Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-01-17
Vim. e. Lee says:

~ wish to announce that l am a
candidate for governor subject to the
action Of the republican state con-
vention. I deem it proper to say at
this time that if elected to that Of
fee l shall enter upon it's duties with
some experience in both the execu-
tive and legislative departments Of
our state government and shall de-
vote whatever experience, ability and
energy l possess to giving the state
a good business administration in
the interest Of all the people.
81 shall expect to famiiarize my
self with the administration Of each
of our state institutions and be in
close touch with the several boards
having them in charge. Ny undivid-
ed time will be given to the states
business, and the laws, whether good
or bad, will be rigidly enforced. APP
pointments will not be made to graf
fly anyone's ambition or to satisfy
any particular locality to build up a
political machine, but men will be Sc
lected for administrative Offices be-
cause Of their ability and their ca
pacity to help me carry on the bust
ness Of the state in business like
manner.
81 shall call the attention of the
legislature to the fact that condi-
ton necessary to good government is
the elimination Of the brewery and
saloon from politics, and that laws
should be passed which will secure
that much needed reform. With the
large breweries owning, or controll-
ing more than one-half the saloons
in the state, and continuing their pol
icy Of planting new ones wherever
there is promise Of profit above the
cost of a bartender, clean politics
and efficient wholesome government
is impossible. While the people per-
mitted the liquor traffic to control
elections, they are in a measure stop
ped from complaining if large bust
ness interests combine with the brew
cries to control legislation.
ut has been demonstrated that
questions in which the people are
keenly interested, such as the extern
sion and perfection of the primary
election law, state development, the
securing of emigration, equal distri-
button of the burden of taxation, the
income tax amendment to the feder-
al constitution and railway discrim-
nation cannot be rightly determined
in a legislative body in which the
brewery interest is paramount and
made the determining factor in every
issue, and l would favor such laws
as may be necessary to drive this in
terest out Of every department OF
our state government
eve all declare with pride that in
this country the government derives
it's powers from the consent Of the
governed. To me this means that
the will Of the people ought to be su-
preme and that their mature judy
ment reached in an orderly manner
through regularly appointed methods
must determine all policies and set
tie all questions in which the peo-
pile have common interest.
"1n this great country representa-
tive government is necessary, but
with proper organization and a wei
thought out system, the initiative and
referendum can be exercised by the
people on important questions with
beneficial results, and to me it is a
| monstrous doctrine that would de-
ny to the people the right to recall
in deliberate and orderly way the
power delegated to a public servant
For man to hold Office after the
people have deliberately shown they
!; no longer have confidence in him
would be of itself sufficient reason
for his recall. To say this would be
mob rule is to question the capacity
of the people for self government.
"The unrest of the times is but ar
! expression of dissatisfaction anc
distrust in the management of public
; affairs and the remedy lies in plac.
ing the responsibility of reform nnor
the people. 1t is their government
: and they must undertake the task
, and assume the responsibility oil
making it what it ought to be.
would consider it great privilege tt
be permitted to help them. I shall
, discuss these and perhaps other is.
sues more at length during the cam.
paign. "-William E. Lee, Long Prai,
RE, MINI.