Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-02-09
THE COMING TEST OF THE
PROGRESSlVES.

10 W OSSO1AAC Ayct014CdA d44u 11lIo-
take the shadow for the substance
is the secret Of so many failures
and so many discouragements. When
the real enemies of popular govern
ment find themselves driven into a
corner they make scapegoat of one
of their faithful servants and permit
him to be driven from his position
to satisfy the public clamor, and
then proceed in the same old way to
accomplish the same results thru
new men and possibly with some
change Of tactics. Just now the
insurgent movement among the re-
publicans has emphasized the evils
of arbitrary control of congress and
there is a great public outcry against
Speaker Cannon which may result in
his overthrow. But will his forced
retirement mean the overthrow of
the system of which he is the present
embodiment? Senator LaFolletteis
the statesman with a clear vision,
and the following editorial in the
last issue of his weekly magazine
shows what the real "Cannonism"
is and where its qualifications ex-
tend:
"The downfall of Cannon may be
imminent. But do not cheer when
that event happens. Cannonism is
not the car rules of the House of
Representatives. Cannonism is not
the power of the Speaker to name
committees and by that means con-
troll all legislation. Nor is it the
control of the ''pork BARREL" by
which the appropriations. for federal
buildings, for river and harbor ap-
preparations, for all the good things
that endear the Congressman to
hungry constituents, are passed
around to those who are good and
withheld from those who rebel.
No, Cannonism is not these things,
any more than it is the autocratic
power which the Speaker holds over
the political carer of the members
of the House. All these things
might be destroyed; all the excessive
authority of the Speaker might be
taken away; the Speaker himself
might be defeated or retire from
the halls CT congress. That would
be time for rejoicing, it is true,
but it would also be time for
prayer and watchfulness. Then the
eyes of the people should be riveted
on their Representatives more firmly
than ever. Then they should scruti-
nize their acts more carefully than
they have been doing during the
past months.
For Joseph Cannon is not Can.
nonism. Neither are these evils
which we charge so holly against.
Cannonism is something far graver,
far more dangerous, far more ser.
pent-like than any one man, or the
rules which he has used to enforce
his will. Cannonism is the control
of the House Of Representatives by
the same group of the interests
which are intrenched in the Senate
And when the end of Cannon comes,
the privileged interests which will
. make use of the power Of the Speak.
er to frame all laws to suit theil
will; the interests which were re-
sponsible for the Aldrich Tariff
law; the emasculation of railway
control legislation and the enthrone
ment of the land, mining and timber
! interests Of the West, will be bus,
choosing his successor. For Americ;
is not ruled by men. America il
ruled by closely related group o.
interests, which have fastened
monopoly upon the people by means
of legislation. They form an eco
nomic oliarchy. They run ant
ramify into every Congressional dis
, trict. They send their lawyers
their friends and their stakeholder!
) to Congress to do their will. The,
form class as sympathetic as an,
board OF directors and they contro
the tools of democracy as ever the,
controlled the tools of the countries
4 Of Europe.
!, This is the political system which
lies behind Cannon ism. AM
will not be ousted without fight
. 1t may abandon Cannon as no Longer
available for it's use. 1t may ap
. pear to bow before the popular
, storm. 1t may even permit tn,
people to hug to themselves in the be
lief in victory. But Cannonism will
not pass away with the mere defea
Of the present Speaker. 1t ma.
. arise in more dangerous form il
f the shape of someone more caution
. than he, more democratic in assur
ances and to all intents and purpose
a Progressive"
e 1.-The test of the Progressives viii
: come when they are faced with tn
e difficulty Of choosing a successor
For there are wolves in sheep
| oI0fb ino fhof will d. &bo 1,,;ll ~