The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-23
THE POWERS THAT BE.

THE POWERS THAT BE.
Certain of the Republican papers in
the Twin Cities have come to the defense
of Labor Commissioner Powers because
the legislature has an intention OF inves-.
tigating the methods by which that gen
tleman ostensibly earns his salary from
the state. AS a sample argument the
Journal of this city furnishes, in sub.
stance, the following: That the investi-
cation is a political one; that the only
charge against Mr.. Powers is that he,
made sound-money speeches while hold
ing state office, and that it is the first
time it were heard of a state officer be-
ing Investigated for advocating on stump
the views entertained by his party. The
Journal pursues the matter further and
says Mr.. Powers deserved the inyestiga-
ton, and then, targues that he would
have an opportunity of showing to the
people Of the, state what he has done
in his department. and how we'll found
ed is his national and International rep
utation as a statistician. Finally, the
Journal comes to the partisan conclusion
that, as the whole matter is political
move that it would be beyond the bounds
of reason to suppose that a senate con-.
tanning an overwhelming majority in
sympathy with Mr.: Powers actions and
utterances shoula5eondemn him for any
thing that he has done. Further. the
paper in question says that the people
know that an investigation, so far as
securing any expression of conscience is
concerned, is destined to be farce.
The arguments of the Journal is beau
tiful and it's statements frankness itself.
Because the legislature is of the same
stripe as Mr.. Powers himself the public
need not expect any censure at it's hands,
no matter what any Republican office
holder may do or not do in the line OF
his duty That any ofhceholder will be
protected by his party-the powers that
be-no matter what charges may be
brought against him.
The argument of the Journal is beau
ers are that he has not been attending
to his business; that during the last
political campaign especially he was
training with the gangs of his party and
writing essays instead of attending to
the duties that the statutes have laid
down for his guidance. The intention
Of the law, which is plainly expressed,
is not that the labor commissioner shall
become a rampant politician to the neg
lect OF his duties. He may, however,
have all the ideas of political economy
that he can possibly absorb, and may
make speeches on the stump and else
where in support of, his theories, but it
is expected nevertheless that he shall
attend to the business for which he is
paid salary, and that when his report
shall be presented it shall contain some
data and conclusions concerning labor in
the state, and not be an extended vol
ume trying to prove that his party was
right and the other party wrong in the
matter of national finance. and at the
same time having the volume published
as if it were in the interests of labor
and compelling his political opponents
to assist in the payments of it's publica-
.tion. Why should, the party opposed to
Mr.. Powers help film along by taxation
in. airing hisoe vi aMs on. any economic
question? w aa,ss, has ideas that he
wishes shouldn seq the. light he should
publish them at CHS own expense-he
and his family. atairawing enough from
the state treasuI,yssto foot all such bills
Was it not 5R',..ff R{aacious thing for Mr..
Powers to present to tho people report
upon the currency question when he was
Obliged by law to present one upon
labor? What right had he to enter into
the field of national politics in any re-
port which he might publish? The Jour-
nal says it is political investigation
Why should 1t not be a political investi-
cation, when PoYers himself neglected
his proper duties to enter politics?
The labor commissioner may be won
derful man in the matter of statistics
No one cares. Atkinson is also great
master Of statistics and he is more often
wrong than he is right. But wonderful
as Powers may be in the matter Of fig
ures and compilation, he gave little or
no attention to these matters once the
political pot began TO boil. Self preserva-
ton Is the first law Of nature, and no
doubt he felt that II the state house ring
AZ S.. Paul. should edefeated he himself