Mower County transcript., 1908-03-04


such men to the legislature who are
loyal to the interest Of their consti-
tuents, who will work and vote for
improvements Of our primary cleo
ton system; for Improvement of our
school system, especially in agricul-
ture; county local option law; who
will elect speaker of the House who
will not appoint men on the temper
ance committee who are opposed to
the local county option and temper
ance; and who are competent and
capable to represent the people in
/ the legislative halls of Minnesota to
the honor and dignity of the state.
A lawmaker is the most important
office of trust that can be conferred
upon any one. Their hands are not
tied down by official bonds or set
rules like a clerical official is. They
are only under moral obligation to
their constituents. There seems to
be an erroneous idea among some
people that the average American
citizen, who may have Deen taught
q. little about civil government in
the grammar school is entirely COM
petent to assume the role Of law
maker. When a citizen has good
watch to repair he takes it to an
expert and would never think of
touching it himself; We it would be
simplicity itself compared with the
complex and intricate work of the
legislator Under our system of gov
ernment it becomes the duty of the
people to select the wisest and best
among them as legislators. Only
those who have made a special study
OF public affairs should be eligible.
No business on earth calls for higher
qualifications than does that of the
lawmaker. We should select the best
Informed and most broad-minded
men on political economy available
in our midst for the legislative as
sembly.
! There are also national issues in
volved in this campaign. We should
bear close in mind that we elect all
nine congressman from Minnesota
this year. We should see to it that
we select efficient and able states
men who are possessed :. of the pro-
gressive spirit to represent our great
: commonwealth in the legislative
halls of congress, and have our ma
tional interest we'll in hand. The
"standpatters' should take due no.
tice of the signs of the times, and
); remember: that they are not dicta-
;. tors for, but representatives of the
people, and not play into the hands
of the monopolies and trusts and
lumber barons. The tariff schedules
tof the United States must be revised
, to meet present conditions in the
near future, as the public sentiment
,on that issue is irresistible. The
AmeEican protective policy performed
nW function well In protecting and
fostering home industries, protect
ing American labor and enabling
them to maintain a. higher standard
of living than in any other country,
and giving us home market for
our farm products. TO bridge over
the difference in the cost of produc-
tiOn at home and abroad and to en-
able the manufacturer to sell his
manufactured products in the open
markets of the world with fair
profit is the object of the protective
> tariff, and whenever it goes beyond
that it is out of it's equilibrium and
will foster monopoly, and enrich
few large syndicates under our trust
system, and rob the people instead
of protecting them. Now, I don't
say that our protective tariff sys-
tenn has outlived it's usefulness, but
do say that many of our tariff
schedules should be revised and re-
duced in large measured especially
with the Philippine islands) which
the conditions of the time will war
rant, without disturbing the indus
trial and commercial progress of our
country. Equal rights to all and
special privileges to none'' is. our
motto. That is President Roosevelt's S
policy and that is the fundamental
function of American policy. We
don't want to reduce the tariff to
the level of Democratic free trade,
but to a just and equitable protect
i've basis, and it must be done by
the Republican party. But congress
never gets ready to take hold and
revise the tariff. Every national cam
paign the politicians are afraid to
pledge themselves for revision, be-
cause they fear they will lose pres
tige and votes, although they know
the rank and file of the people
wants ~ And tho Hofordno ffo,,c ~