Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-06-10
And
lee Con TEST

We are nearing the Primary Elec
ton and have to4make up our minds
whom toSvote for. We have now
heard the evidence. or arguments, and
ought to be, ready for the vote, but the
fact Of the matter is that the opposi.
ton to the governor, in their desperate
attempt to defeat him. has, in place OF
arguments, resorted to misrepresenta;
lions, SANDER and abuse. Not only
have they seen fit to SANDER our chief
executive, but the whole state as well.
Such abuse of the chief executive can
have no wholesome effect, but on the
contrary tend to foster hate for our
rulers. and anarchism, and should be
discouraged by turning down those
who have participated in the dirty
campaign
Two years ago, governor Eberhart's
opponent, Mr.. Lee, became a candi-
date for governor. Among the things
ne shouted most loudly for was a d.
rect primary election law, evidently
thinking that It was no danger that he
would get one. Eberhart, In place of
shouting, was working for it and
called a special session of the Legis-
Iature for the enactment of a direct
primary law, much to the disappoint-
ment OF many who urged it. Mr.. Lee
became candidate under that law
against Eberhart and received less
than one-fourth of the votes cast. Mr..
Lee has again entered the race against
Eberhart, and in order to get even, or
IN his eagerness to win this time, has
resorted to some peculiar methods.
Although we now have abandoned the
Old convention system and adopted
the primary method where all have
right to file as candidates, he con-
ceived the idea that by the aid of some
OF the other defeated candidates it
would be possible to bluff the other as
pirants for Office out of the race, hop
Ing thereby to win.
These defeated candidates then set
to work to arrange meeting in Min
neapol1s of a few from each county
Tor the purpose of boosting Lee, and
he is now boasting of that he has been
put up by such notable assembly,:
but let us see who composed this as
sembly. Was it composed of duly
elected delegates? Did you, and did
we, have any say as to who should at
tend this assembly? No. The old
convention system was considered bad
enough, but this procedure beats all.
Some of the other aspirants for the
office evidently thinking that this as
sembly was composed of duly elected
delegates withdrew from the race, and
this In free country where we have
the primary system and where all
should have an equal chance to file for
office.
What would we say if any of the
candidates for county Office in our own
county should be selfish enough to
blum the other candidates out of the
race IN this manner? Would you vote
for him? -
Mr.. Lee Is now trying to make peo-
pie believe that he is the Moses that
will lead us out of the great evils that
exist In Minnesota, and does not seem
to know that the legislature has a
word to say; that to run a state is not
like running private enterprise: that
governor has no power to make ap-
preparations; that he can not even
raise the salary of stenographer or
janitor, that the legislature must
give its sanction. The only thing he
can do is to veto an appropriation al
together, but has no power under the
law to cut down an item. This veto
power he used at the last legislature
rs far as 1t was possible, cutting out
some $25O,O0O.00.
| Mr.. Lee Is trying to make us be-
lieve that the governor is responsible
Tor the high taxes, but If he does not
know better than that, he is ignorant
and is unfit to be governor, and if he
knows and only uses these arguments
10 fool the people with, then he is dis
honest, which is still worse.
Another thing that Ice is harping
on is the great changes that he is 20
Ing to make in the different depart
ments, but here also he ought to know
that the legislature has word to say
and the governor can do no more than
call the attention Of the legislature to
1t. Everyone who read Governor Eber.
hart's messages to the legislature dur
Ing his. term of Office knows that he
(Eberhart) advocated a reconstruc-
ton of all the state departments, and
we take the liberty to quote the fol-
lowing sentences from the message
to the 1911 legislature, to-wit:
II believe that the time has come
In the history of this state, when the
public good demands a radical modifi-
cation and reform in certain phases of
our state administration" I'VE are
prepared to establish our system of
state government on the most sci
entific and progressive principles of
civics and economics" I'm shaping
Of our state government, and the ad-
ministration of our institutions and
public resources, we are entitled to
the best principles and most efficient
methods" Before the installation of
any reform, however, we wish to as
sure ourselves that it can stand the
test of experience as practical and
business-like, that it conduces to pub.
lie economy and efficiency and that it
represents the true interests, welfare
and prosperity OF all the people as a
whole" I'm order to keep pace with
the rapid developments, various
changes have been made from time to
time and the administration of state
affairs has been the subject of vast
amount of ineffective and unsystem.
i n&ia lonialo&io,, Tl,ono haa hoon a