Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-09

Minnesota Governor Has Clear
Ideas Of Politics and Government.
Tarin the Vain Issuc-Opposed to the
surrender of the Functions Of the
state to the Federal Government
No Big Army or Navy.


given full statement Of his political
views to the New York World, and what
he says Is OF general interest. The es-
sential parts OF his statement follows:
1T seems to me that the slogan OF the
democratic party In the next campaign
and In every succeeding campaign until
the question is settled should be a re-
vision of the tariff-a most thorough re-
vision mind you, for It Is on this point
that | disagree with the President OF the
United States
II believe that the tariff more than
any other cause, has a direct bearing on
trusts. and places burden. direct and
indirect, on the people OF the country.
benefting no general class and good only
to privileged few. on this question
tn" Democratic party certainly stands
united, and on all other matters the
Democratic party stands with the peo-
pie.
Its position is so well established that
it can, believe. be taken for granted
that while we are fighting for a tariff
revision, we at the same time are for A
proper enforcement of the law, and con-
troll Of all the Industrial, transportation
and commercial evils which now confront
US.
Recently there has been promulgated
! the doctrine of greater Capitalization Of
power in the federal government. Under
our system of government the States are
| sovereign within their domains in regard
| to all domestic affairs of the common
wealth, and any departure from this
theory would be. in my mind. dangerous
as dangerous as though one arm Of the
| government were to assume the functions
| of another branch of the civil govern
ment or as If the States were to en-
croach on the constitutional prerogatives
of the national government.
AGAINST GENERALIZATION.
| II am not In favor of the State sur
rendering to the federal government any
| rights it now enjoys. 1t seems to me
that the national government has its
work pretty well cut out and that itshou!d
| do better those things it now has on
hand rather than take on increased ac-
tvities In now fields
| For example: There IS the PROPOSE
ton for federal inspection of grain
! Now the State OF Minnesota has n sys-
tenn Of grain inspection already In force
an inspection satisfactory not only to
growers and millers, but even to foreign
dealers. 1t puts the stamp of authority
| on every hushel
| THE federal government with all its
mutifarious duties. could not do better
| than this state does. Again We have in
| Minnesota a pure food law Of our own
which, in comparison with the pure food
law OF national government, works far
better practical results
II do not believe 1t is the province IF
the federal government to assume those
functions which rightly belong to the in
d!vidual States. There are laws enough
already in the federal statute book 70
pretty we'll occupy the time of the ad-
| mnistration.
New conditions naturally bring about
necessity for additional laws hut al pres
ent what We need is better enforcement
of existing laws. Perhaps enforcement Is
too strong and radical a term. I should
have said administration. Let us have
better administration Of the laws. The
Sherman act lay dormant for many years
before it was taken mp and made the in
strument to curb corporation evils. The
railroads and the great corporations want
federal control, federal incorporation. fed
eral regulation. do not favor such il
system.
The state creates corporations, gives
them life. affords them police protection
and has the power to tax them. What
tho State has tho right 10 create cannot
be taken away from its control.
PROTECTION OF PROPERTY.
II do not believe IN legalized dcstruc-
ton and conhscation of property There
is right to property. Government Is
bound to give protection to property just
a 1t protects human life. The right 10
enjoy property is guaranteed under tho
constitution and it can bc denied to no
citizen. The man who has a dollar In
vested in farm or factory has a right to
have that equity safeguardci from tn =
attacks OF the INSCRIPTIONS flnancicr on
the one hand and the extreme radical on
the other.
Federal Incorporation. supervision and
regulation Of corporations would require
n vast system Of administrative and legal
machinery to come down within the reach
of the individual. To the majority of our
citizens In Minnesota Washington is as
far away as Japan. They could not come
into touch with or derive the personal
benefits of national control conferred in
the capital.
STATE RIGHTS.
mo, l believe in the right Of tn,
States to govern and to control that
which they create. They are hest able
to protect and to safeguard the leglti-
mate rights Of property. of business
and Of the Individual. believe I'm the
right of men to possess capital and ia
join that capital In cooperative svs-
tenn OF doing business. usually called ,
corporation. CaOital invested IN o,to.