Little Falls herald., 1914-04-17
coE ON PROGRESSIVE PARTY

Minneapolis, Mimi, April, 1914.
Little F. alls Herald,
Little Falls, Minnesota.
Gentlemen:
I observe that your paper. printed a
speech by Mr.. Charles A. Russell Of
Brainerd, in your issue Of February
2oth., in which you state, "He Lam
basted the Progressives. Doubtless
the readers Of your paper will be glad
to hear a fair discussion of all public
questions. The Progressive Party is
in favor of Woman Suffrage, County
Option, Economy in Public Expendi-
lures, by means of proposed budget
containing the estimated costs of gov
ernment to be circulated for the peo-
pies inspection before election. Civil
service for subordinate state employees
One plank in their platform is as fol-
lows: 'That we condemn the proposal
of Governor Eberhart for a Utilities
commission as without popular demand
and emanating from the Public Ser
vice Corporations of the great cities,
and endorse for the present the prin-
ciples of the Minnette and Nolan bills.
The Progressive Party believes that
the people are capable of governing
themselves; that the people in the city
or village are better able to control
the particular public service concern
that serves them, than state com
mission could. The Nolan bill was to
give home rule to the cities and the
towns in all matters pertaining to
Water and Lighting companies and
other corporations which serve the
public. Ii any dispute arose between
an electric lighting company and a
citizen, the citizen would find it much
easier to go to his local alderman or
village council and have them take
the matter up with the company, than
he would to have to 60 to St. Paul and
appear before the commission. If the
commission was busy as it generally is,
he might have to wait several months
before he could be heard. In the
meantime, the Lighting Company
could go on in its old "sweet' way.
The Minnette bill provided, among
other things, for physical connection
between telephone lines. The matter
of regulating public utilities, is almost
exclusively matter of interest to the
great cities and larger country towns.
1t does not seriously interest the far
mer because he does not have any
public utility. save the telephone, to
serve him. The burden Of the expense
Of maintaining the proposed commits
sion would fall upon the whole state
and the farmer would be paying for
something that doesn't interest Or af-
feet him. The 'rea1 over behind the
throne,' is the great campaign mana
ger, Ed. Smith, who is without doubt.
the agent Of the great Public Service
corporations Of the Twin Cities. The
reason they want commission is to be
found in the following fact:
Years ago the City Council of Min
neapolis was infested by "boodle' al
dermen. While James A. Peterson was
County Attorney Of Hennepin County,
he prosecuted the "boodlers,'' sent
some of them to the state prison and
Others out Of the country. I am not
surprised that Mr.. Russell mentioned
Jim Peterson by name. He should have
told Of his real services to the CON-
munity. The reform forces of Min.
neapo]is have been doing a noble work
in driving out the crook and getting
into the council the best men for al.
1ermen. Today Minneapolis has the
best board Of Aldermen it has ever,
had. The great public service. cor.
poratlons can neither buy nor influence
them unduly, these men, therefore, they
wish to get under the control of
Public Utilities Commission appointed
by Governor Eberhart, of whose
friendship they are certain.
Sincerely yours,
m