The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-08-13
GOVERNMENT INCONSISTENCY.

We proudly proclaim that this is a
Government for the people, of the
people and by the people" yet, especi-
ally as far as national matters are in
volved, the people have mighty little
to say about the concerns of the gov
eminent.
One third of all our population are
engaged in the farming industry and
this industry needs legislative care
more than any other, yet of the SO
Senators there are only two farmers
and they are farmers by proxy rather
than in reality. Of the 453 members
of the House there are only eight NEIL
classified as farmers, and they are in
the same class as the Senate farmers,
there is not real practical farmer
who makes living by tilling the soil,
in either branch of the national legis-
lature.
The morals of the nation are, pei
haps of the greatest Importance, but
there is only one preacher in both
bodies, and he is such a poor pastor
that he lost his preaching job before
he was elected to congress.
Next to the morals of the nation
its health ranks, and it is curious
fact that in the statute books of the
nation and states there is elss health
legislation than on any other subject.
There are two members of the Senate
classified as physicians and four in
the House, but only two were in active
practice at the time of their election.
There are not more than two men IN
both the House and Senate at the
present time, that are capable OF OF
fering intelligent suggestions In re-
gard to health legislation or to deter
mine whether or not any bill offered
in regard to health or sanitary mat
tiers is detrimental or beneficial.
Next to the farming industry the
wage workers are the most important
and valuable factor in our national
welfare. Only two skilled mechanics
are found in our national legislature
and they, with the three travelling
men, form all the representation that
the great wage earning class possess.
Lawyers need legislation in their
interests less than any other class,
vet we find that in the Senate they
have nearly three times as many rep
resentatives as all other occupations
combined and in the House more than
twice as many.
Three of the greatest agricultural
states in the Union: Arkansas, Min
nesota and Texas, are represented IN
both the Senate and House by law
yers. 1t is true that Senator Nelson
is as much of a farmer as a lawyer
but he is the only one in the delega-
ton, from this great farming state,
that possesses any more practical
knowledge of agriculture in any OF
its branches, than pig does OF the
Declaration of Independence.
What an inconsistency of equality
of representation is to be found in the
fact that the legal profession has
three times as much representation as
all other occupations combined. If
they were really good lawyers it
would not be so bad, but large per-
centage of them are parlyfoxing pet
tifoggers of the North or cheap jack
leg lawyers of the South, if anyone
doubts this statement let them read
their biographies as prepared by
themselves in the Congressional Di-
rectory. An honest, able attorney
makes a mighty valuable legislator
but the founders of the government
never contemplated turning it over to
a lawyers trust"