Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-24
OF REFORM AUDIBLE
Tariff Revision and Control of Cor.
porations Demanded.
LOCAL OPTION TO BE. AN ISSUE
Primaries Being Held in North Da-
kota Today-Fight Being Made
Against Senator Hansbrough.

center of the northwest one hears plainly
the thunder of the wave Of reform. pro-
gressiveness and destruction of old and
hide-bound standards of politics and lite
which is sweeping with irresistible fonce
over this section of the country. All
sorts and conditions of politicians gravi.
tate to st. Paul, one time and another.
and bring information concerning their
bailiwick. So, have been trotting around
among them for several days. gabblinG
about the state Of the Union as II affects
their own neighborhood.
They are a hustling and a busy people
up in this glorious region. but they are .
thoughtful people with a most pronounced
home life and jealous home spirit. In re-
cent years they have begun to correllate
politics and the inner life of the commu-
nifty. The preaching of Theodore Roose-
welt, of La Toilette, of Bryan. have sunk
deep into their hearts. They are standing
by for a rush into the intrenchments or
the ultra-conservatives. and to great
many of them 1t will not make much dif-
ference whether they are led by demo
crat or republican If their own party 70
not ready to lead. Control Of corpora
tions, abatement. of excessive tarfn du-
t-cs. reform in state and municipal gov
ernment and control of the liquor tramc
are cardinal policies with the rank ana
file.
Later they will differentiate between the
platforms of the two parties In this re.
spect and will shade o.. into their poificaA
affiliations for their alignment on election
day. But the party platforms and canos-
dates will have to be ION the level They
must be able to convince the voters that
they can deliver the brand of the goods
which the people demand and not some
thing equally as good"
Tariff Revision Wanted.
These politicians from the different
states with whom I talked. each ono q.
reservoir of information about his own
territory declare that tariff revision 10 -.
garded by the people as almost equally
important as corporation control. 'Stand.
patism' is a byword and reproaoh IN
this region. They positively will not stand
II longer, and they have reached the p01uc
where there must be showdown &c
actual intention to do something. The
democrats believe that II their party we've
i'm full control of the government they
could get low tariff-that is, those OF them
who have forgotten the Wilson-Gormen
tariff act passed by democratic admins
tration.
The republican tariff revisionists point
to the democratic sentiment, plus their
own demands. as a reason for their party
needing the call of the country and acttne.
The unequivocal promise of the Chicago
publicans but the victory Of the House
leaders and the standpat element In Con-
gress in nominating Mr.. Sherman has
alarmed them.
can prospective nominees for Congress
pledge themselves to carry out the prom.
ises of the platform and to go on record
before being nominated. promising to
bring about revision. The public press OF
this section is on guard and will assist
in putting aspirants for congressional
nominations to the touch.
| am told that the demand for corpora
ton control is pretty well satisfied. SO Tar
as new schemes are concerned. But II 10
declared with emphasis that there must
be no backsliding and no faltering. The
.'reactionary'' is fearful being In the
minds of these people: he has horns ana
hoofs and a cloven foot. The Presidents
policies for federal supervision or railway
ca capitalization and amendment or the
Sherman law are accepted en- ploc De-
cause he recommends them. But the rams
and file do not understand the intricacies
enough to be very enthusiastic Iney
will insist upon the policies being enacteo
because the President wants them.
Every city and small town has had, or
is having or is contemplating having, Ne
watchword of the day. The reformers
are after the grafters i'm the Dig CITY.
Once i'm a while they score. more IRE"
ouently lose. but are not dismayeo.
Fight Over Prohibition.
Another big struggle Is coming over
local op;ion and prohibition. County
local option will be an issue I'm the cam.
paign for goevrnor in Minnesota this fails
The republicans are torn up over the
question whether to put 1t into their
platform. and If they fail to DO IL the
democrats will have a similar struggle
over the question. There Is. as everybody
~
and local option is mighty ucknsn
proposition for any party to tackle, ouS
public sentiment is gradually forcing
upon the politicians.
In Wisconsin the question which is ih-
teresting politicians most is, wiz Nns
radical La Toilette men flock TO bryan.
The best information j can get at tnis
time is that great many OF thein wiz
vote the Bryan ticket secretiS, wi'nous 1ss,.
instruction from their leader The Cni-
cago platform is not radical enough py
far for the advanced thinkers or the
La Toilette group. Ii Organism Is not
put up TO them too raw !he pe"e, ..
politicians from Wisconsin is that there
will be considerable focking TO Bryan
by La Toilette men. This will not Apply.
however. under any circumstances to the
German vote, 1T is thought
North Dakota Primaries
An interesting POLITICAL situation IN
North Dakota reaches a climax today. 1ha
primary elections being held to ex-
press a choice of candidates for the United
States Senate. House of Representatives
and various state and county offices, to
be voted upon next November. Senator
Hansbrough is fighting for his Official
life 1t is feared that no one of the cam
didates will receive 40 per cent OF the
vote and that there may be two repuoli-
can candidates in the field in next Novem-
ber's elections. 1t is a contest between
the old machine and the progressive fac
tion The four candidates for the sena-
torship are NJ. N. Johnson, Representa-.
tive Marshall, Senator Hansbrough and
c. b. Little. The old machine. under the
leadership of Alexander Mckenzie and
Judge Lamoure Is trying to hold Its own.
Senator Hansbrough formerly had the
support of the machine, but there has
been a rupture and the machine Is back
ing Little.
The menacing feature of the situation
to the republicans arises from the fact
that the primary law provides that unleso
one Of the senatorial candidates Of a party