Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-08-27
Old Party Editors Stand HELPLESS.


aged undor republican administration
that natural resources ale monopo-
liSed as fast as discovered, the only
remedy offered by our democratic
friends is the antedeluvian idea of for
eign competition, n6 doubt q practi-
cable check upon monopoly in the
days before the advent of steamships
and railroads, but now that the very
avenues OF trade themselves are mo-
nopolized what IL the use of talking of
enforcing competition abroad whom
we cannot even enforce competition at
home; when the wage Garner cannot
eat bite of bread, meat or butter,
driak q swallow OF tea, coffee or milk,
burn q stick Of wood or q lump OF
coal, buy board, q nail, or anything
else without paying tribute to mo-
nopoly? The social conditions have
been completely upset in the last few
years, and still social philosophers,
political economists and statesmen
blindly wrangle over debating school
topics of the political kindergarten q
century ago."
Once in while republican editor
will forget the restraints of party re-
quirements and speak out what he
really thinks. The above is an ex-
ample of this kind. 1t might have
been written by q populist ''crank, :"
instead of the rock:ribbed republican
editor of the Midway News. Just read
it once more, to get the full meaning
of the astonishingly frank admission
that ':public interests are so managed
under republican administration that
natural resources are monopolized as
fast as discovered" It is certainly
true, but we had scarcely looked for
such an admission from such source.
:Rhe statement that the democrats are
offering nothing but ''the antediluvian
idea of foreign competition" as a rem
edy is true, but is it not also true that
the republicans are 10 great extent
talking the same remedy, at least out
here in the west? Therefore they come
under the category of politicians who
"blindly wrangle over debating school
topics of the political kindergarten of a
century ago." Tho peoples party is
the only one which dazes openly advo-
cate remedies In consonance with
changed social conditions. Yet when
they propose remedy this same edi-
tor who so ruthlessly lays bare the
existing conditions and the futility of
other proposed measures, Immediately
accuses the populists of playing in the
hands of railway magnates. It would
be interesting to know If he believes
there is any remedy at all, or thinks
we are doomed to suffer the continu-
ance of monopoly in every necessary
of life.
But whether or not he has q remedy
we are glad he has spoken the truth in
this matter. AS soon as the people
are brought to realize the all-pervad.
ing influence of monopoly in the bust.
ness of the nation, then they will be-
gin in earnest to find remedy, and
they will find it. To doubt their abil.
ity to do this is to doubt their power
of self-government. 1t is because the
populists have an abiding faith in the
collective wisdom of the people thai
they persist in advocating their views ir
spite of the united opposition of both
the old parties and the plutocratie
press. The people are slow to per-
ceive the extent to which monopoly
has absorbed natural resources, but
when once walked up to q full realiza'
thereof nothing can stop them from
turning the large monopolies into SER
tolerate, them Is maeters.-Minnesota
Forum. d., 80
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