Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-06-22

badly led, when their leaders lose
touch with the people, when their OBJ.
ject ceases to be everybody's welfare
and becomes somebody's profit, it is
time to change the leaders. One of
the most significant facts Of the time
is that the professional politicians ap-
pear to be wholly unaware of the great
moral change which has come over
political thinking in the last decade.
They fail to see that the political dog
mas, the political slogans, and the po-
1itical methods of the rast generation
have lost their power, and that our
people have come at last to Judge of
politics by the eternal rules of right
and wrong
COLLAR OF PRIVILEGE
, CANNOT BE HIDDEN.
a new life is stirring among the dry
bones Of formal platforms and artif-
cial issues. Morality has broken into
politics. Political leaders,, trust-bred
and TRUSTED, find it harder and harder
to conceal their actual character. The
brass-bound collar of privilege has be-
come plain upon their necks for all
men to see. They are known for what
they are, and their time is short. But
when they come to be retired it will
be of little use to replace an unfaith-
full public servant who wears the col
lar by another public servant with the
same collar around his neck. Above
all, what we need in every Office is
free men, representing free people.
The motto in every primary-in ev-
cry election-should be this: No
watch dogs of the interests need ap-
ply.
The old order, standing pat in dull
misunderstanding of the great for
ward sweep of a nation determined
on honesty and publicity in public af-
fairs, is already wearing thin under
the ceaseless hammering of the pro-
gressive onset. The demand of the
people for political progress will not
be denied. Does any man, not blinded
by personal interest or by the dust of
political dry rot, suppose that the bulk
of our people are anything else but
progressive? If such there be, let him
ask the young men, in whose minds
the politics of tomorrow first see the
light
The people of the United States de-
mand new deal and square deal.
They have grasped the fact that the
special interests are now in control of
public affairs. They have decided once
more to take control of their own bust
ness. For the last ten years the de-
termination to do so has been swell
ing like river. They insist that the
special interests shall go out of poll
tics or out of business-on or the
other. And the choice will lie with
the interests themselves. If they re-
sist, both the interests and the people
will suffer. If wisely they accept the
inevitable, the adjustment will not be
hard. It will do their business no
manner Of harm to make it conform
to the general welfare. But one way
or the other, conform it must.
SPECIAL INTERESTS MUST
GET OUT OF POLITICS.
The overshadowing question before
the American people today is this:
Shall the nation govern itself or shall
the interests run this country? The
one great political demand, underly-
ing all Others, giving meaning to all
others, is this: The special interests
must get out of politics. The old-style
leaders, seeking to switch public at
tention away from this one absorbing
and overwhelming issue, are pitifully
ridiculous and out of date. To try to
divert the march of an aroused public
conscience from this righteous in
evitable conflict by means of obsolete
political catchwords is like trying to
dam the Mississippi with dead leaves.
To drive the special interests out of
politics is 3 vast undertaking, for in
politics lies their strength. If they re-
sist, as doubtless they will, it will call
for nerve, endurance, and sacrifice on
the part of the people. 1t will be no
child's play, for the power of privilege
is great. But the power of our people
is greater still, and their steadfastness
is equal to the need. The task is
tremendous one, both in the demands
it will make and the rewards it will
bring. It must be undertaken soberly,
carried out firmly and justly, and re-
lentlessly followed to the very end.
Two things alone can bring success.
The first is honesty in public men,
without which no popular government
can long succeed. The second is COM
plete publicity of all the affairs in
which the public has an interest, such
as the business Of corporations and
political expenses during campaigns
and between them. To these ends,
many unfaithful public servants must
be retired, much wise legislation must
be framed and passed, and the "strug-
gle will be bitter and long. But it will
be we'll worth all it will cost, for self
government is at stake.
PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOULD
BE FREE FROM INFLUENCE.
There can be no legislative cure-all
for great political evils, but legisla-
ton can make easier the effective ex-
preston and execution of the popular
will. One step in this direction, which
I personally believe should be taken
without delay, is law forbidding any
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