.
However, in the final analysis,
when decisions are made, when
resolutions are adopted and Of
ficers elected, it is to be expected
that the majority action be con-
sistent and of fairly good judy
ment. It is unfortunate that the
inexperienced, those who attend
few meetings as compared with
the shouters that have the floor
most of the time, are sometimes
swayed by the parliamentary
wise-acres and ranters.
If some of those individuals,
who care little or nothing about
the desires of the people, were
truly radicals, as they are often
called, they would command
more attention and respect; but,
because a person can shout, rant,
make lot of noise, speak in and
out of turn, and be inconsistent,
is certainly no reason for call
ing him a radical. A radical is
usually a person with brains and
ability, a person who wants to
get at the root of the evil. Radi-
Gals may not always be practical,
but a shouter and a ranter should
not be honored by being called
a radical.
The Farmer-Labor movement
came into existence as a protest
against reaction and misrule and
to make better the lot of the
less fortunate. Most of those who
voted for Farmer-Labor candi-
dates had formerly voted the Re-
publican or Democratic tickets.
Thew were interested in good