The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-03-29
PATRIOTIC APPEAL FOR PUBLIC
-. =. OWNERSHIP OF LIGHTING PLANT
+. Hudson and Watson S. Moore
Ably and Fearlessly Discuss Para
: mount Issue in Campaign.
Dwell on Importance of Electing Tried
and True Men to Carry Out -.
|::::*:. the Peoples Will.

: Declaring that, the electric light
plant is a corrupting influence in city
politics and the administration of the
clty,s affairs. and that it will con-
tlnue: to- !be until 1t is taken out Of
the hands of private individuals, T. T.
Hudson, who spoke under the au-
spices of the Municipal Ownership
league at the Lakeside town hall
Wednesday evening, said that the So
c,al evil and the question of strict
law enforcement are all connected and
:1nterlocking with the bigger issue.
! Mr. Hudson stated, however, that
the all-important thing in deciding
on a. candidate is his character and
whether he will carry out the will
OF the people if elected. He said
that judging from appearances, the
electric light company evidently en-
ploys a corps of men to influence
public, officials in their behalf.
w. 8. Moore was the other speaker.
He spoke of the higher qualifications
or candidate during the present age.
Mr. Hudson explained the preferential
system during his talk.
Mr.. Hudson said that it is an en-
couragfng sign when neighbors gath
er night after night to hear questions
discussed pertaining to city govern
ment, and that, in his opinion, at least
nfne-tenths Of the people want good
government-the laws enforced: If
good government is not obtained, he
said, it, Is their own fault. The spe-
cial interests are working all the time,
he said, to influence public senti-
ment, while it takes an earthquake
to stir up the people so that they
VIII take a sufficient interest in the
election to look into the character and
qualifications of the candidates. If
the voter does not investigate, Mr..
Hudson declared, he NAV draw a
blank. = -
! -: Some Don't Like Truth.
Mr.. Hudson said: ~. - =, i
49,. Some candidates dc not, like TO
have the trVth told about, them. They
DO not like to have the public know
OF their faults, of their indiscretions,
of their character, Of their incapacity
to transact business, of their tenden-
cies to help friend or themselves to
profit at, the expense of. the public.
And it is not a popular thing for citi-
zens to give out statements telling
their neighbors and the public of the
frailities of the candidates; but when
a man offers himself for office and he
is not qualified, or he has tendencies
IN his makeup which will conflict with
the public interests, the voter should
know of these evil tendencies or the
want Of capacity in the candidate, and
1t Is the duty Of good citizenship to
let 1t be known, because he suffers
equally with the public if the wrong
kind of man is elected.
49, Pertinent Questions.
Il think it would be perfectly pro-
per if you had hired man who stole
your pOcketbook, and when you cis-
charged him he went to work for a
lleighbor, that this neighbor be in
formed that his hired man was in
clined to steal; but how much more
proper and important it is when a
man Is seeking the suffra ges of the
people for an office, that they shall
know what kind Of man he is.
"Why do city contractors take so
much interest in the election of GER
Because they expect to profit by
their election, and the public must
pay all the profits. Why does the
electric lighting company want GER
tain men elected to conduct the at
fairs of the city?
Because it expects to profit largely
at the expense of the general tax
payer, and the consumer Of electric
light and power. Why do certain of
the saloon and brewery interests work
SO hard to elect particular men to
the, office of mayor and commission
er4?s Because they want wide open
town. which they think will enable
them to get greater profits out Of
ther business, and the public and their
patrons have to foot the bills.
!<;fWhy do the contractors, the elec-
trio light company, and certain saloon
and brewery interests combine in sup
port the same candidates for the
office Of mayor and commissioners?
Because their interests, which are to
get their profits from or to prey up
on the general public. are identical,
and they know they cannot hope to
win any election working singly.
=. Interests Never Mistaken.
j Now it has been my observation
that the interests seldom make a mis-
take in the man they support. They
usually have their man sized up right.
Their candidates are not necessarily
bad men. In private life they are
generally good citizens, because it
'Wodld not, be possible for them to
elect other kind. But their candi-
dates are often men easily cajoled, or
influenced, or persuaded, who have
no particular opinion on public ques-
tons. who are spineless. weak, and
undecided. on whose viewpoint all
moral and business questions are at.
Variance with the public interests.
When men are elected by such combi-
nations It is not uncommon to find
that the first and all-important In
terests which are looked after and