Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-29
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old party bosses as 8 heresy. It.Aad-
vocates5w were trad uced and called Wild
tan atios mischieyous element IN
worthy 1T respect. Now the old party
leaders are ~ ocritically advocating
many 81 tho populist doctrines. The
public ownership OF all public util tties
il one Of them. The recent mayoralty
election il the City OF New Y ork 10 q |
notable example Of the oncoming In.
auguration Of populism in the affairs
Of government. Representing the pub
lie ownership Of all public franchises,
Mr.. Hearst was elected mayor IL an
honest count of the ballots can be I se..
cured. He polled over two hundred
thousand votes. The reform candi-
date for city attorney was elected.
This result honors the electors OF the
great metropolis. Il represents an
aroused public sentiment against the
rOgues in the public service. This
sentiment controlled the election in
Ohio and Pennsylvania. It will con-
- - I IF y
troll the nation. *.ss. :.E#.s >= o.Ss3S
= There are signs of q popnlist re-
ava ening in Minnesota Many Of its
old trusted leaders have crossed the
silver river and entered upon the cam
paign OF eternity. Some are forced
into indifference by encouragement.
Some have been quieted by the graft
ers argument. But there are honest,
earnest leaders who refuse to surren-
der to mammon. Among them stands
Hon. Thomas J.. Meighen, Of whom
the ST. Paul Dispatch recently said:
."To Thomas J. Meighen, Of Pres
ton, q member of the present board of
equalization, is being given credit for
the franchise tax decision handed
down by the supreme court. Meighen
started the fight in 1899, when q menu
Der OF the board, by forcing through
motion increasing the Western Union
companies assessment to 81, 000, 900.
All that he had on his side was maj
GRITTY of one. The others commended
the courts would overthrow it. Mr..
Meighen was q democrat then, but last
year he was in the republican ranks,
indu-triously fighting for r. c.. Duon.
How he came to be appointed on the
present board by Gov. Johnson has
been regarded as a mystery. Just the
same, however, Gov. johnson and his
advisers seem to think highly of him"
How to rob the people without their
knowing the how, has been q leading
study of the bosses of both the old
parties. TO support the public SER
vice there must be taxation. The con-
stitution declares that it must be equal,
but the bosses have evaded this justice
by legislating into existence q system
of taxation robbery whereby the
wealth producers on the farms and in
the work shops are made to pay: the
taxes of the special privileged classes
and trusts. Populism proposes rem
edy for this outrage and Mr.. Meighen.
proposes to enforce the remedy. Re-
cognizing the aid of the Peoples par
ty in securing his election Gov. Lind
appointed him a member of the equal
ization board of 1899. To his duties
on that board Mr.: Meighen carried
his populistic CONVICTIONS. how to
make the special privileged class pay
q fair proportion Of the taxes had
aroused his active mind. The :assess-
ment of the street car monopoly was
increased by HIS persistent effort. He
proposed an advance of the Western
Union Company to one million. dol
lars. It's attorneys declared the courts
would not sustain the raise. Other
corporation attorneys endorsed the
corporation declarations; but Mr..
Meighen took an opposite view and
secured majority of one for the one
million dollar assessment The COM
pany refused to pay the tax. The
state went into court to enforce its
rights and now the company pays the
tax, the penalties and costs. For this
item OF justice the people are indebted
to courageous populist.
But, in opposition to the grafters
and taxation dodgers, Gov. johnson
put Mr.. Meighen on the present board
of equalization and the old party bos-
SEES are unable to comprehend the APP
4 pointment. For reasons of: his own
Mr.. Meighen opposed the election OF
Gov. Johnson. Not as q republican
but as q populist. He had no perso-
nal knowledge Of Mr.. Johnson and
had no confidence in the management
OF his party leaders. In this connec-
tton I will not attempt the enlighten-
ment ofthose who are :astonished by
Mr.. :Meighen's appointment. The peo-
pie recognize it as q wise selection.
The good accomplished thereby will
be more apparent at the close of the
next meeting Of the board. ... + j:
! If Mr.. Meighen's notions of taxa.
ton are ever put into practice all tax
alton will be confined to land and in
comes. f5 "A graduated income tax
should take the place OF the robbers
personal property tax as now levied.
This is populism, in part. Its great.
est achievement will be the establish
ment Of an honest money system with.
out q redemption dollar but every
dollar, whether gold, silversor paper,
q full legal tender issued by the gov.
eminent. Then there will be no en-
Il forced EsWaDDinp do l ara with nrnrr.