Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-02-28

have yet to decide whefssr 70 settle
the land owership problem By CO.
operation or by government assist
ance. This 10 the most important ques-
ton before the country tS1cy. Il Il
q question that directly affects crop
production The farmer. as the one
most directly concerned, must be fore
most In the solution. Yet be is by no
means the only one affected. The
prosperity Of the whole nation Is d.
rectly concerned. for the nations food
supply IL hanging ia the balance.
If the high prices impress upon the
country the fact that national pros
perity depends as much upon the pros
perity Of the farmer as upon that Of
the manufacturer, the farmers exist
enee win be justified The day Of a
government Of the people. by the farm
ers. for the cities. is at an end The
farmer must be considered In IegisIa-
ton He viii force consideration Of
his interests. He Is already demand
ing his rights.
There need be no fear of the farmer
domination of government In this coun-
try. Our territory Is too large and our
interests too varied. At the same time
all indications point to the fact that
business domination must end If
business cannot thrive without special
favors from legislatures If would bet
ter be left to exc out a sickly exist
ence The truth is 1t can thrive on the
same treatment that is melted out to
the rest Of the citizens of the United
States.
Fair legislation will not hurt bust
ness. 1t may hurt some of the over
fattened parasites who hide behind
the shelter of business and raise the
cry of panic every time a reform is
proposed. If II does. SO much the bet
ter The world can do without them
very well. The city harbors too many
people whose right to live is not based
upon anything they have ever done for
society. II Is to the country statesman,
with views unbiased by the intoxica-
ton of luxurious living that we must
look for the initiation of this great re-
form. Ills innate sense of justice will
not be satisfied with the shadow of re-
forrn His natural conservatism will
prevent radical steps that defeat the
purpose of reform. Under his guild
ance the details of popular govern
ment win be worked out to a success
full conclusion. Government by spe-
cial interests must end Real repre-
Two. a rs
place The short ballot. the direct pri-
mary and the initiative and referen-
dum are all steps to that end. Any
thing that win make machine rule
more difficult and popular rule more
simple is for The general good
Most of the problems of popular gov
eminent are still to be worked out,
No one can forsee the exact trend
which popular government will take.
There are several influences at work,
however, which show in a measure the
tendency Of the times. II is not likely
that the government Of the United
States will develop paternalism
which some other countries call gov
eminent by the people. There is too
much lndvidualism about the Amer
lean people for that. While the Cana
dian farmers have been actively cam
paigning for government ownership Of
elevators the farmers of the United
States have solved the grain trust
problem through cooperation. While
the agitation for the postal savings
bank has been SWEEPING over the coun-
try. the farmer has never actively de-
manded that the government go into
the banking business. lie Is not averse
to the idea of safe depository where
the laborers of the cities can deposit
their savings. He admits that postal
savings banks may be a convenience
I'm some communities and may be the
means Of bringing boarded money into
circulation. For the most part, how
ever. he is satisfied with his co-opera-