The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-14

ccrrespondingly.
The building of railways, telegraph and tel
profits Of these enterprises have largely
been swallowed v, up by clumsy and expensive
National Insurance Project.
The introduction, of universal suffrage has
given a great impetus to socialistic agitation
There has been OF late yeass ste .S 1n
ing. man from the necessity Of helping him
self and throwing increased burdens on the
shoulders of those who have q little prop
is the one which the liberal party recently
made one of the planks Of Its platform:
national ,or h, an
WAS
tablished, which drew very large salary and
at last presented report, which by compe,
tent investigation has proved utterly absurd
and impossible. The scheme would involve
the payment Of compulsory Premium, d BY
1000 900 individuals Out of these 100000
would, have to pay about cents month:
about $1,3O0,0OO a year, 1.-THE local administra-
tons about two and one-half millions, The
pensions would probably amount to twelve lv.,
twenty second Individual Of those insured
would ever derive any benefit from the In
surty And be s q hI pstans this
scheme on its program" for the sole purpose
of catching votes
Spells for the NIctors. -,
simplification of the administration, was
one Of the promises. held out by the liberal
party. But the inauguration Of reforms,
and the schemes of various sorts was called
into existence a whole army OF new oH1ce
holders and members Of all sorts OF com.
faithful party workers. have been taken care
| of in such offices and commissions. Inc
civil service of the; country has Of late been
0fficaS n 7different- branches
administration which were formerly hlled
with trained men, promoted after long ana
with N men whose principal claim to such recog
milton has been faithful party service IN the
| legislature or IN POLITICAL campaigns.
the moral tone Of offieial life, Looseness7 Of
| administration seems to prevail to a large
extent in state and municipal affairs Hardy
years without largely exceeding, original esti-
| mates and appropriations: Administering
officers have undertaken expenditures OF
money not authorized by the Legislature and
such offenses have, been condoned, to keep up
il Christiania the whole office force is under
Tor gross REGULATIONS from pub
use of their portions to enrich themselves.
The Rush for A"orders."., o.
| One of the democratic reforms which were
| to be brought about by. the men OF the new
era was the abolition, of orders and decora-
tons; such childish .gewgaws were forsooth
unworthy of the severe spartans of modern
democracy. But in spite, of party. promises
acts of newly appointed liberal cabinet min
listers has generally beeh to adorn their manly
lbreasts with the broadcast ribbons andg the
Eof. Nor did they neglect their faithful bench.
linen in the party or. their brothers and theil
cousins and their aunts Tie shower of dec
promiseuouss thatsa, howl Of derision went "
from 25 thsEhss esinee: then tnf
ss ~ - =, :Tbss'Evlil litarlsr,. !:
d M9Ssw wS tgfbsy sy eno st
new men, were all men OF lpeaceiI the' money o
a; hard working, peace-loving people was. no
tesbe squandereds on military lads ~ oIMa:
MOULD 7disarnl and the great powers OF cours
would tumble over each other to follow tn
example and the Millennium would come! EAn'
they simply hated those gaudy military men
} strutting about iii fpOmp and glory, lead1n
useless lives and turning the heads OF gtdd
girls. - -. - ):
WELL, where, are we now? During the las
} ten years we have used for our navy. an
army two hundred millions, which Is eight
millions more than % in the next precedin
} ten years.: Military madness has -possesse
. the nation. The gaudy lieutenant has: no
! disappeared; our Streets are full Of strag
> ling young fellows resplendent In brass but
tons and gold lace, with clanking sabres an
i! jingling spurs.
+ Manual Labor No Longer Respectable
= With the ABOLITION ,ClaSSt VI
g ders and decorations and military humbu
e there was to come: vastly increased respec
c for manual labor. The useless drones We're
disappear, the young men of the nation. Woul
: employ their brains in business enterprises
-. in useful industries and their hands IN PFC
I ductive work. Well, where are We now
4 versityS this year $40 young men pre- entered
g And the professions are overcrowded alread!
: We have too many lawyers Tin Christian
about 900 Of he we ako too many
9 them cannot make living expenses) we hay
: too many teachers on miserable salaries-an
still fond parents stint themselves elves ana I,,s De
: learned education. Because manual laDt
is not respectable, less SO perhaps than
: ever was. We import clothing ana t,st an a.,
II tin pals and fence wire and pretty niue
y everything, while the young men VINO nay
q got practical education can hnd no empio!
b ment The other year the whole graduatr
;, class of one Of our mechanical .engineerir
It schools went to America in body. We pa
for their sf,ea and Amef e
: ness and militarism and red tape and oH1cia
l. ism grow and flourish, foreshadowing II
;. time when as It has aptly been , sald on n
J. in Norway.
e Parliamentary Extravaeance.
W Since the introduction Of annual session
of our legislature in 1871 the sittings ha'
steadily increased IN length from thr
:, the expense has Increased accordingly, 50 tn
- now our parliament with it's ia memDe
~ cost us (19oO-19O1) 799 900 crowns. The low
~ house of the Danish parliament, with =
y same number of members, cost ll9O0-l9u
" 281 900 crowns, or about one third OF the CO
rs rs Of the Norwegian parliament, and the low
D. members cost $4,000 crowns. Putting t
- representatives On fixed salaries would see
~ to be much needed reform, which Won
p =, materially cut down the length Of the Sc
ne sions Likewise the abolition of the prese
40 indirect election system which involves
v extra expense Of $4,000 crowns. The repr
Z Sentatives have passes on all railways a
o. some of them even have their dentists bi
~ paid by the state treasury.
~ But if our parliament Is an expensive Doc
l | it is also powerful body, usurping IN fa
ne If not in theory, the power of the executi'
Instead of strong government, 1nitlati
measures of economy and directing legislati
- into proper channels, we have weak vac
IL lating government which never ventures up
a. a, legislative wind is blowing, SO that it c
al al trim its sails accordingly Important mes
81 ures are decided beforehand in meetings
oos the private liberal parliamentary club, frt
% which cabinet ministers take their cue. F
re- sponsibiity has practically ceased so FAR ,,
i.. tiers who have merely. carried out What tt
,iisy, had previously ascertained to be the desil
ny Of the majority. If cabinet minister in
H. ~. fit Of abstraction largely exceeds appropr
" tons made for a ,specihc purpose , OF inc'
h Sa relies upon his friends In parliament to b
ne ne him out on the day of reckoning. A beat
iis full system indeed, conducive to econo
an, and good government.
rs. The Norwegian "BIoody Shirt"
al But, my.readersimay ask, why do YOU s
an fer such a state,fot AFFAIRS to exist, why