Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-02-04
Scores Brewery Domination and
the Evils That Such Con-
troll Leads to.
FURNISHES MOTIVE POWER
To defeat Constructive LeoisIation.-
Discusses Other lssues.-The Econ
omy Question.-Is Opposed to Pub
lie Utilities Commission az Pro-
posed.-criticizes Gov. Eberhart's
Vetoes.

Hon. VIM. E. Lee, unsuccessful in
securing a conference for the purpose
of deciding to whom should fall the
honor Of leading a winning fight
against the fourth-term aspirations
Of Gov. Eberhart in the Republican
primary, has this week issued an
nouncement of his candidacy. The
Willmar Tribune takes great pleasure
in presenting it to it's readers, as
follows:
Announcement.
To the people of Minnesota:
Two years ago l was candidate
for the republican nomination for
governor. The logic of the situation
leads to my present candidacy. The
issues then raised by me and upon
which I made my campaign, are the
issues today.
An antiquated and complex govern
mental system; a subservient COVER
nor with his enormous patronage and
system of forced assessments; an un-
holy alliance of brewery interests !;
public service corporations and other
special privilege seekers; and an
astute professional boss" directing
the machine, have made the Tam
manynizing" of Minnesota an accomp.
plished fact.
The issue, then is the dissolution
of this vicious combination-the cleo.
ton of governor subservient to no
one and ambitious only to serve the
state. Condensed in a phrase it is:
'The people against the machine"
The governor appoints practically
all of the administrators Of the laws
A subservienu governor, through his
appointments, demoralizes admins.
tration. Good roads laws under ma.
chine administration produce bad
roads. Lax administration of the
most beneficient laws, stiles the hope
of the people.
!! Most DemoraIizing Influence.
The most demoralizing of all in.
| fiuences is the liquor traffic. 1t
forces an unnatural alliance between
legitimate and illegitimate business
for the defeat of constructive legisla;
ton, and furnishes the motive power
| Of the political machine. The question
| of whether the brewery interests
| shall dominate the business, social
and political life, of the people OF
Minnesota, has been, is now, and will
continue to be the vital issue until
the executive and legislative depart
ments of the state are purged Of their
menacing influence.
Other Issues.
| The protection and conservation
of the public domain and of the pub
lie health, state development, the in
terests of labor, of agriculture, and
of business, the efficiency of our educa
tional system, and the improvement
of the public highways, are matters
of the greatest importance and de
mand such wise and efficient CO
operation of the legislative and exc
cutive departments as cannot be had
while machine methods prevail.
The Economy Issue.
| The present governor now admits
extravaganza but lays responsibility
upon the legislature. The legislature
is not alone responsible for appro
priations. It's members must neces
sarily consult with those In charge
of state departments and institutions
Moreover, undue influence has been
used by the Governor, his appointees
and interested parties, resulting in
| lavish generosity toward certain
state interests while others, notably
| the institutions for the insane and
other unfortunate wards of the state,
have been treated with 'niggardly par.
| simony.
Reorganization of the administra-
tive departments of the state govern.
| ment in the interest Of economy and
efficiency, together with adequate
civil service tests in all departments
was an issue which l raised and en-
phasized in the last campaign, and it
was the chief issue of interest to the
people at that time. By common con-
sent it is the issue today, for ma.
chine politics can never be wholly
eliminated until this question is right.