The Bemidji pioneer., 1903-01-22
Official County and City Paper.
BUSINESS VS.. POLITICS.

'COLu ucICldI WcoO, oli0 AoNoAhS
exponent of business affairs in
Minneapolis, last week contained
the following editorial, remarka-
ble to degree for any newspa-
per man in the Twin cities to
have the audacity to publish:
There is a business view point
to politics that makes it permis-
sable for commercial paper to
consider phases of political ac-
ton. The Commercial West is
interested in the development of
Minnesota. It believe the policy
of the present republican leaders
of the state IS hurtful to business
interests and helpful only to po-
litical interests. The railroad
merger has passed over to the
courts and is practically a dead
issue. But the campaign Of hy-
pocrisy that was covered up un-
der the guise of patriotic opposi-
ton to it, is at last coming out
where people can see it.
When Mr.. Hill bought the Bur
lington he told truthfully why he
bought tito get at southern coal
fields, for the permanent liberia
ton of the northwest as to it's
coal supply, to ally with the nor.
thern roads the great terminal
facilities that the Burlington af'
fords, to connect Minneapolis
and St. Paul with great trade
territory and to provide his ori'
ent route with enlarged traffic.
Politicians and misguided news
paper men saw no benefits in all
this and the "kiyi'' of the politi.
cal war dance was heard and
Governor VanSant was whir!ed
along to reelection. 1t did not
follow that what Governor Van
SAINT stood for was wise, and as
for the pretense of law enforce
ment, that becomes a burlesoue
under the character of the sup.
port given him.
Corporations every whit as
.'evil" as the Northern Sucurities
Company paid money to assist
Governor VanSant! Was it that
law might be enforced2 Fie on
such dribble. It was simply tC
@'beat Hill. y
But the recent defeat Of a Van
SAINT speaker of the Minnesota
House by a vote Of two to one
certainly does not Indicate thai
Minnesota governor is holding
his own. And what has Govern
or VanSant done for the business
interests of Minnesota other thar
to administer well his depart
ments? Look sharp at the rec
ord? Ho favored taxing business
interests to death because he
thought that was good politics. .
The business men had to rush tC
the rescue of their interests. He
fought the merger because that
was good politics" and made a
campaign on it. 1t is the mer-
ger, however, that is today say
ing Minnesota from coal famine
and at low rates, too.
Had not Mr.. J. J. Hill actually
gone into the merchandising of
coal the business interests Of
Minneapolis, st. Paul and Du-
luth would today be suffering.
And because he owns the Bur
lington he is hauling coal to Min
neapolls and St. Paul, as he said
he would do, for four tenths of a
cent ton mile! And Governor
Van SAINT is kicking about the
''evil" of the consolidation! What
evil? "
We read Governor Van SAINTS
message in vain for q word in
favor of the drainage of northern
Minnesota lands, the most i'm
portant question for this state to
pass on, so that the merger"
can put a million people in the
northern counties to buy goods
of our iobbers. That is what a
business statesman would be re-
commencing to his people. AS a
result of non-drainage, immigra-
ton is going to North Dakota
and Washington.
Let Minneapolis look at her
million dollar Great Northern
bridge, a work that is practically
the city's trade mark, built by
James J. Hill. Has Governor Van
SAINT built anything for Minnea-
polls, or st. Paul, or Duluth?
Has the chairman of the. Repub-
lican State Committee built any
thing? Which interest should
the people tie to----the interest
that "does" things or the one
that "does not" do things?
If the business men of the
Northwest are wise thew will he.