The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-12-21
RULED OR OBEYED?
Which Shall 1T he for the People of
This Republic c:-'POtatO" Pingree's
Idea.

About two years ago, when Gov. Pin
gree, the stalwart tribune of Michigan,
gave out his state program, he used
these words: II will give the people
what they want"
The Boston Globe called this SEN
tence, "Pingree's unique plank" and
commented upon it as if it were an ex-
traordinary proposition.
The big dailies all over the country
contained sneering squibs from fresh
men reporters on Pingreeism, and the
state platform of Michigan.
It was called queer" ''odd," "dema-
gogic," dangerous and SO forth.
The remarks were just such as you
might expect from the Moscow Gazette,
or the Constantinople Journal, or the
Pekin Herald, but coming from the press
of republic, where the people are sup
posed to be self governed, all such COM
ments were out of place.
What else do we elect our governors
If Pingree had said, Il will give the
people what the corporations want" he
would have been considered quite ortho-
dox and respectable.
But the preposterous idea of him call
ing himself the mere servant of the
common people, was hooted at as ridicu-
lous.
Our ideas of government have uncon-
sciously degenerated from the original
American principle, and today the die
tionaries of both Europe and America
give the same definition.
A Baltimore preacher has lately de-
clared that none but the cultured few
should vote.
II he had been in Jerusalem 1900 years
ago he would have given votes to Pilot
and Herod, but none to Christ and his
disciples.
The corporations and their long list
of retainers are becoming alarmed
They know that political equality and
industrial feudalism cannot exist to-
gether.
They wish to rule the people of this
great country just as the people are rul-
ed in Persia and Egypt.
They fool the people with lies, and
then declare them too ignorant to vote.
They bribe the people with money,
and then declare them too corrupt to
vote.
They degrade the people with drink,
and then declare them too immoral to
vote.
They plunder the people with a sys-
tenn of profits. rent and interest. and
then declare them too poor to vote.
They outlaw the people by throwing
them on the street without chance Of
employment, and then declare that
tramps should not be citizens.
The doctrine of the Coming Nation is
that the first purpose of government is
to protect the weak from the strong.
We believe that the unemployed me-
chanic and the evicted farmer should
by the government than the capitalist
and money lender.
The strong can take care of them
selves; the weak and the unfortunate
cannot, and government should be. after
all, only an expedient to maintain equal
ity or justice.
There may be, of course, few extra
ordinary individuals, like Theodore
Roosevelt, who feel themselves bound
to rule their fellow citizens, but they
have chosen the wrong country for the
exercise of their genius.
Such men should go to Africa, cap
ture a tribe of natives. and rule and
boss to their hearts content.
Or if they cannot go SO far to find obe-
'dient subjects, let them buy cage full
of monkeys and erect a throne for them
selves in the middle of it.