Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-03-12
PRESIDENT URGES
CONGRESS TO ACT
"TlME TO WREsT CONTROL OF
COUNTRY FROM THE GREEDY
CORPORATIONS"
"GRAVE MENACE IN REACTION
AIRY WORK OF REPRESENTA-.
TIVEs OF PREDATORY
WEALTH."


| seems to me lays bare a condition
well known to him who has given
governmental affairs thoughtful stu.
dy; but to the people in general who
have allowed themselves to continue
to take for granted that this is a gov
eminent "of the people, by the peo-
pie and for the people, it must be
startling information. What is the
situation? The message of the presi-
dent indicates: First, that congress is
doing nothing. Second, that preda-
| tory or piundered wealth is at the
bottom of the inactivity of congress.
Third, that our country is in the con.
troll of greedy corporations.
| fully agree wit hthe president;
| but would have added to the secont
proposition that not only is preda-
| tory wealth at the bottom of the in.
| activity of congress, but members of
congress are playing politics to con
tinue themselves in power That is
| nothing new; that is what is done at
every session and what is true of con-
gress is true of our state legislatures.
Laws are proposed, worked for, and,
passed often with an eye singly to
the individuals or the political par.
tvs chance for reelection, and this is
| one of the reasons why our govern.
| mental affairs have reached such a
humiliating condition, which is laid
bare in the presidents message. One
thing is made very clear by the pres.
ent situation in congress and that is
that our legislators have absolute con.
troll, doing just as they please and that
the people are helpless. This is the
great failing of our representative
form of government, and is RESPONSE
BILE for the humiliating conditions to
which the president calls attention,
To me it seems highly improper to
clcthe law maker with absolute pow
err and turn him loose in congress
or in the legislatures, to do or not to
do just exactly as he chooses. do
not see how we can expect anything
else under such conditions than that
corporate greed will be in the as
tendency and that predatory wealth
will dictate the policy of our legis-
lative bodies. zse4 sile ~
The president does well to remind
congress of it's duty; but we need not
expect any radical relief from that
source. If our country is in control
of greedy corporations, as the mes
sage indicates, such control must have
been secured during the service OF
most CT the present congressman
| Congress, with the preceding con,
! crosses, are responsible for the pres.
ent conditions. We cannot expect
these same men to reverse themselves
take off their coats, and put in their
| time earnestly fighting for just laws
which will put stop to the en-.
croachments of the greedy corpora.
tons and make the influence of pre-
datory wealth fruitless; this can on
ly, be secured through the restoring
to the people the right of selfgovern
ment, and this restoration cannot be
secured unless the individual votel
refuses to support anyone for the leg
islature or congress who will no
pledge himself to work for and vote
for the principles of the initiative ant
referendum until they are enacted in
to law and made part of our nationa
constitution as well as our state con
stitution. A resolution has alread.
been introduced in congress provid
for the adoption of the initiative an,
Referendum principles in national al
fairs.
The Remedy
i How would the adoption of the in
; itiative and referendum effect tn
Z humiliating conditions to which tn
president calls attention?
If the people had right to propos
I laws in case congress failed to &C
9 our congressman would cease playin
e politics at once, and get busy and pas
y such laws as the people want; for
the people had to initiate laws, tn
congressman would stand convicte
q of having failed to do his duty an
q his political career would be at a
: end. The grave menace of pred;
q tory wealth would cease at once
for no one would waste his money
secure the enactment of laws whic
8 the people in all probability would d
4 feat at once through the use of tn
. referendum. Our country would NJ
;, need to be vested from the control
:, greedy corporations" because tn
people would be in control not onl