Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-09-03

tied States have clamored for the right
to elect United States Senators by d.
rect vote. The United States Senate has
been one of the few instances in our
system Of government where officials
have been elected Indirectly. And think
it must be conceded that no department
Of our government has been SO conspic-
uous for its unwillingness to respond to
the demands Of the people as has been
the United States Senate. It is only
within the last few years that the ire
mendous pressure OF public sentiment
all over the United States has brought
about change and secured an amend
ment to the national constitution per-
hitting the senators to de elected by
popular vote. ...- ~
The permanency Of our institutions
depends very largely upon the educa-
ton of the rank and file in matters of
government. Our government will not
endure unless we maintain a most live
ly interest on the part Of the voters
in public affairs. There is only one
method by which that can be done and
that is to turn over to the voters the
whole government Of the country. Not
gate 1t away to commissions and COM
mittees, but to tear down every barrier
between the voter and the public official
Beaurocracy has always been an in
strument OF oppression In the hands
Of despots. Russia has never yet been
governed by her people but by beau
rocracy that has driven them to anar-
chy, n1hilism and revolution. It is nc
argument in favor Of tyranny that q
tyrant can govern a country better
that the people. It is no argument
even If it were true, that a commission
can govern Minneapolis better than
Minneapolis can govern itself. Liberty
to manage your own affairs, affairs
that belong to you and nobody else, is
worth more than all the learning, all
the art and all the efficiency, of an ar.
bitrarily controlled commonwealth.
Big business has Of late turned tc
appointed commissions. Why? Because
commissions are appointed and not cleo.
ted by the people. Why do corporations
always go into the Federal courts with
their cases !? Because federal Judges
are appointed,-they are not responsible
to the people. = l*z: =ss. .% ===. zas az !.
Lately we have had an exposition
Of the secret government in Washing.
ton. Colonel Mulhall has graciously
| told the American people what ten bill
lions Of capital want in the shape OF
government what they have beer
striving for. Mulhall says that they
| are in favor of tariff commission tt
regulate and fix duties. This grea,
secret aggregation Of big business much
preferred to do business with tariff
commission safely tucked under tn,
official robe Of President Taft than witt
congress. So the public franchise cor
porations Of Minnesota would mucl
prefer to do business with three com
missioners safely tucked under the Of
fetal folds Of Eberhart's mantle. Why
yes, ladies and gentlemen, they woul
much rather do business with thi
commission than with such men a
Aldermen Hooker, John Peterson, Car
De Laittre, Frank Haywood or a. F
Ortquist. and all the other splendid me-
in that body.
COMPARISON OF SERVICE
In the city Of Chicago about 6 yea.
a ago the city sqneezed about $40, 100000
q 90 Of water out Of the CAPT alizatio
Of its street railway companies.
then took over the. whole street ca
]. system and leased Its tracks to an opel
ating company. This n company ha