Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-09-17
Government Issues
BY Hjalmar Petersen.
The Primary And
The Ballot

AS usual the Farmer-Labor party
did not have big primary vote this
year, which has little if any bearing
on the general election. When the
party had its first state victory, and
Floyd B. Olson was nominated and
elected governor in 1880, the Farmer
Labor primary vote was far below
that of the Republican primary vote.
The same was true of the primary
elections in 1882 and 1886, when the
FL. party won in the fall elections.
The only time in the last twelve
years that the FL. primary vote
was substantially higher than the
Republican vote was in 1888 when
there was total of 424 900 votes cast
in the FL. primary. In the general
election of that year, the party suf-
fered its worst defeat History gen.
orally shows success for the FL.
party when it has had the smallest
primary votes.
The sharpest fights and the most
contests this year were within the
Republican primary. Republican
candidates did by far the most cam
paigning, the most radio speaking,
and got the publicity in the Twin
City daily newspapers. They sup
ported suspicious headquarters, and
many of them, and their supply of
literature appeared to be unlimited
in amount and distribution. There
were some Republican candidates,
however, who got far more news
coverage and propaganda than other
Republican candidates.
The Minneapolis Star Journal is
so prejudiced in favor of politicians
like Stassen who play ball with them
and their crowd, that their writers
do not give favorable comment to
opposing candidates without usually
in the same article, including some
unfavorable jibe.
The Minneapolis dailies talk about
harmonious solid front on the part
of the Republican candidates for the
fall campaign. There is not so much
harmony amongst the voters, and
after all the voters elect the candi-
dates. Two years ago Mr.. Stassen
received about 80 per cent of the vote
in the Republican primaries for gov
ernor. This year he received but
slightly over half of the Republican
vote.
The daily press now brags about
Minneapolis having cast a so per
cent vote in the primary. What
about the other half of the voters?
Why are they adamant, when the
ballot is one of our most precious
instruments in democracy? Is it
because they have been fooled so
much by promising politicians and
the daily press back of them? Isn't
it lack of integrity in public officials
that makes some voters give up?
Are we going to submit and bow to
wealth, and the unwholesome prac-
tice of promises of political jobs and
other favors?
Why should there be only a so
per cent vote with big daily news
papers, weekly newspapers, public
officials, and organizations pleading
to get out the vote and for all citi-
Zens to exercise their franchise?
We are at war protecting, uphold
ing and saving democracy, the very
right of every citizen to have part
in government through the use of the
ballot. And yet so per cent vote
or less! There are reasons.
Full, free and fair discussion of
the issues, based on individual re-
sponsibility and sincere devotion to
the ideal of service to the people,
should be the foundation for unity of
action in the interest of the people
To this the voters will respond and
bring about liberal victory in the
November election.