Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-01-17
TWO CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
William Lee Of Long Prairie and Samuel r. Gordon Of Browns
Valley Bid for Progressive Support for Republican
Nomination for Governor.
Sam Y. Gordon says:

Sam Y. Gordon says:
Because it is time to raise square,
ly in this state the issue between a
government responsive to the will and
need of the people, and a government
responsible chiefly to the will and
greed of system Of special inter-
ests, of which the brewery power in
politics is the keystone, I have deter
mined to become candidate for the
Republican nomination for Governor.
I therefore announce my candidacy
to the people Of Minnesota, in whom
1 put my trust, and before whom /
shall rest my case, and in doing so
pledge myself that if elected shall
advocate and work earnestly and un-
compromisingly to bring about the
following changes, all of which I be-
lieve to be essential to government
that shall be truly "of the people, by
the people, and for the people"
l. The absolute prohibition of
brewery ownership Of saloons, the
chief cause for the grossest evils of
the liquor traffic, and the chief
source Of brewery domination in
politics and public affairs, which is
at once the most subtle, the most
crude, the most sinister, and the most
mischievous force in the public life
of this commonwealth.
2. The adoption of the statewide
primary and the presidential prim.
airy, to the end that bosses, backed
and financed though they may b.
by the money Of arrogant, selfish in
terests, shall be forced to surrend'
er their misused power to the peo'
pie, to whom it belongs, and from
whom it has been taken. These meas
ures should be accompanied by tn
further safeguard Of a right and eff
fective corrupt practices act.
3. The adoption Of the initiative
the referendum and the recall, to tn
end that the people shall have tn
closest possible control Of govern
mental operations. There is wild
division of opinion as to the wisdom
Of applying the recall principle t.
judges, and as this is in the expert
mental stage, / do not believe that i
should become an issue in this stat
until it has been tried by the state'
that have adopted it.
| 4. A fair, honest and equitable
legislative reapportionment, tina
shall do exact justice to all, and tina
shall remove the gross injustice O.
the present legislative apportion
ment, and so end for all time sec
tional feeling, from which nothin.
but harm can come.
! 5. A reorganization of state de-
apartments for economy and eficien
Icy, including the assembling unde
one effective department Of al
branches relating to the proper car
and development Of the states re
sources Of land, timber, iron ore, etc.
and the settlement Of idle areas
together with a rigid curtailment o
the expenses of the state govern
ment, legislative and executive.
! 6. The ratification of the Fedora
income tax amendment.
| z. Strict regulation of rai1roa.
rates and service, that shall put thi
state on an equality with it's neighbo
states, and that shall put every par
of the state on the same basis o.
fairness, with special favors neithe.
to individuals nor to communities.
| 8. A thorough readjustment O.
railroad and other taxes, to the enc
that each individual and each indus
try shall pay according to it's abilit.
to pay, and not according to it's abil
ity, through cunning or the PROPOSE
ton of political power, to shoulde:
a part of it's just share of the ia,
burden off upon others.
| l intend this statement as a chal
lenge and as an appeal; as a chal
lenge of the right of an organizatio,
Of brewery and other interests t,
dominate public affairs and to die
tate party policies; and as an appea
to the people Of Minnesota to end
for all time, the intolerable domino
ton that smothers popular govern
|ment in this state.
! SAM Y. GORDON.
Browns Valley, Mimi, Jan. Is, 1912