Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-10-01
Government Issues
By Hjalmar Petersen.
We Do Not Get Anything
For Nothing

FOR NOtnlnS
We are now in a political cam
paign that is of great importance
to every man, woman and child in
Minnesota.
Candidates for high office who sub
NIT to the wishes and dictates of
big campaign contributors have no
trouble in securing ample funds to
advertise themselves. But it is not
so easy for candidates who have the
public welfare at heart and whose
votes and actions cannot be bought
The peoples candidates naturally
must rely on much volunteer work
on the part of citizens who are alert
and deeply interested in the program
for which their candidates stand
Such volunteer work as talking to
friends and neighbors, writing and
telephoning, all is effective and nee
esSary
Volunteer workers, however, must
also have literature to distribute and
that is bound to incur expense. For
instance, the keynote address of a
candidate for governor may be heard
by thousands of citizens over the
radio. But that is not enough. Not
all voters hear it, and even those
who do cannot remember all the
important points contained in half
hour talk, especially any figures
quoted
Therefore, the address must also
be printed. The cost of printing
several hundred thousand copies and
the cost of envelopes, addressing and
postage will run up to several thou
sand dollars.
In addition to the keynote address,
there are other expenses such as
cards, folders, postage, telephone, etc
A peoples candidate does not need
a campaign fund of a hundred thou
sand dollars and on up to million
But enough money to make the
issues known is necessary, and it is
important that the public be con-
versant with this phase of any polit-
ical campaign.
We do not get anything for moth
ing. If we let the big campaign
contributors run the show we may
have candidates who talk progressive
but certainly they perform other
wise. With big contributors it is
an investment. They do not con-
tribute $4,000, $4,000 or more tc
the campaign of their candidate be-
cause they like him personally, but
because they know they can handle
him and he is so ambitious person
ally that he bows to their dictates
The taxpayer pays in the end and
pays a high price for the resultant
government. AS soon as the candi-
dates popularity as a vote gettel
is gone the wealthy drop him like
a hot potato for some other stooge
Here in Minnesota we have such
a spectacle. The present governor
talks like a progressive, but what
did the people get-36 per cent in
terest legalized, homestead liens
lower iron ore tax collections wher
production of ore went up, camou.
flage in civil service, secret settle
ment of big income taxes that can.
not be reviewed in court, big COL
lections of gas taxes and motor vehi-
Gle license fees for road purpose:
with little highway construction the
past four years and inadequate up.
keep of the highways. In addition
to that and many other items, the
governor has taken it upon himself
to name his successor. While talk.
ing against dictators he would like
to be the political car of Mime.
sofa. Will the people permit thi
to happen?
Yes, it is up to the people as Il
what kind of government we ar,
to have If we sit back and lie
the big contributors do our choosin,
and submit to the big city dailie
doing the propagandizing for thei
candidates we will have government
for the special interests. If we wan
government for the people the peopl
must be active and alert.
A peoples candidate for governo
does not need campaign fund o
100000 to a million but common
sense tells us that he needs enough
money for printing and radio ad
dresses to make the issues know
to the more than 100000 voters il
the state.
The many small contributions o