Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-01-21
in THE GR Up. or TRUSTS
Public Opinion Necessary
to Restore Government
to the People
by Charles A. Llndbereh. J


pearance at Washington In such
vigorous torn that toe under current
of excitement Is creating consterna'
ton in many quarters. Old Washing
ton. which had gone over to the Trusts
and left us, looks very much as If it
would be brought back to the govern
ment OF the U. s. Public opinion is a
quantity which the trusts cannot
corner, and money cannot control it as
long as only a favored few are getting
the real lasting benefits of prosperity
but the real trouble for the trusts is
that public opinion IS lnvincible, the
outgrowth of conscience, in the support
of our common interests, and IS in.
compatible with the purposes of
trusts The natural fear Of public
opinion IS the origin OF the trust
created expression whereby the people
are designated as the galleries. -
Any one appealing to the people Is
said to be talking to the galleries. -
Autocrats like to term the people thus,
and while they are playing, they
charge them "box prices for mere
standing room IN the theatre of life
More directly stated: They are 'play-
ing their game" and the people work
to support them.
Under the constitution, we are
divided into congressional representa-
tive districts, with equal representa-.
tive authority. But the Washington
government has disregarded the idea
Of Equal representative authority.
by refusing to recognize representa-
tlves from districts not sending men
suited to its purpo>es. Of course, they
can not send them back home again,
Tut they are not consulted about the
patronage, nor other wishes, of their
districts. The direct and indirect
hahn from such disregard is easily ex-
emphtieu in the latest attempt of the
Cannon machine to induce the depart
ment$ to turn down representatives
who do not submit to Cannonism. It
is not the patronage that is so
material, but the effect Of its control
on measures to be acted upon. It is
not assumed that President Taft will
press any legislation that is unfavor-
able to us as a people. But suppose
that he did. 1t can be readily seen
how fear on the part of weak men,
bers. who regard patronage for a few
of their friends as more important
than measures vital to the people such
as control of trusts and other, would
largely influence such measures and
deprive each district of part OF its
influence in legislation. The practice is
wrong, and nothing but public con
domination will correct it, and IT the
people are to be trusted to run this
government. they should be trusted In
every district with the same I'M
partlality, and not be subjected to the
humiliation OF having the Washing
ton government deny them this
privilege. Of course, patronage IS a
necessary part in ths affairs of govern
ment: but the correct rule to follow
thereto IS to fill all appointive offices
with persons who consider public
rights superior to personal gains And
as soon as the machine is dlspossessed
OF its control and the people again
exercise their sovereign powers, those
who would hold Office through machine
patronage and are machine supporters
as against the people, will DO put out
and their places filled with honest,
capable men. But we must first de-
stroy the machine that lives on graft.
That IS the present battle.
Consider our nearest home point to
which the influence of patronage is
applied: the Second district in our
state Its present representative has
twice been selected to represent them
but in spite of that fact, the
audacious Washington government says
to the people there, that it will not
accept the man whom they have !
selected, and as a punishment to them
for not sending the kind of man
wanted by Washington, their district
patronage is taken from them. !,
Fortunately for that district, the state
has neither Platt nor Penrose for
senator to trade on patronage, and |
so no direct harm is done in this !
case, except to deprive the sovereign |
people there of sovereign right. For
that district has right to assert its |!
influence In congress, and should not !
be limited by taking from 1t a !
sovereign right, while other districts
possess theirs. This statement is
made without reflection on the present
or any previous administration, for
the practice is Of long standing, and
its undoing should have its initiative
IN demand by the people, The
present attempt of Cannonlsm to
press members into it's service by an
attempted use of the Washington
government IN Its distributions of
patronage, should be a signal to the
people to possess themselves of the
washington government, and make it
part of the U. s. No one can DENY
that the use of patronage for the
purpose of influencing the peoples
representatives, is mockery on re-
preventative government.
The controversy between the Foresty
and Interior departments, aside from
spreading all over the country, has
lnoeeo created very snappy
atmosphere IN Washington. The in.
vestigation is justified by the i'm
portance OF the subject; the public
wants the evidence. There no doubt
will be some disappointment with the
personnel of the committee, but if
Senator Nelson goes on as a member,
will not be disappointed IN