The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-09-21
STATE POLITICS.

L
| ST. Paul. Sept 12.-Since my last letter
| the Democratic convention has passed into
| history. The page ii fills is not specially
/ Illuminating one IT owes its greatest value
/ to the fact that it affords another iliustra-
! ton of how little the Democratic party,
| even when circumscribed by no response
/ bility, invent or is willing TO promise
/ The Democrats appreciate as wen as the
4 rest OF us that their candidates can never
/ be in position 70 fulfill their pledges and
/ that for their nOn-performance they can
/ always blame their political opponents
/ Under such circumstances the only wonder
4 Is that they did not point the way TO an
/ altogether beatific political and social NIL
1 lenium. The failure 10 do so betrays both
/ lack Of imagination and the Democratic
constitutional incapacity for taking the
/ Initiative.
It is. therefore. scarcely surprising that
! with all the will in the world the platform
| makers We're unable 10 think Of anything
/ reaI.S new with wins b votes could be
| caus~. Possibly they imagined that the
! declaration demanding of the legislature
that such laws be passed at the next ses-
| sion of the legislature as VIII facilitate
| municipal ownership OF public service util-
| tiles was of that nature. Such ownership
Is one of the Hearst hobbies, which IS
| really the only thing / know OF IN us DIS
/ favor, but although Republican legislators
| did not give il so sonorous name Ine!
| provided for such ownership so far back
| that the memory eff man lrunneth not TO
the contrary. Most municipalities IN MIN
| npsota own their vaterworks and have Tor
| years operated them successfully and profit
| ably without having TO appeal TO the Lesis-
| la1ure for more laws. Some nave their
| electric plants ard if other cities want 10
| put their money into the business there is
| no reason in the world why they shouldnt
/ do SO with perfect ease. Nor Is there any
| but 4 financial difficulty TO prevent the
! ownership Of telephone lines or anything
else municipality may think il advisable
! 70 have. The only thing can think OF the
state could do 10 advance this reform
Which many no doubt think desirable.
/ would be TO furnish the money TO build
/ the plants and ! an only surprised that
some progressive Democrat was not on
hand 70 suggest such action 10 the legisla-
ture. I doubt if there is a city in the state
srfentlv desire the boon of municipal
ownership Of public utilities"
Possibly the Democratic platform makers
cid not know what everyone else does, that
to make an economic change like the adop-
tion Of an eight Rour day is not under our
system q political function and that the
/ power Of the state in such matters Is quite
limited. While personally l believe eight
I
8 especially ar any mechanical occupation
which confines him within doors. that is a
| matter which must be threshed out between
employers and employed. SO that the de-
handing it in & political platform is clap
/ trap. pure and simple, designed 10 catch
/ the labor vote. OF q Ike character IS the
screed against government by Injunction.
/ Whatever may have been done elsewhere
I cur courts have wisely RETAINED so far as
/ POSSIBLE from Interfering in labor troubles
and cutie recently have denied injunctions
asked for against striking printers. Posi-
bly, It might be desirable 70 limit the dis
. erection of judges in such matters, but we
are not quite ready 10 give 10 Mr.. Dick
O'ConDor. whose intimate relations with
the Great Northern road are well known,
and who is understood 10 have supervised
the making Of the platform. credit fer any
very extraordinlry sympathy with wage
workers. Another device TO catch the same
rlass was the declaration for the Initiative
and referendum. ! have, however, seen no
sign that either mechanics or farmers are
wildly excited in their demand for this re-
form. When they really show that they
want it the Republican party will doubtless
be ready TO give 1t TO them.
:
As other planks in the platform are
either devoted TO the praise Of Governor
Johnson and his employees or are plGgiar-
/ lied from the Republican declaration OF
principles il viii Rot re necessary 10 refer
TO them. All al least except one, which
endorses Mr.. Bryan. whose ten years pres
/ dental candidacy is approved with all that
= impIies. as q contest fer the common
rights Of all the people against the vested
wrongs and special interests OF few,
: / whatever that nav mean. But l am not
5 sorry for the linking together Of the names
Of Bryan and Johnson, which is more sug-
, | gestive than might at first appear, for /
. Q -i-
Governor JohnsOn's ambition lies in the
! direction of 4 more protracted union, and
: that while be might have been candidate
: for governor if he had no such bee buzz
/ irc in his bonnet, he would certainly not
/ nave BETRAYED 50 keen a desire for renem-
: lnatica and reelection. In the event OF
Governor Johhssn's election and the sue
: / cess of the movement for his further Ed-
/ raucement il is cCuEdently anticipated that
/ nc can land the states electoral vote for
I the Destiferous pe-ambulating protector Of
prolific pernicious political policies.
Two things made the convention note
worthy; one occurred early IN Its proceed-
= / Iags: the other vas at its close. The
: / t-St was the speech delivered by the chair
: ! man. Mr.. winston who those who knew
( things down deep say has never forgiven
either Governor Johnson for the way he
: treated him after his election or the Re
? I rubIcanS. who. TCC-L- LoF JcA4-HOAs fDtS0
= / against him And the circumstances were
such At the convention that be could take
; his revenge on both 1T the same time.
: And he did il with the timely utterance
: Of a single phrase which bids fair 10 be
IS long Remembered in this state as the
/ utterance Of Rum. Romanism and rebel
: len" was on another memorable occasion
3 | To Z foyoUs chorus Of Democratic ap-
: prevail Mr. Winston characterized the in
. dependent Republicans whe voted for John
/ son. The very uncertain ehd hckie body
! of orr citizens generally known as mug
: wumps or conserTatires
= That the governor agrees with Mr. Win
sion in regarding IS tickle and uncertain
2 the Republicans who Supported him there
g can be little doubt. though he Is alto
: gcther too polite and considerable 70 can
them ''ruugwurnVs" st least to their
faces. Rather he pats them on the back
I sud tells them how independent and viz
: tuous they are and now little OF a par
: / tisan. and how much IF a patriot he is
= That will be the burden Of his speeches
during this campaign. But the cakes and
: cheese and pie are mostly distributed
\ among the faithful. and you can always
: fudge the man better by what he does
. than by what he says