Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-06-04
TO the PoPuLIsTs OF KANDiYoHl
COUNTY.


COUNTY.
The official call for the peoples par
ty county convention appears In this
issue of the TRIBUNE. 1t is to be
hoped that every populist in the coun-
ty will take interest enough in the
aft airs of the country to attend the
primaries and see that a full delega-
ton is sent from his town. Town
committees are urged to see that the
call for the primaries is posted in time,
and to stir up the people to attend.
This is crucial period in the af-
fairs of the peoples party. There new
or was time when the party was
more needed than now. We are stand
ing face to face with question of tre-
mendous import to the nation. The
consolidation of corporate interests,
which during the last two years has
progressed at q rate never before
dreamed of before, is awakening the
people to the fact that something must
be done, but as yet they have no clear
idea what that "something" should
be. We need an educational party
that is not afraid to 60 to the root of
the evil and prescribe an effective
remedy. The republican party cannot
do it. Its leaders are hand in glove
with the leaders in the consolidation
movement. Morgan, the brain of the
consolidating forces, is in constant
consultation with the republican bos-
ses. The theory OF that party has
ever been that nothing must be done
to brighten the wealthy classes as the
prosperity of the country depends on
them. The sham battle against few
of the trusts now going on should fool
no one. It has neither hurt nor scared
the trusts in question. The democratic
party is fast drifting back to Cleve-
landism, and everybody knows that
Cleveland is on as good terms with
Morgan as Mark Hanna is. The only
remedy prescribed by Cleveland de-
mocracy is tariff reduction, and ex-
perience has proven that the party
dare not use that remedy to any great
extent when it gets the chance.
What we need is party thai is un-
der no obligations to the trust mag
mates for campaign contributions; a
party that is willing to trust itself in
the hands of the common people and
does not care to win unless it can do
so on clear and unequivocal plat
form. The peoples party can take
that stand now. The reverses of the
past have had a beneficial influence
on it. They have eliminated the place
hunters, who care not to belong to a
party unless there is some show of
getting Offices. Now is an opportuni-
ty for the patriotic citizens to make it
a party that works only for principles.
There is no prospect of immediate
success in state and nation. No gilt
tering promises of Office can be held
out to those who join in this move
ment. But there is an inducement
that ought to weigh far more with the
patriotic citizen-you can do your
duty in calling attention to the only
effective remedy for the ills that are
affecting the nation. There can be no
greater reward for the true citizen
than the consciousness of duty we'll
done.
We must recognize the fact that the
era of individualism in large enter
prises is past. 1t is the same every
where in the civilized world. We
might by legislation cripple the COM
binations of the United States, but
the effect would shut US out of the
markets of the world. Let US recog.
nize this and proceed on rational
Inns. Combination has proved a
good thing for the combined inter-
ests. It reduces expenses, prevents
over-production and gives q steady
and sure market. The true solution
lies in making these combinations the
servants of the people instead of their
masters. Government ownership of
the great public utilities will affect
this. The railroads are the back bone
of the trusts, With government own
ership of the means of transportation
the trusts will have lost their most
effective means of crushing reasona-
bic competition. The rebate system
has enabled the trusts to crush COM
petitors. With that gone they will
have to be satisfied with 3 reasonable