PARK'S "MEXICAN GENERALS"
From the Re-Echo, September 2009

The rhetoric was colorful: “Voters of St. Louis Park – You Swept the ‘“Mexican Generals”’ out of State Government! DO THE SAME AT HOME!!” This was the language on a campaign poster used in the December 6, 1938 election for president, councilman, and recorder of the village council. The poster asserts that “’The Big Three’ is a menace to the future of St. Louis Park!”

Who were the Mexican Generals and who were the Big Three? The first clue is in the small print at the very bottom of the page telling us that Morten Arneson was Chairman of the “All-Party Smith for Mayor, Nemec for Trustee, Justad for Recorder Volunteer Committee.” Arneson was a landscape architect with a nursery on Excelsior Blvd. In the early 1930s he had fought to oust politicians who let the bars and speakeasies stay open all night and disturb his sleep. He and his organization, the Better Government League, were mostly successful at this effort, and in the late 1930s they turned their attention to just that: Better Government. The issue in a nutshell was that administrative decisions should be made by paid professionals, not elected officials with little expertise. The battle lasted for years, culminating in the passage (with considerable help from the League of Women Voters) of the City Charter in 1954.

Who were the “Mexican Generals?” Statewide, the Farmer-Labor Party was voted out of office in 1938, fraught with internal confusion and disorganization. In its place, Minnesotans elected young Republican Harold Stassen as Governor. A major part of his platform was civil service reform, including the abolition of the so-called “Big Three.” This was the Commission of Administration and Finance, which exerted, some thought, excessive power over expenditures in the state.

Arneson and Co. railed against our local Mexican Generals and our “Big Three.” Other outrages included “Citizens insulted in open Council Meetings! Cess pool cleanage rates double that of Minneapolis! Compulsory garbage collection at greatly increased rates! Local business discouraged! Citizens’ demands ignored! Countless attempts to rezone restricted property! . . . Look at your taxes! Are you satisfied that St. Louis Park cannot be run far more economically to your advantage?”

So who were Park’s Mexican Generals? The incumbent president (mayor) was Earnest W. Nelson, lineman on the Minneapolis Street Railway. “Is it right to have a village council president who represents a utility?” the poster demands. “Forty-eight-passenger street cars replaced by 24-passenger buses with inferior service!” August of 1938 was indeed the last of our streetcar, a real hot-button issue at that time, and people actually went to jail for the way it was handled, but there is no evidence that we know of that Nelson had much influence on the decision.

Arneson’s candidate for president was Byron M. Smith, who owned Smith Pharmacy, located at 4801 Minnetonka Blvd., from at least 1933 (when the first Park directory came out) to about 1937, when he became State Supervisor of the County Welfare Boards. Despite Smith’s efforts, Nelson was re-elected in 1938.

The councilman (trustee) to be ousted was Alvin M. Anderson, accountant for the Soo Line. “Is it right to have a councilman who can vote on his own administrative actions?” Arneson and Co.’s candidate was Don Nemec, “the most popular young man ever to file for village office… As one of the principals of our high schools he has earned the respect of every student and parent!” Despite his popularity, election records show that Nemec lost a fairly close race to Anderson, and did not run again.

The incumbent recorder was Perham M. Ellison, whose business was variously described in directories as pharmacist, business advisor, and insurance. The poster was particularly vehement here: “Aided by ‘The Big Three,’ he made his position a full time job! – at the same time, he voted to increase the salary for this job - HIS OWN JOB! – from $75.00 to $200.00 A MONTH! Look at the record! He handles all of the administrative duties of the village and then sits as a member of “The Big Three” to vote on his own actions! If Mr. Ellison wants a full time job, let an impartial council vote him one, BUT DO NOT LET HIM VOTE ON HIS OWN ACTIONS!” Joe Justad won a close election for recorder over Ellison. Ironically, in his memoir, Arneson states that Justad was against the passage of the City Charter because the office of recorder would be lost, but in the end it was replaced by the office of city clerk, which Justad held until retirement in 1964.

It is difficult to guess how Depression-weary residents of St. Louis Park reacted to this inflammatory poster or cared about such administrative issues, except that only one of the candidates was elected. We do know that Morten Arneson worked tirelessly for 16 more years to see that the council-manager type of local government was put into place. The poster is a valuable look at just how early this important fight started. Thanks to David Anderson, Don Nemec’s great nephew, for donating this fascinating piece of our political history.

Full text of poster


 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.