The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-19

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 49,, 1911.
Dear Dad: Robert +. Johnson mas
drawn q cartoon in the Philadeiphla
North American which Is an excellent
illustration OF the present political
status. 1t represents a rat hunt. MI.
Common People is out with his club
and the terrier dog, Insurgency and
they are very intent on waiting FOR
rat to emerge from a hole labeled,
The Republican Party" Back OF Mr..
Common People is another hole LABEL
ed. Democratic Party" and out oil
this hole is seen emerging rat label
ed, Special Privilege" :.
The application OF the picture Will
be found In the various senatorial
situations where democratic legisla'
lures have been chosen.
The most hopeful note for progress
sive things Is that struck by Louis
Post, In a review Of recent happen
ings in this country and abroad.
"All over the world" says he, there
have been signs of democratic awak-
ening these five years past or more.
And not only are the signs grow
ing I'm number, but their promise is
being fulfilled.
Great Britain has had two cleo
lions, in which the right OF the peo-
pie to their land, the right or the irish
to govern themselves and therefore,
the right of the Welsh and the Scotch
and of the English and all the rest;
and the freedom of the common peo-
pie from lordly dictation, nave been
| In nh oh daTnnnranV
won. We hear in Great Britain the
slogan of Henry George In the tones
and terms of a Lloyd-George: and we
see there the practical working our
of Henry Georges primary specihca-
ton for emocracy-political. social
economic. Still under the British flag
we see the same democratic processes
regarding the land working them
selves out triumphantly In New Zea
land and Australia. Following the
British flag into Canada, the spirit OF
Henry George hovers over Vancouver
making IL the most prosperous city
on the Pacific coast; and thence
across the line, under the flag oil
Georges own birthright, that same
spirit makes itself felt In Washington
and Oregon.
Already the plans are under way
| 10 make Oregon bloom with the pros
perity OF en- Oregon for Oregonians
instead of an exploited plantation fol
nonresident plunderers. The adoption
by the people of Oregon at the recent
| election of the local option right Of
| taxation, which the capitalistic legis
latures of New York have stubborn
| ly refused her people these hfteer
years or more, is the first opportunity
afforded the counties OF any state. II
the union, of deciding, each for IL
self, whether or not II will adopt the
honest and prosperity-making system
of exemptlng industry and taxation
land monopoly.
THE came movement is felt in mid
die and eastern Canada, in greater
or less stages OF advancement, ant
Missouri toward the south and Rhode
island in the east are stirred with It's
rulsations. The day OF timld ap
nroaches toward Henry Georges
ideal is passing; the day of oper
struggle Tor Il with full discussion
among the people, and disentangled
from partisan and personal politics
IL at hand
For that probable contamination
as well as for other democratic ad
vances, we OF this country are in
debted to the great progress mGdt
I'm the first decade Of the century In
establishing systems OF direct legisla