The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-07-04
TIM FQR IH0uGHTFu
Men TO TAKE HEED \ !
Recurring Panics and Financial
b Disturbances Indicate There
IS 8omething Wrong.
Time That q Halt Was Called Up
on the Methods and Policies
Of Politicians. 90 !

on the metnOQS ana &FO1CleS
of Politicians. co.. -. y
AZ q time like the present, when the
pinching touch Of financial stringency
is making itself known in many homes
In many workshops, In many offices.
and throughout the country generally,
1t is well for thoughtful men to recur
to the immutable and long-recognized
rules Of governmental power which had
their origin: in the establishment of
the government Of the United States
and Of which the Democratic party,
the great conservative force in the ma
tion, has always been the champion
and protector. These rules limit the
power of the general government to
federal rules only and establish the
DRY OF local government which has
never been and never can be departed
from with safety. Recurring panics,
recurring financial disturbances, re-
curing, demands for revision Of the
currency law serve to make clearer the
fact that any departure {; from. the
Democratic rule Of local self govern
ment, however successful it may be
for time, is fraught ultimately with
great danger tothe people.
-. The Democratic Theory.
The Democratic theory takes away
governmental control from central
points and distributes it to the various
localities most interested in it's wise
and lawful exercise. It keeps at every
mans home the greatest share Of the,
political power that concerns him indi-
vidually. 1T yields it to the remotcr
legislative bodies in diminishing. pro-
portions as they recedes from the direct
Influence and action Of the people. The
principle OF self government is not
the idea that the people in their COL
lective capacity are endowed with wis
donna patriotism, and virtue superior
to their; individual or as vicious, az
intelNgs1tlot as ignorant, as brave OF
as cowardly ,as the persons who COM
pose itvv The great theory. OF local self
government; under (which eur. country
has aexpanded. over a; continent and has
extended. Its sovereignty fover other
lands: dss founded on these propositions.
= - dsreoHgF1of Goverf1ment!
That government issrnost: wise. which
is in the; hands of thoses best: informed
about the particular questions on
which they legislate; most economical
and honest;:when controlled by those
most sfnterested ain preserving frugal
1ty s1ns expenditures. most strong when
1t only exercises authority which Is
beneficial in its action. These are OBJ
v1ous truths, but they are the founda-
ton, Of. the: Democratic theory Of pa
trtotfc+A American government The
legislation: which most: affects us is
local legislation. The good order of
society, the protection Of property, the
promotion Of intelligence. the enforcse-
| ment of statutes, or the UNFOLDING of
moral restraints mainly depend upon
the virtue and wisdom of the inhabi-
tants of: the minor civil divisions not
Of the: big and busting cities OF the
country. Upon such~questions,; as far
as they particularly concern them
selves, the people are intelligent. The
wisest statesmen living and acting al
Washington can not understand these
affairs nor can they@conduct them ais
| welE as the citizens. upon the, ground.
What is true of, one: town is true OF
all towns in the United States. :, ~ 1,
! : 4 The True Theory. Il =,
The theory of local self government
| is not: founded ~uponeany sidea that the
people are Vlftuous and intelligent, but
1t attempts to- distribute; each partic-
ular~' power to those WHO. have the
greatest interest ins it's Wise and faith
ful exercise. lit gives to every town
ship the right to- direct its own local
| Affairs: the people of a town being
more sintelfigent about their own. at
fairs than the public Of any. other To-
cality = In the same way it leaves to
every, county the. aegislation that per-
tains to the county, and to every state
the. legislation that pertains to the
state. Such distribution of political
1 power is; founded con the principle tina.
persons most interested lin any matter
manage It better than wiser men can
| who are not interested there Govern
ment, like charity, begins at home.
/ w The Taxing Power. ~.
! The power to tax the consumer and
the producer for the needs of govern
ment is limited to- the requirements
/ or the government-that and no more
I 1t is no part Of the function Of tho
Federal government to promote or pro-
tect one particular interets any mora
than It is the right of the government
to discriminate and prejudice another.
/ By degrees the expenditures Of the
! United States government have been
growing in much more rapid ratio
than seither the population OF the
| country, great asst is, or the resourc-
/ es Of the country, vast as they are,
! M NJ times Of financial difficulty the
! Democratic party renews 1t sadmont-
4 ton, made SO many times before, that
the government, like an individual.
should live. always within its means.
and not be pledging the peoples sub
! stance Of the day. under the hope OF
capitalizing the shadow Of their pros.
perity tomorroW VI. 55ss ii ~ i1.s %5<