Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-05-21


alterations. This raises an inter-
esting and important question.
The government of Minnesota, like
the government of the United States,
is separated into three co-equal de-
partments. The legislature is vested
by our constitution with the power
to make laws. The executive divis-
ion, of which the governor is the
head, is charged with the duty OF
executing and administering the
laws. The judicial branch, of which
the supreme court is the head, is
charged with the duty of constituting
and interpreting the laws.
Our constitution is very explicit.
Article 3 follows: "The powers of
government shall be divided into
three distinct OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tive, executive and judicial; and no
person or persons, belonging to or
constituting one of these depart
ments, shall exercise any of the
powers properly belonging to either
of the others, except in the instances
expressly provided in this consti-
tuition"
In other words, our constitution
says that the legislature and the leg
islature alone must make the laws.
We have legislature composed
of many persons. There are 81 SEN
ators and 131 representatives. Each
senator represents certain rela-
lively small geographical area, and
each member of the lower house gen.
orally represents smaller area.
These areas are small enough so
that the lawmakers know the in
terests and desires of the people in
their districts. 1t is these interests
and desires that the members of the
legislature carry with them when
they go to Saint Paul to attend the
sessions. In this way, every per-
son has a voice in the making of the
laws through the machinery of rep
resentative government.
This is an essential principle of
American democracy. 1t would be
contrary to our fundamental scheme
of things for any one man, be he
governor or private citizen, to have
the power to control the deliberations
of the legislature in the making of
our laws.
If we would maintain the Amer
lean system of government, if we
would maintain the system of gov
eminent set up by our constitution,
we must see to it that the legisla-
ture makes the laws, free from the
dominance and control of the gov
ernor; that the governor executes the
laws, free from the control of the
legislature, and that the courts OPP
crate independently, free from the
control of both.
Why does Mr.. Stassen say, that he
must be governor, during the four
months that the legislature is in
session?
True, the governor has specific
duties and powers in relation to the
legislature. Under the constitution
he is charged with the duty of COM
municating "by message to each ses-
sion of the legislature such Informal
ton touching the state and condi-
ton of the country as he may deem
expedient." Any advice which Mr.
Stassen wants to give the members
of the next legislature, could well
be embodied in his farewell address
in January, 1943.
The most important power of a
governor in connection with the leg
islature is that of veto. Our con-
stitution vests in the governor the
power to veto any bill passed by the
legislature, and it provides, that,
after the governor has vetoed bill,
it can become law only if it is passed
again by two-thirds vote Of each
house.
We may properly ask again why
Mr.. Stassen insists that he must be
governor for four months while the
legislature is in session. This is a
question which every Minnesota
voter has, not only the right, but
the duty, to ask.
It is now some weeks since Mr..
Stassen summoned press reporters
and photographers, and through them
and, the radio, submitted his pro-
posal of four months term. On
that day he must have had in mind
the reasons why he thought this was
necessary. He must have had in
mind certain laws which he wanted
the legislature to enact. He must
have had in mind certain laws which