The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-12-12

UhSDAY, = DEC-EM.BER II
with the latter. Make the same
comparison between the members Of
the Minnesota legislature then and
now. Yes, and include your town.
ship, village, city and county of1ici.
ais. also the judiciary.
The alpha and omega of alleged
progressives of the present day is tc
devise more devious and costly meth.
DDS of selecting public officers. In
other words, to make government
more costly. BY and by we will
have elections every month in the
year if the present craze continues.
Any intelligent man can easily figure
out the cost of an election in his
township or precinct, and the ex-
penses of each election must be
borne by the taxpayers. 1t is not
only the cost of holding an election
that affects the tax-paye1s-and the
cost is no inconsiderable item-but it
is the loss of time and the continu-
GUS political turmoil which is any,
thing but conducive to the happiness
and prosperity of the people.
1t is high time to call halt, on
legislating for politicians and the
parasites of politicians. Practical
legislation in the interest of all the
people is what is needed and the
fewer laws enacted the betteff..
In this connection the following
editorial from the Minneapolis Jour-
nal is timely:
If speaker of the Minnesota house
is to be elected who will 'sstand for
a progressive program?" Should there
not be some public intimation of
what progressive program is?
Progress, in the minds of some,
means the initiative, referendum
and recall. In the minds of others it
would consist rather in modifying
the primary laws so that there might
be some party responsibility, instead
Of the higg]edy-piggledy chase for
office on personal platforms which
was the rule this year.
Probably reform of the latter kind
cannot be expected Of the coming
legislature. The frenzy for direct
government has not yet spent it's
force. Representative Institutions
are still on the defensive- Largely, it
should be said, because men elected
to representative positions often
prove by their antics that representa-
tive bodies are not much to be de-
pended upon for good sense.
The experience with constitutional
amendments in the recent election,
however, does not indicate that rep
resentative institutions can be dis
pensed with Immediately. The
alternative is to make the legislature
truly representative. If such a
legislature should meet today it
would not only concern itself with
the improvement Of our political
laws, but turn it's attention earnestly
to the solution of some of the vital
and pressing material problems of
the state. 1t would take steps to
see that Minnesota's land laws are
reformed and immigration encour-
aged. 1t would seek to settle on a
fair basis the pressing problem of
industrial accidents. 1t would in
stitute business methods in the state
departments.
There are so many things a legis-
lature can do to show that repre-
sentative institutions are not played
out, that one would suppose the men
elected to the coming legislature
would apply themselves to this proof
rather than ride personal hobby.
horses for three months, and adjourn
finally with the morale of represent
tative government greatly lowered.
Let the next legislature be sober in
every sense of the word.
"LET THE PEOPLE RULE,