Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-03

law declares that the maximum pas-
| senger fare per mile shall be two
| cents then that law should be allowed
| to stand and be enforced until it is de-
| clared void by the courts in the regu-
lar way. No mere Injunction, based
upon no evidence, should have the
| vital power to arrest the execution of
q state law. Other states have been
treated to this dangerous procedure
| and Iowa voters should remember that
we are not immune from this very
same danger. Just in the proportion
that federal power is unduly concen-
| trated will true liberty be diminished.
| Arbitrary power and true liberty
never were and never will be co-exist-
| ent. AS the one Is built UP the other
will be pulled down The most sacred
Of all our political ideals is the prin-
ciple of home rule. If we carelessly
surrender it nothing short of a san
| culinary revolution will ever restore
it. Air to the existence of animal life
Is no more essential than home rule
is to truly republican state. In the
poisoned atmosphere of arbitrary
power liberty will not only languish,
but perish. Without the vital essence
of the principles of home rule the
states would soon lapse into the
pitiable condition of minor dependen-
cies and the proud citizenship of our
people degenerate and take on the
contemplate character of inferiority
and serfdom
Election of United States Senators.
The constitutional provision that the
legislatures of the States elect United
States Senators is fast becoming OBJ
solete and should be struck from that
instrument. Aside from the Senators
themselves and interested politicians
and bosses, has solid reason ever
been advanced why the people should
not elect their representatives In the
upper house precisely as they do their
representatives In the lower house?
Both Senators and Representatives
exercise the same power, delegated
power, both are commissioned by the
people to DO the same thing; that is,
to legislate for them. If voter be
qualified to vote directly for one of
these public servants why should he
be declared incompetent to vote for
the other public servant? Why not
exercise the direct voting power in
both cases instead of delegating it to
another person In choosing Senator?
The whole subject becomes clear
when we remember that it is in the
Senate where special interests put
their special pleaders. The vigilance
of corporations fills the senate cham
Der with its Aldrichs, Depews and
Platts and when through the power of
| downright genius LaFollette breaks
in, he Is treated with such degree
of contempt as to be positively i'll
famous.
The Future OF Reform Forces.
Every true democrat must rejoice
over the present political situation.
To know that some of his cherished
principles are now conspicuous planks
of the republican platform, to know
that the advocacy of democratic ideas
has made a republican president i'm
mensely popular with all, except the
political bosses and the frenzied finan-
ciers, is, in itself, a splendid reward
for his long years of patience and de-
votion. To watch the democratic mi
crobe crawl into the conscience of
republicans and take possession of
their thinking machinery is a spec
| tacle SO uncommon, so gloriously i'm
| presslve, as to reassure every chronic
doubter that there is yet a God of
| Israel. Whatever the outcome of the
approaching presidential election the
force of political gravitation will
sweep away every obstacle that now
seems to divide the reform forces.
Kindly fate has, or will, decree, that
the Larrabees, the Cumminses, the
LaFollettes. and the organs and
Roosevelts cannot be kept apart The
sympathy and power springing from
reform ideas will not long permit It's
votartes to dwell apart in separate
camps. The advocacy of the same
| principles, the ambition to accomplish
like results, the holy purpose to
| serve the cause of the common people,
as against the enemies of society,
Will compel the union Of these kindred
forces and invest it with numerical
and moral strength that will add new
dignity and new power "to the battle
cry of freedom"
Show Progress Of Reform.
One of the things difficult to under
stand is the slow degree of progress
attending all reformatory measures.
However notorious any evil may be
the proposition to destroy this evil or
even to mitigate 1t is certain to be
stubbornly and cunningly resisted.
This Is Understandable to the extent
that interested parties who profit by
the existence Of this evil may be ex-
pected to resist 1t abolition. 1t Is al
SO understandable that no lofty ideas
or ideals but only the basest of hui
man conceptions, greed, selfishness
and sheer love of power inspire the
opposition to reform. But no reform
could be long delayed if none but sell
fshly interested parties would fight
reform movements. Their numerical
strength would be so feeble that they
could be easily overcome. What is
inexplicable is the fact that usually by
far the greater number of those array.
ed against a reform movement are the
very ones who should be on the re-
! form side, who should help push the
reform along. Men who have nothing
to gain except their own degradation
will fight a reform more fiercely, more
irrationally, than the directly inter
eSted class This stranpe nhenomennn