Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1912-08-16
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lions OF pnpnc epQncY are OF sl1tt1e I'M.
portanee to: anyone but himself. But
whom no seeks an. office with power to
|irflueneeI the, future development Of .,
state, he owes il to those whose sup
port he seeks to tell them frankly what
principles he holds. as fundamental and
what issues to him appear Of Immediate
Importance so that they may know the,
nature Of the enterprise in which they
are invited to join him. Ny candidacy
is therefore the only fact which can
justify me in publishing this statement.
IF it appeals to the understanding the
Judgment and the sentiments Of the
people Of the state, it's author is en-
titled to their serious consideration. IF
it fails to do so, he has no claim upon
them. With this preface I make bold to
submit the following Platform in sup
port of my candidacy.
Representative government without
direct popular control of its policies is
a relic Of an age that is gone.
Under it's operation the resources of
a continent, the richest on earth, have
/ been taken from u.s. partly with and
partly without the color, Of law: Min
hesota, has been. one Of the principal
victims, .s.,.. T. ::
Tho. few who profit by this injustice
hold Us ct their mercy, This power is
un-American, despetic and dangerous.
Despotism lies IN substance, not in
form. .. -.
Through excessive prices, rooted in
monopoly, tribute is taken from us by
lawless combinations.
The cost Of living has been. doubled
SO that the few who control our re.
sources and public utilities may gorge
themselves on the substance drawn
from the earnings Of millions.
! Jeffelson said: "The land belongs in
| usujruct to the living" This can only
| mean that Nature s resources are the
inalienab1e property Of the people. If
! who come after us will be the victims
of despotism. =.
Industrial democracy is the only
| foundation broad enough to support
| free institutions and form the ground
| work for the development of strong,
virile people.
Political liberty cannot long outlive
economic freedom. We must regain in
dustrial independence or cease to be a
free people.
Our industrial conquest has been
brought about through special privi-
leges. Principal among these are: .Ex-
cessive tariff and other unjust taxes,
abuse of patent privileges, private con-
troll of the Nation 3 finances, and mon.
opolistic control Of transportation, re-
| sulting in the ruin Of free competition
and in the confscation Of minerals,
forests, and other resources originally
held by owners not affiliated with the
transportation monopoly.
During fifty years we have made
many attempts to reduce the tarif IF to
fair and reasonable basis. The net
! result has been an increase Of its bur.
dens. !
! We have tried to regulate trans
| portation companies and to deprive
them Of their monopoly-creating power.
| We have won many victories on paper,
but the march on conquest has gone on
until railroad combinations and trusts
haye=~bacome the wrongful owners Of
| natural resources worth, countless mil
| lions Of dollars. Those still owned by
the public are falling into the same
hands. Unless stopped, the conquest
will be completed. We shall stand strip
ped of natural resources unequalled in
all the world, a prodigal among it's
':people, reduced to the humiliating
necessity of begging favors of those
who have robbed. us.
But no economic. evil is beyond the
reach of people with the courage and
the will to do the work Of readjust-
ment which the development of their
time demands. .: 49,.
The sovereign power cannot be sold
or bartered away. The people who del
egated their power to their servants
can it back. at pleasure, and use
it for their own pcotection and bene-
fit. =. :
Many cures have been suggested for
the ills from which we suffer, but none
of them can help JUS until put into use
and supported by. a majority of the
people: go No human being can know
what the majority want until !, they
have expressed themselves. No. means
for such expression now: exists:t ( p: -
But the road lies open. Other states
have pointed the way. .,...
The initiative and referendum will
give voice to our: will. When we put
into our constitutions, the majority; can
choose any remedy which to them may
S00M N1ec huu SOOu.$ :: - :: Sc: =
Within the state us. the place to ap-
ply them first. When they have been
firmly. established here: they can be
added to our federal constitution when
ever the majority so determine.
AS tool: for shaping our: future.
propose that the initiative and referen-
dunn be made the foremost issue at the
coming elections. ~: -: -. -: ~ -
I pledge myself, if elected, to use
every constitutional means granted to !
the governor toward their adoption in |
to our fundamental law. = I
AS a progressive program to be taken
up Immediately after the adoption Of !
the initiative and referendum, I pro-
pose the following: ;: -
A commission with ample power to !!
supervise and control our public utili-
ties and secure good service on fair
and equal terms to all.
The recall applied to public offices.
Re-apportionment in obedience to the
constitution.
Changes in our system of taxation
so that improvements rather than
cnoou1at tim sha11 ho @onoo;,roro I'LL. |