Mower County transcript., 1908-12-23

FARMER BEN
COLUMN
lf.vthis salary business keeps up We
who pays the taxes are goin' to be
swamped as sure as rats. It looks like
a large percentage of the total popula-
tion was lookin' for CRAFTS in the way
of salaried jobs SO as to liv off the rest
of humanity. Under Governor John.
son there's been awful increase of sal
aries to lazy louts who couldn't earn
one quarter at work. It's poke up sal
aries all the time A move is on to
raise the salaries of some or the. state
officials agen and double u 5. Judges
and even in our state legislator where
lot of grafters hav ben gettin' five dol
lars day who couldn't earn one at
anything else the movement to reduce
to three dollars a. day is frowned down
and the old steal will keep on. Its
salary grab all along the line from con-
gresham and governor down.. Taw-
ney was the champion of the infamous
salary grab and raise of congressman
and Governor johnson didn't raise a
speck of objection to signin' the bill
raisin' hie salary. Take it right in
Austin and see the leaks. It's simply
awful and swampin' to those who pay
the taxes.
Just as Farmer Ben expected on that
threat OF congress to rip President
Roosevelt up the back because of his
shown up of their lowlived act of cut
tin down appropriations for secret de:
tective service SO as to hamper it.
Farmer Ben stands squarely beside
the president and says without any re
servation that the curtaiiin' of the
presidents ferretin' out of criminals
was directly for the benefit of said
criminals and nobody else. Congress-
men hav ben before now mixed up in
land frauds and ther's no reason to
think some of them are above it now
There's awful lot of graft goin' on
and some congressman are maxim all
kinds of money and it looks material
that they would object to be showed up
If guilty. But any fool can see that to
cut out the presidents investigation OF
crime agenst the government is just in
favor of protectln' criminals and keep
in 'em from their just deserts. How
long since the people elected congress
men to stick up and perfect criminals
in their robbery?
1t just makes me split my sides with
laughin' when saw some of the dung.
hill roosters in congress swell up and
lay out what they were goin' to do with
Roosevelt because he told the truth in
his message. But they soon turned
tail and sneaked under the barn.
Roosevelt is in the right in this matter.
The congressman simply protected
criminals when they cut down the Sc
cret service appropriations. They'll
no more dare to open up the presi-
dents batteries on 'em than they would
eat carrion. They're towards because
the people see they're in the wrong.
Their bluff don't count feather.
Roosevelt had 'em licked before they
started in to criticise him. whatever
they do will be SO mild it will be like
strokin' kitten. I'm glad the presi-
dent showed up the measly, runt con
gressmen. Nothin' but the. big stick
will reach thru their pachydermatous
hides. They seem to be SO afraid
they'll lose their stand in with the big
trusts aad corporations that they won't
even furnish funds for reasonable de-
lection of offenders. J.
l don't like the ugly rnmors that our
state educational matters are to be
dragged into p0litix, that members of
the university and normal boards are
to be picked and kicked out on politl.
cal lines, that deans and others are to
be appointed by party tools not for
merit but for political pull and favor.
itism. One rumor is that Judge Buck
of Winona is to be kicked out of the
state normal board because he favored
Bryan for president insted Of j ohnson.s
It's crime agenst the people to- load
up educational interests with ,politixe
It's as low down as a official could get.
Our schools onght to be run in the in
terests Of the best methods and for the
peoples children. When it comes to
appointin' political sticks and nonen.
titles to eddicational offices Just to
draw the salaries and keep up a ma
chine it's traitor work no matter who
it's. Teachers ought to be picked for
ohili%v on1 not FOR mil Wo,vo ont