Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-01-30
Petersen Blasts
Sletvold Report
Suggests That Legislative
Investigating Committee
Cover Whole Field.

Suggesting to the legislative
investigating committee that it do
little investigating on its own
side of the political fence, HAL
mar Peterse n, Farmer-Labor
nominee for governor in 1910, hit
back at the committees report
issued earlier in the week, in a
letter Friday to Senator A. 0.
Sletvold of Detroit Lakes, COM
mittee chairman.
Petersen charged that while
the report did bring out much
information of interest to the
public in general and the legis-
lature, there also appeared to be
desire on the part of the COM
mittee to Smear the political
opposition.
Petersen's letter follows:
The report of your Legislative In
vestigating committee brings out
much information, that should be
known to the Legislature and the
general public, such as the over-pay-
ment on road contracts, Justification
of public records, and abuse of politi-
cal spoils. But it is evident that there
is desire to smear your political OPP
position, the Farmer-Labor party, and
shield the present state administra-
ton.
Who was it that made the fight
against unwholesome practices with
in the Farmer-Labor party, including
the abuse of spoils, and strongly ad-
vocated adoption of the merit sys-
tenn in civil service? That fight went
on for several years, eliminating in
the primary election of 1888.
Your report refers to the desire
for honest and sincere public officials,
but are your committee members
willing to make the same fight for
honesty and sincerity within your
political party that I made in my
party?
It might also be added here that
my campaigns for political office have
been made without the abuse of
spoils, promises of jobs, investigating
committees at public expense, and
without huge campaign funds.
1 have been a taxpayer in Mime
sofa since old enough to vote. Since
1 became member of the Legislature
in 1881, and subsequently have held
other elective positions, have not
solicited or received one penny's
worth of state job printing for my
plant. And I have no relatives on
the state payroll.
Since becoming Railroad and Ware
house commissioner, four years ago,
/ have been in Washington, D. c., on
to practice economy through cores
pondence with federal departments
rather than running up travelling ex-
penses. State employees have some
times criticized my low expense &C
counts, because their expenses doomed
up higher in comparison. I don't
have my clothes pressed at state ex-
pense, nor do I eat $3.50 breakfasts
which must include expensive cock
tails, and $3.50 dinners at state ex-
pense, as has been known to happen.
If the investigating committee or
any other state agency can show
that have caused any unjustified ex-
pense to the State of Minnesota, as
might be inferred from news releases
on your report, / stand willing and
prepared to reimburse the state. I
will also be glad to have my expense
accounts compared with those of
former commissioners of your politi-
cal hue.
If your committee members are as
concerned about the public welfare,
as they are about political advantage,
then your investigators should have
looked into the distribution of the
Anoka tornado funds, and practices
in several departments of state.
Some of your many investigators,
or "snoopers" as Senator Carley chose
to call them, might well have devoted
some time to the Anoka scandal,
while spending the $4,000. One
of those, Ray Chase, was going to
write pamphlet on the Anoka scam
dial, but thus far it has not appeared.
A whole book can now be written
about that rotten mess, including the
attempt to railroad sane person to
the insane asylum in an effort to
blame him and cover up misdeeds of
the state administration.
When lightweight like Ray Milne,
who owes the State of Minnesota
$4,000 in gasoline taxes, is chosen
by the governor to supervise affairs
in connection with distribution of the
tornado fund, one might expect graft
and corruption.
Under proper supervision, these boys