Hero of Labor

May 1 is Labor Day in many places in the world. We were in Paris last year on May 1 and it was a national day of no labor. This is a concept we should seriously consider in this country.

In honor of Labor Day here is a Minnesota hero of labor. This is Floyd B. Olson, Governor of Minnesota from 1931-36. He was a progressive and an ally of Wisconsin's Robert LaFollette Sr. He was elected to the statehouse as a member of the Farmer-Labor Association, a third party which later was merged into and became a pillar of what is now in Minnesota officially known as the Democratic Farmer Labor party.

Olson is regarded by many as the first Minnesotan to be considered to be "Presidential timber". Olson declined to run for President as a third party candidate in 1936 and instead ran for US Senate. It has been reported that he was on a short list of potential replacements for John Nance Garner as Vice-President (Garner had been a rival of Franklin Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination in 1932 and many felt that their alliance was an uncomfortable one for both men) but Democrats and Farmer-Laborites felt Olson would be more valuable as a supporter in Congress of FDR's legislative agenda.

While campaigning for the Senate Olson was diagnosed with stomach cancer and he died before the election. Olson's popularity with his core constituency of farmers and working people never diminished.

Olson Memorial Highway in north Minneapolis is the most visible state memorial to Olson.

In the background is the Cass Gilbert designed State Capitol. Mr. Moohoo takes note of the fact that people in Michigan are posting photos of the Minnesota state capital grounds. Harumph.