Little Falls herald., 1912-10-18
Personality VS., Principle.

Personality VS.. Principle.
One feature of the Initiative and ref
erendum remains to be mentioned.
Little attention is ever given it. To
me it appears of great importance.
It will separate the personality of the
candidate from the questions to be
settled. -. Under our present system
the candidates personality is often
more potent in deciding an election
than the principles for which he
stands: In this way many bad meas
ures have found support Indirectly
that would have been defeated on their
own merits. When we have the ini-
tiative and referendum, we can honor
the man We personally favor without
voting against our own interests. We
will not need to be SO much con-
cerned about the policies for which he
stands. If they don't suit us, We can
adopt others without being compelled
to oppose friend whose personal
qualities We admire. This alone is
worth enough to justify the adoption
of the initiative and referendum.
An EpochaI Issue.
i" **
Criticism will BE leveled at us
by those who are opposed to this
improvement in the form of our
government. They will tell you
that our platform is too short;
that we do not advocate a suffi-
cient number of issues to make a
really progressive platform. But
that will not be their real reason
for their criticism. The real rea-
son will be that it is too progress
sive to suit them. They know that
if you adopt these proposals you
will have taken the longest step
toward perfecting popular rule
that has been taken since the Dec
laration Of independence. It will
make effective a principle which is
the keynote of that document.
The length of program is not
the test of it's virtue. The shorter,
the better, if it reaches the point.
One of the old warlike Scottish
chiefs said that he believed "in
short speeches and long daggers.'
The initiative, referendum, and re-
call, are a short platform as ex-
pressed in words, but in practice
they will be the long daggers that
will destroy monopoly and special ):
y. =.
Candidates Have No Claims.
So far as I am concerned you owe
me nothing. No man has anything
coming from the public. You owe no
man an Office. You owe no man a
vote. The vote is yours. 1t is yours
to use for your own benefit and for
the benefit of all. If a candidate
stands for the things you want, you
owe it to yourself to support him;
not for his sake, but for your own.
Only one thing can justify me and
those who stand with me in asking you
to vote for us-that we support such
measures as will help you to help
yourselves.
The issues have discussed are part
ly state and partly national. There
are many matters effecting the poll
cies of the state which deserve serious
and earnest consideration. At this
time shall content myself with emu
merating some of the more important
of them.
Briefly stated they are:
Saving, to the people of this and
future generations, our water courses,
the development of'a system of high
perity and enjoyment, the protection
enactment Of fair and just compen-
sation law to cover industrial accidents
and, last but not least, changes in our
tax laws that will encourage improve
ments rather than speculation. These
T h o0n IN v0rsvys1 In
at some other time as the campaign
progresses. We are under the same
disability with regard to these issues
that have been discussed more in de-
tail. Here we again face the same
task. We must improve the macl1in-
cry of our government if we want it
to serve for the protection and welfa'
of all. We must have the initial xaa
and referendum. They will give VI
to our will and enable us to be
masters of our own political destiny.
Standing here at this time I cannot
refrain from saying a word to the
young men-particularly to the young
men who have not yet cast their first
vote.
Only one consideration should weigh
in public affairs. Do what your con-
science tells you is right. You may be
lonesome for a time, but, you can bet
ter afford to stand alone and be right
than be with the majority when it is
wrong.
+ + +
s. 1t is better to be harnessed to
x the car of progress while you are
$ young, with the hope of attaining
= your ideals as reward for faith
IS full service, than to ride at ease
s. in the morning and be left in the
$ ditch of failure as the sun of your y
;: life sinks toward the west. What
q the world needs is courage and
* conscience to face the problems
= of our civilization. Be not afraid
Il of bo do n