▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁election , ▁receiving ▁ 5 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁a ▁four - way ▁race ▁and ▁winning ▁ 8 2 ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁ 8 7 ▁count ies . ▁ ▁Ol son ▁as ▁Governor ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁Ol son ▁assumed ▁his ▁office , ▁Minnesota ' s ▁legisl ature ▁was ▁officially ▁non - part isan ▁but ▁was ▁in ▁reality ▁domin ated ▁by ▁conserv ative ▁Republic ans ▁who ▁opposed ▁most ▁of ▁what ▁Ol son ▁stood ▁for . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁Ol son ▁soon ▁proved ▁himself ▁sk illed ▁at ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁politics ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁ful fill ▁the ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁his ▁campaign ▁promises . ▁During ▁his ▁three ▁terms ▁as ▁governor , ▁Ol son ▁proposed , ▁and ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁passed , ▁b ills ▁that ▁instit uted ▁a ▁progress ive ▁income ▁tax , ▁created ▁a ▁social ▁security ▁program ▁for ▁the ▁elder ly , ▁expanded ▁the ▁state ' s ▁environmental ▁conservation ▁programs , ▁guaranteed ▁equal ▁pay ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁collect ive ▁b arg aining , ▁and ▁instit uted ▁a ▁minimum ▁w age ▁and ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁un emp loyment ▁ins urance . ▁ ▁Despite ▁these ▁changes , ▁the ▁thing ▁Ol son ▁wanted ▁the ▁most , ▁a ▁bill ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁put ▁Minnesota ' s ▁electric ▁util ities , ▁iron ▁mines , ▁oil ▁fields , ▁gra in ▁elev ators , ▁and ▁meat pack ing ▁plants ▁under ▁state ▁ownership , ▁never ▁saw ▁the ▁light ▁of ▁day , ▁as ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁b alk ed ▁at ▁what ▁they ▁saw