Askov American., 1943-07-08
All For The Love OF Mike


is sometimes published.
But Mike may just as well omit
the phrase, (which was published
exclusively in the Star Journal" that
he uses now and then. The Cowles
not only own and publish the Star
Journal, but they own and control
the Morning Tribune, the Evening
Times, and the Sunday Tribune.
Anything published in any of those
newspapers can be nothing but eX-
elusive in the daily press of Mime
apolis, when the Cowles own the
whole works.
Right or wrong, the press is power
full. The Cowles are out to control
the politics of Minnesota and if the
people can be lulled to sleep or
bludgeoned to acquieSence it will be
done. But that will be a sad day
for Mike Halloran. Then there can
be no sensational stories on public
officials.
When the Star Journal rules
the roOst we will have only pub
lie officials with noble Christian
ideals, and the record breaking,
precedent making type, even
though these officials may be led
and directed through campaign
contributions of big business and
the underworld.
Between excessive wealth and the
underworld there is of course the
chance-not remote-that the COM
mon people get squeezed But 1t
should not be painful if we have
been chloroformed or lulled to sleep.
The big worry is that if the trend
keeps up and Mike keeps on piling
up victories for Star Journal candi-
dates he will soon work himself out
of a job. With only conservatives
in office the stories will be drab,
they will lack pep and punch.
AS has been said, competition is
the life of trade, and that being true,
there must likewise be competition
in political campaigns. This free
enterprise also necessitates newspaper
competition in the metropolis of the
state.
With only one thought or policy
dominating the situation we have the
writers calling it "good sportsman
ship" when a defeated candidate sub
mits to the; path of least resistance,
plays the game, and accepts we'll
paid appointive job at public expense.
An opposition or independent press
would call the deal by its right name
ia Sell-Out."
Then there are those betting
odds, if favorable, to be used
at the psychological moment SO
that band wagon climbers may
swell the vote for the right
candidate. The fact that gam
blers in this way sometimes swing
elections in democracy, where
the right to vote is all important
and a solemn duty of good citi-
zenship, matters not, SO long as
it puts over the candidates
guided always by the lOftiest
ideals and finest Christian ideO-
lOgy."
Nor is a prediction poll to be
overlooked in galloping to sure vic
tory. The fact that it may be as
much as Is per cent off in favor of
the right candidate does not bother
the conscience of the instigators or
perpetrators. A newspaper mon
opoly would not think of apologizing
after the election for having pub
lished an erroneous Gallup poll. The
more voters it fooled, the better.
The result is the objective.
The same method of fooling does
not need to be used in the next
campaign. There are many other
tricks in the bag and the people would
catch on if one method was over
used. With plenty of publicity things
can be put over.
Yes, Mike Halloran should take
note of things. Just like all of us,
iiC ID iiOI SC1tuiS youiiSCi. Ell iiiS
own safety and protection he should
welcome some daily newspaper COM
petition in the Mill City. Foregoing
competition in the evening newspaper
field, there should be morning daily,
independently owned and operated,
so as to, have at least that much
competition with divergence of opin-
ion freely expressed. Advertisers
would also appreciate that.
With all his ability and clever
ness as writer, (even on the
Star JOurnaD Mike can never
expect to go before the legisla-
ture due to age, incapacity,
length of tenure, great or small
emOluments, and receive a spe-
cial reward.
Therefore, Mike, look into these
suggestions. Beware of the strong
possibility of working yourself out
of job for lack of competition. The
rest of us will shuttle along some
hour porbopc oyoy ;f Iofb orox> o,,or