Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-10-07

legislature, subject, Of course, to the
direction of his constituency, to fol-
low his individual judgment upon all
measures, and not the judgment of
his political associates. He can no
longer answer criticism by pleading
party loyalty, for he has no party so
far as the discharge of his duties as
public officer is concerned. Nor is
there any reason for party conferences
or party caucuses to determine the
course of legislation to be followed.
The Governor also is in a somewhat
different position from that he has
heretofore occupied. Elected On a
partisan ticket with a partisan legis-
lature and holding the highest office
in the State he has been not only the
chief executive officer of the common.
wealth, but, also, the leader of his po.
litical party. BY the Constitution he
is empowered to communicate to the
Legislature of the State "such infor.
nation touching the state and cOndi.
ton of the country as he may deem
expedient." AS a party leader he
would deem it expedient to urge upon
the Legislature the passage of meas.
ures in the party platform on which
he and the majority Of the members
of the Legislature had been elected.
Because Of the platform declaration
he could demand the support of such
members for the measures. But the
next Governor will not be the party
leader for there will be no party to
lead. The only partisan activity he
can display is in the appointment of
political allies and associates to posi-
tons under his control, and that re-
quires no high degree of political lead.
ership.
Governor Nonpartisan.
Thus, by the force of circumstances,
the Governor, while elected on a par
tisan ballot, must, in the discharge of
the executive duties, be a nonpartisan,
and, in his communications to the
Legislature, confine himself more par
ticularly to the things connected with
the administration of the State Gov
eminent, per Sc, rather than economic,
social of political problems Since
there is no party in the Legislature of
which he can claim to be the leader,
his recommendations upon political or
factional questions may carry less
weight than the recommendations of
other citizens of the State distinguish
ed for their learning, patriotism and
good judgment, but holding no public
Office
From all Of this, it seems to me the
Governor, in his communications to
the Legislature, should give special at
tentiOn to those questions that have
to do with the management of State
affairs, its institutions and it's public
domain; it's employees, revenues and
expenditures: it's relations to other
States, and the Federal Government,
and the enforcement of it's laws. Other
questions Of economical or political
Importance, particularly those that
have directly or Indirectly been con.
sidered by the people and their opin.
ion upon them registered at the polls,
the chief executive and the Legisla-
ture are bound to consider, and, of
course, they appropriately find place
in the message of the Governor.
Discusses County Option.
A social or economic question which
has been a campaign issue and upon
which the people have expressed their
opinion presents to legislators much
less difficulty than one upon which
there is a wide difference of opinion,
but no expression by the people. A
| notable example of the former is the
county option question in this State
Everyone believes temperance is a vir
| tue, and intemperance economically
| undesirable and morally wrong, and
those who do not distinguish between
intemperance and what is known as
! moderate drinking believe the use
! sale or manufacture of beer, wine, OF
| spirituous liquor morally wrong. Be
cause of the moral element involved
| in temperance legislation intense feel
ing is engendered. The virtuous-mind
ed cannot compromise with sin, anc
those who believe that the use oil
alcohol in any quantity or in any form
Is sinful cannot tolerate any PROPOSE
ton permitting it's manufacture or its
sale or it's use. On the other hand
! those who have been accustomed tt
the use Of alcoholic beverages anG
who believe there is nothing wrong il
moderate drinking, resent any inter
ference with their practices as an in
fringement Of personal liberty.
A number of our citizens are bitter
ly opposed to intemperance, but ar,
unwilling to unite with the party O
prohibition in the support of prohibi
ton candidates for Office. They favo,
county option because, in their opin
ion, it would lessen drunkenness b,
eliminating number of saloons, ant
this might suggest the inquiry whethe
the evil of intemperance is due 81
much to the fact that alcoholic bever