Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-09-28

conscientiously TO safeguard the inter-
ests OF the public and give an honest
and economical administration Of the
affairs Of the ONCE.
No language Of mine would be sum
cient to properly impress the people
with the gravity Of the insurance situa-
ton in our country. For half q century
or more the people paying life insur-
ance on the theory that they were pro-
tecting the interests Of those depend
ent upon them and to secure a COM
petence in their declining years, have.
with q blindness Of faith almost
sublime, reposed confidence in their
trustees and year, after year have
poured their earnings into the Golfers
of the great life insurance concerns
of the country, until these organiza-
lions are among the most gigantic and
powerful In the land. This is an age
Of Capitalization Of power and the
American people are beginning to
realize that the fruits of their toll for
many years past have gone into the
control of a few people, enabling them
to build up a commercial and financial
empire over which they have absolute
and undisputed control. The New
York Life, the Mutual Life, and the
Equitable Insurance companies OF
New York possess assets today of a
billion and half Of dollars, and these
three gigantic institutions are in the
absolute control of three individuals.
Messrs. Ryan, Morgan and Rogers. In
their control Of the assets Of these.
companies. they have at their COM
mand wealth and power not possessed
by the Federal government. It is
within their power to build up or de-
stroy any commercial transportation,
or industrial enterprise Cities and
communities are at the mercy Of these
three potentates. No monarch of the
old world has the power which these
gentlemen have taken unto themselves
and If they see At to use it to the dis
advantage of the people. the misery
which might follow would be untold.
A great movement has sprung up
in this country, looking toward the de-
thronement of these three individuals
in the possession Of capital which
does not belong to them and the re-
storation of the same to the people
to whom this wealth belongs. The
power possessed by these people is a
menace to the institution of liberty,
and If they are not dethrohed in the
great movement now being undertaken
by patriotic and public-spirited citi-s
zens, I hesitate to predict the result.
It has been my good fortune to con-
tribute something to this movement
and I have been associated with
public spirited men throughout the
country in an effort to give the policy
holders of two Of these companies the
possession Of their property. They
will have that opportunity on the 18th
day of next November and If they
fail to avail themselves of it at that
time, the time may never come again
and they may then have passed to
these potentates forever the power to
control the money which belongs to
the people.
do not claim any particular dis
tinction or credit for my cooperation
in this matter. It was the duty Of
any public-spirited citizen, and espe-
cially the duty of an official representa-
tive Of the people. There is no dis
position on the part of the Interna-
tional Policyholders' committee or any
man connected with it to impair the
solvency of any insurance organiza-
ton. The discussion of a proposition
along that line is absolutely absurd.
No man desires to disturb a prosper
Gus business enterprise when con-
Quoted along legitimate channels, but
in my judgment it would be better
far that these companies cease to Exist
and the assets Of the companies be dis:
tributed to the owners Of the organi-
cation, than that these two or three
men be perpetuated in the power
which they now possess. see a ray
of hope in the awakening Of the
American people to realization Of
the great danger which confronts
them. and it becomes every man,
whether a candidate for office or other
wise, to make an intelligent and close
study Of this situation, with view
to better understanding Of the
problem and with the desire Of giving
himself to this patriotic service, that
the condition in our country may be
made better than it is today.
Dairy and Food Department.
No discussion Of the history and
record Of this administration would be
complete without reference to the
splendid work done by the dairy and
food department under the able man;
agement and direction Of Edward K.
Slater, dairy and food commissioners.
Perhaps never in the history Of the
state has the department done so much
for the development and promotion Of
the dairy interests Of the state; and
no previous administration has made
such wonderful progress along the
lines Of pure food regulation and the
enforcement Of pure food laws. The
policy Of this department has UNDER
gone wonderful change; formerly it
was the policy to simply prosecute and
punish offenders. While these prose-
cutfons reach the innocent retail deal
er, a citizen Of Minnesota, it entirely
failed to reach the manufacturer out
side the state. who was the real culprit.
Under the present policy this has been
changed. and by securing the co-opera-
ton Of the local and generally in
nocent dealer In manufactured articles
which are aduiterated, coupled with
tho Uroofoc< v,nscah1a o,,11io