Journal staff members asked 100 New Ulm area residents if they think the United States is better off today than it was one year ago.

Aug. 9, 1974, is an historic day.

On that day, just about one year ago, -President Richard Nixon resigned from office.

He was forced out by growing evidence that he knew of, and possibly participated in,the Watergate scandal.

HOW FAR has the United States come from that day, when Americans were fatigued by Watergate, congressional hearings, and resignations from top White House posts.

To get a reading from people in The Journal area, our staff contacted 100residents. They were asked:

“President Richard Nixon resigned on Aug. 9 of last year. Is the United States better off today than it was at that time?”

Results showed 39 residents answering yes, 23 no and 38 undecided.

“THINGS ARE under control now,”said Howard Compart of Gaylord.”Everything was mixed up in Washington then. Now things have stabilized.”

Not everyone contacted thought Nixon did the right thing in resigning.

“Ford is doing well,” a Gibbon woman said, “but Nixon should have stayed, in my opinion. He was guarding our country as far as dealing with other countries. He knew what was going on.”

BUT NIXON seemed to have few backers.

“It was necessary for him to get out of office,” said Bruce Backer, 110 N. Franklin. “He obviously wasn’t truthful to the nation. Now we have a president who’s honest towards the nation.”

Herman Damann commented Nixon’s resignation was necessary “because something was going on there we didn’t know about.”

Added Mrs. Henry Saffert, 819 Ninth N.:”We’re better off that he’s gone, better off that he’s gone, for all that crooked stuff he’d been pulling off.”

“I have no love for Nixon,” said Frank Barsness, who farms near Sleepy Eye.”He was a crook. But I don’t think we’re any better off. I don’t see where they are doing anything to get the economy rolling and they’re letting the fuel prices go up.”

IN THE MINDS of most people, public officials seem to be regaining much of the respect lost during Watergate.

“I think it’s good to have this out in the open,” said Mrs. Richard Aukrust of Hanska. “It showed that even those highest in office could come down if they did something wrong.”

Mrs. Ed Bakke of Olivia said,”I think people have redeemed a little faith in our president since (Watergate).”

Mrs. David J. Winters of Olivia agreed.”People have a little more confidence in government now. There was so much corruption back then. It just seems like things are a lot more stable now.”

“One bad thing,” said Jerry Pagel, 914Center,”is the public has very little interest in public officials. Nixon did a lot of harm by taking away public trust, but I think that is gradually being regained.”

At the time of Nixon’s resignation, said Mrs. Oscar Davidson, Hector, “People were so critical. Now they’re paying more attention to the important things.”

FOR MOST persons contacted,major concerns these days center on the economy.

Mrs. E. F. Agnew of Redwood Falls:”Prices are so high. It’s hard to get things and they raise prices every time something comes out.”

Alvin Nelsen of Lafayette: “Ford is raising oil prices. I don’t think that’s the thing to do for our country. Unemployment and the labor situation is in bad shape.”

Chester Lager, Winthrop: “It’s getting worse all along. Strikes, wages, and food prices going up – you can’t improve the country that way.”

Mrs. Rollin Carlson, Courtland:”Things are rising. Every new idea he (Ford) has keeps the cost of living going up and the stock market going down.”

Mrs. Dean Ellanson of Hanska: “Food prices keep going up and up-no one can stop it.”

J. M. Irving: “There’ve been so many changes, I don’t think they’ve helped us much. For example, changes in grocery prices, farm policy.”

ANOTHER HANSKA woman, Mrs. Larry Kilmer, blamed our present situation on “a combination of everything. The main problem is that the goodness and helping inside each individual just isn’t here anymore.”

And Mrs. Ed Bakke at Olivia seemed to sum up the thoughts of many people about problems in the United States:

“I think we should be thankful for what we’ve got,” she said. “Things could be a lot worse.”

Journal staff members asked 100 New Ulm area residents if they think the United States is better off today than it was one year ago.