Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-01-28
q
Should Hold Uncontrolled
Resources for Use 81
the Public
by Chas. A. Llndbergh. J

TITO fu0IIC
(By Chas. A. Llndbergh
When our chilrden pass from their
graduation into man and womanhood
and enter the arena of practical life,
their ideals are moulded after the
principles that inspired the, framing Of
our constitution. Carefully guarded
by the education Of home, school ana
church. they have been taught the
best. and to believe il It. It is with
reluctance that would remove these
guardians Of our future any confidence
in our institutions; but they, with
the rest Of us, must learn through
contact with the selfish that not all
are actuated by q spirit OF patriotism
or by just motives. Many take adj
\ vantage of the protection afforded
them by the constitution, without
themselves living up to its principles
We cannot avoid dealing with these on
the basis of their seltishness =:
We should realize that though we
have prospered, our prosperity has
been due more to natures resources
than to advantages of our own crea-
ton; but now our natural resources
are largely controlled by monopoly,
and If we plain people are henceforth
to have prosperity, we shall have to
create it ourselves, principally by or
daily toll ana Intelligent management.
| Most of our timber, coal, iron. oil
and other natural resources were given
away. Now we need them; but
those to whom we have given them
maintain mcnopolies, and say to us
that our need is their gain, and since
we must have these commodities for
daily use, they take advantage OF our
I needs by charging us all they can
make us stand, which, for the most of
as, means all our earnings. It is not
our purpose now to complain of that,
but we should decide whether we
shall give them the rest; for they
want it all. q
The giving away of our natural
resources has come about through
the management of our government
Congress has passed many acts in
recent years, with a view to conserve
our resources, improve labor problems
and industry in general. Many of
these acts have been declared uncon-
stitutlonal. We are now seeking to
amend the constitution to overcome
court decisions that are considered in
conflict with our needs. Other amend
ments are suggested. Constantly, in
our attempt to le9islate we come in
conflict with the constitution. It leads
us to ask, has congress been wrong in
trying to. make laws that courts
declare voidf Have the courts been
wrong? or is the constitution wrong?
Somewhere, somehow, there is some.
body or something wrong; and we
must search it out.
10 start with, we may assume that
had everybody tried to do right, and
follow tho purpose of the constitution,
it would not have been found desirable
or necessary to suggest any amend
ments; but the fact of our having in
practice deviated from the spirit of
the constitution. has created some
conditions that are now fixed property
rights, and is established as g. part of
a. well.defined system. That makes
I necessary some laws to meet our com
mon necessities that could not have
been anticipated in the original draft
OF the constitution. Since our con-
ditions are not altogether satisfactory
and have SO developed under our own
political institution, it is we'll to
inquire into the operation of these. It
would not be fair to say that the presi-
dents, through their cabinet officers
control LEGISLATION; but they often
materially influence legislation some
times contrary to the best interests OF
the country. The same influence that
can influence for good can influence for
bad and practical experience shows
that selfshness too often dominates.
What are the influences that have
led us?
The presidents appoint and control
their cabinet officers; each of them has
large numbers of assistants and
subordinate officers and employees.
The executive departments are State,
Justice, Treasury. War, Navy, Post
Omce, Interior, Agriculture, and
Commerce and Labor. In the post.
Office department alone there are about
1926, 600 employees, whose work extend
into all parts of the country, even to
the smallest hamlet, and now by R. F.
D. to our farms. In the other depart.
ments likewise, the employees are
scattered over the country into all OF
the states. The judiciary is q co.
ordinate branch of government; but the
judges, the attorney general, and
United States district attroneys are
appointed by the presidents, or under
their direction, and these judges and
officers appoint others under them. In
addition to this great army of federal
employees. each state has govern
ment OF its own, with its counties and
districts; and then there are the great
city administrations, ali of which
have another great army Of officers,
assistants, and employees. Now,
while these federal, state, and
municipal officers, their assistants
and employees are not related to
each other in any personal sense, there
are nevertheless 81 mpathetic relations
between them all, with strong
tendencies tor combinations among