The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-10-18

liable and desirable quality for man
in public life to possess 2" I would an-s
swer: Honesty" And by that l
mean not only that the politician ana
statesman shall avoid violating the
penal code, but that he should pe
scrupuIously honest in his convictions,
in his intentions, in his speech and in
his acts. The commandment Thou
shalt not steal" Is directed as much
against the larceny of the thoughts
and IDEAS Of another as against the
larceny Of horse. Literary larceny
Is termed plagiarism or piracy, ac-
cording to its degree, one being petty
and the other grand larceny. A mans
ideas and thoughts are as much ms
property as his horses and cattle.
The literary thief. when discovery
oyertakes him, is not sent to jail, pc
cause the penal code does not extend
to his offense; but he finds that ne is
held in public odium and has ruined
his career. So when a politician or
statesman steals the thoughts or IDEAS
Of another and, sssithout giving credit
to the original owner, converting
them to his own use, his offense is not
one which makes him amenabie TO the
law, but the penlty is as sure ana Sc
we're as that Of the literary pirate. HIS
offense is against public morals, ana
public opinion infifcts the punishment.
Must Keep HIS Promises.
When candidate for public office
makes promises to the people, ne must
keep them. If ne gives his pledge thar
certain reforms shall be made II the
people elect him, three things are re-
quisite The candidate must honestly
believe that reforms are needed, there
must be something to reform, and, II
elected, he must fulfill his pledge and
effect the reforms.
And when a candidate for public Of
flee comes before the people he must
appear in no borrowed garments. His
plumage must be oil his own, for II
not, just as soon as the people detect
his disguise his experiences will be sim
liar to the ass that paraded in the
lions skin. The men Of to-day are
very keen-sighted and there never
was a period In the history OF the
world when shame and false pretenses
had such hard time. think. In fact,
/ know, that the people of Minnesota
have weighed the claims and merits OF
the different political parties and their
respective candidates presented at this
election. They see, on the one hand,
the Republican party, tried by forty
years in the management Of the affairs
Of the state. and its candidates sup
ported by the splendid record of their.
party and pledged to carry out It's
great and lofty aims, to protect and
advance the interests OF the common
4 ~ f1Sa yNry
which have lent luster to twenty-five
Republican administrations. ConserY-
ative where the peoples interests are
concerned; progressive In aiding the
states development; aiming at the
highest and greatest good, the Repub-
lican party has been safe and q wise
counselor. in whom the people have
learned that implicit confidence may
be placed
Democrncy's soi1ed Garments.
| On the other hand, they see the DEM
ocratic party and its candidates, with
no record except few inconsiderable
soiled garments which Democracy
would gladly hide beneath its OWL
tattered rairnent--with no principles
except an imitation set constructed OF
negations Of everything Republican
And to-day Minnesota Democracy and
it's candidates stand before the voters
arrayed in plumage surreptitiously
borrowed from Republicans hoping
that the people are not sufficiently
keen sighted to detect the disguise.
staggering around in attire "a world
too wide for their shrunken shanks.
The plain fact is, my friends. that
A
desperate attempt to steal our thun-
der and are trying to persuade the
people that the ideas and plans they
advance for the carrying on and I'M
proving our state government are their
own, while, as a matter of fact, every
substantial thing they possess or pre-
sent they have purloined from the Re-
publican cupboard. Consider the DEM
ocratic state platform. 1t points with
pride" to our system OF
Grain Inspection,
which the Republicans gave to the
grain growers and shippers OF the
state fifteen years ago. II points with
more pride to the state laws for the
control of railroads and railroad rates,
and to work the present state railroad
and warehouse commission is doing.
They imagine the people are credulous
enough to believe that they have
placed the railroads Of Minnesota un-
der state control. But the people
know that the state laws for the su-
pervision and control of railroads We're
the work Of Republican legislatures;
that on March s, 1871, a Republican
legislature passed an act entitled, An
act to regulate the carrying OF freight
and passengers in this state" where
by the state asserted its power to ex-
ercise control Of railroads in the in
terests Of the people. That act pre-
scribed a maximum rate for freight
and passengers, and provisions sufii-
cient to prevent prohibitory rates and
determinations, and the man who was
mainly instrumental in winning the
fight for the right of the state to as
sert such control, was that great man
OF the people, Cushman *. Davis. II
was Republican legislature that
passed the laws creating the state
| board of railroad and warehouse cons-
missfoners and which gave them the
powers which they now exercise.
Taxing Railroads.
1t was a Republican legislature that
provided for the taxation of the ur'-
used railroad lands. The first sugges-
ton OF legislation for the inspection of
| Minnesota wheat. and of protecting IL