The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-10-23
Mayer Henderson Makes a
Plea for Participation by
all in City Affairs.
LANDLESS LABORER HAS SAME
RIGHT AS BIG TAX PAYER.
Permanent Prosperity Of City
Depends Upon Active Interest
of All Classes.
Bemidii, Oct. 90, 1905

Bemidji, Oct. %, 1905.
Editor Pioneer:
Too often, in matters relating
to our local politics, we hear are
mark concerning an opinion that
has been expressed by this or
that person: ''What right has
he to be mixing in, he has not
been here long enough, = -or she
does not own a dollars worth of
property" or words Of similar
import. These remarks are al
ways made by DULLES who are
attempting to bluff people, and
who claim that because they have
haunted Bemidji with their pres
ence since ante railroad days, or
because they hold a contract for
a deed to a lot purchased from
the Townsite Company, they
haye obtained certain prescript-
i've rights to manage, or direct
the exclusive management of the
affairs of our city. These indi-
IIviduals treat participation in
municipal affairs by new mem
bers of the community if such
members be offensive partisans
as usurration of their pre-
negative.
This kind of talk has been toll
Grated, and has, undoubtedly,
had the effect of suppressing. in
a measure, expression of opinion
on the, part of men who are
naturally inclined to modesty in
exploiting their views. This
thing should be discountenanced
ny everyone,
Bemidji is growing rapidly.
we want new people, and we
want all men who come to make
this place their home to take an
active part in public affairs. I'm
der the constitution and law,
every man stands upon the same
plane IN this respect. Some are
more fortunate than others.
One man is fortunate enough to
own his home. His ,neighbor,
still more successful, has addi-
tional property interests, while
there are others. less fortunate,
less successful, who have moth
ing. The amount of property
that a man owns, however,
neither adds to nor detracts from
the value of his opinion on mat
ter of public concern to all. The
good citizen is the one who earns
his livelihood here, and be he a
clerk, a laborer, bartender, a,
land owner or saw mill proprie-
tor, one and all stand upon an
equal footing as regards the gov
ernme nt Of the city in which
they live. Each one owes the
same duty to the municipality,
which consists, not alone in cast
ling his vote, but in voicing his
sentiments freely and welding
his influence in favor of prin-
ciples which he believes to be in
the interest of good government.
Let not the new conner in our
midst nor the landless man be
sand bagged into silence or mac
tivity by the vauntful assump-
tions of the political bushwhack-
| . 4. 2
er, for such assumptions are in
dulged in only by the profession.
lal politician, the municipal
parasite, the enemy Of good gov
|ernment.
Point to a city ruled by The
bread winners and the proLf -
|ers, and you will find a progress
sive, sanitary, thriving town, un-
der an economic government and
free from the burdensome taxa
ton.
Bemidji with her beautiful lake
stands out boldly today as the
coming industrial center Of
northern Minnesota. The one
thing that menaces her future