Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-09-04

then the actual value only, the nine
billions should govern in the fixing of
rates. II railroads are permitted to
earn reasonable returns upon the ac-
tual value of their property no one Is
hurt no one has right to complain.
but If dividends and interest is to be
earned upon seven billions of water
then to that extent the public Is rob
bed.
Weak Spots In Our Political System.
Many voters throughout the state
will no doubt remember that I have
called frequent attention to what has
always appeared to me to be weak
spot in our system Of government |
have always pleaded for an enlarge
ment of the elective as contradistin.
guished from the appointive principle.
My faith in the ability Of the people
to elect their public functionaries is
stronger than 1t Is in the appointive
power. To enlarge the elective and
restrict the appointive principle is
certainly in harmony with the basic
principle Of popular government. To
strengthen the primary power of the
people to take care of t slselves and
their own public business, and In
corresponding degree. diminish the
power of the government to appoint
agents over them for this purpose
would, in my judgment, be reforma-
tory measure SO far reaching and so
entirely beneficial as to be entitled TO
the earnest support Of every good
citizen. While evidently it would be
| impracticable to elect every govern
ment clerk and many other subordf.
| $50 l,r,r
why the people should be denied the
| right and opportunity to elect tneir
| own postmasters? Are not the people
] of each locality better qualified to
i know who should handle their mail
than the appointive power at Wash
ington, acting solely upon the advise
| Of an individual congressman who
| utilizes the postmaster as cog in a
/ wheel in machine that is operated
i to promote the reelection of said con-
1 gresham? The competency of the
people of the states to elect the state
i Judiciary being conceded. has any
good reason ever been advanced why
they should be constitutionally depriy-
ed of like power to elect United
States Judges? Do not all these
Judges. whether state or federal per.
form similar functions? The misuse
of the power to appoint United States
Judges is so notorious that public con
fidence in the integrity of the federal
bench Is being rapidly destroyed. Cor
porations have been so active and sc
successful in getting so many Of their
! own lawyers upon the bench that the
. whole business is becoming scandal
: lied. When corporation lawyer gets
: on the bench through corporation in
). -fuence. he is apt to become corpor
, alton judge. His devotion to hi.
! former clients and benefactors doe.
q NOT cease when he takes the oatl
), Of office. The public interest seems t
= become secondary consideration thu
q promotion of corporate interests be
4 ing the controlling factor in the hand
ing down OF judicial decisions.
Tho Danger Of Federal Usurpation.
While democrats rejoice in Pres
). dent Roosevelt's activity in the caus
: of reform, while we have cheered hi1
; on in his crusade against the la,
q breakers and have supported him i
: his noble work with the same degre
. of devotion and loyalty that we -uor,i
y yet it .nai.rs us deeply that under hi
$ aim listzatiqQ. the federal atalel ss
70 nullify the power of State Govern
% ments to protect their people agains
"a corporate injustice. When State Go,
ernments have acted entirely with
. their constitutional rights and Stat
IS limits, federal judges have arbitraril
I. stepped in and without any evidence
e except the unsupported declaration c
n corporation, have suspended tn
&c operation of State laws and depose
is from their offices the judicial officer
is charged with the execution Of thes
!, laws. II this usurpation of the fede
n al judiciary is not checked, IS nc
le wholly abandoned, 1t will ultimatel
ii result In making such weaklings {
A. the States, such utterly subordinat
Il members OF the federal union tha
At their identity will cease to be disti,
u guishable. As democrats seeking onl
ID the welfare Of all our people, amin
,e to cripple no industry, to arrest n
If force making for the material pro,
4. ress of the whole country, we cry OIL
.. against this wholesale destruction
n local government. We warn all OF
.. fellow citizens in every state to r,
- Sc, this arbitrary invasion of tn
i. power Of their respective common
:. vealths. II the Iowa legislature b
law declares that the maximum PAL
senger fare per mile shall be tw
T. cents then that law should be Above
to stand and be enforced until 1t is ds
clared void by the courts in the regl
lar way. No mere Injunction. base
upon no evidence, should have tn
- vital power to arrest the execution G
. state law. Other states have bee
I treated to this dangerous procedur
e and Iowa voters should remember tina
we are not immune from this yer
. same danger. Just in the proportio
:, that federal power is unduly conce1
= trated will true liberty be diminished
Arbitrary power and true libert
> never were-and never will be co.eSis
4 ent. AS the one is built up the othe
Il will be pulled down. The most sacre
OF all our political ideals is the priI
! ciple of home rule. If we carelessl
n surrender 1t nothing short of sar
culinary revolution will ever restor
. It. Air to the existence of animal lif
4 is no more essential than home rul
ri Is to truly republican state In tn
"a poisoned atmosphere of arbitrar
power liberty will not only languis!
e but perish. Without the vital essenc
e Of the principles of home rule tn
,e states would soon lapse into tn
! pitiable condition of minor depende1
i cies and the proud citizenship OF on
n people degenerate and take on tn
" contemplate character Of inferiorit
i. and serfdom.
x Election Of United States Senators.