Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-10-07
Reduction of Taxes, Efficiency and
Economy, Simpler Election Laws,
Urged by Candidate.
OPPOSED TO THE USE OF VETO
Discusses County Option Saying Governor and Legislature
Should Heed Voice of People-Says Opponent
Made Serious Charge Againt Own Party
is for Forest Conservation.

Red Wing, Minn., Sept. 2S.-Win-
field Scott Hammond, Democratic can
didate for governor of Minnesota, de-
livered his keynote speech before an
audience which packed the Red Wing
opera house tonight. Mr.. Hammond
said:
The Minnesota Legislature last in
session placed the State in a unique
position in the matter of the election
of certain executive and all legiSla-
tive officers.
There is very general sentiment
throughout the State favoring the Sc
lection of judicial officers on account
of their qualifications for the impor-
tant duties they perform and without
respect to their political affiliations.
So satisfactory was the legislation re-
curing judges to be elected as non
partisans that many believed all coun-
ty officers should be so selected.
That the Legislature would look with
favor upon that proposition was ex-
pected by many, but there were few
who thought it would go as far as it
did in the direction of nonpartisan-
ship. 1t directed that all county Off
GERS and the members of both houses
of the Legislature should be chosen on
nonpartisan ballots. This year our
judicial officers, our county officers,
our State representative and our
State senators will be elected without
reference to the political party to
ddates Of political parties are the can
I;Io%oo F@x f1,n rAinnc
making up the so-called State ticket"
What effect this change will have
upon political organizations in the
State time alone will disclose, but we
are warranted in believing that such
organizations will be far less powerful
and much more difficult to maintain
than heretofore.
For Nonpartisan Plan.
The step has been taken and there
is little likelihood Of any going back
ward until a fair trial is given the
plan.
If our judges, our county and our
legislative officers are to be SO elected,
there is no reason why the Governor
of the State and the other State Off
GERS should not be elected in the same
manner. There is little need of party
organizations so far as State affairs
are concerned, and, in my judgment,
it Is better to have no intrastate party
organizations at all than feeble, non
effective ones centered about a few
candidates for State Offices.
Heretofore each political party has
promulgated it's platform in which
were stated the things which the party
favored and the things which it op-
posed; the candidate Of the party &c
cepted the platform, and by an un-
written law obligated himself to sup
port it, even though his own judgment
differed from the opinion of the ma
jority of his party associates. In or
der that party measures and party
policies might be effected he was
obliged to yield, to some extent, his
own belief and conform to the views
Of the majority of his party. When
there are great and clear-cut issues sub
mitted to the people and about those
issues political parties are formed, it
is necessary that there be united &C
ton on the part Of all those who agree
upon fundamentals. Otherwise, there
would be so much dispute and con.
tention over details that nothing would
be accomplished. Hence the neces.
sity of the individual yielding to the
judgment of the whole party in order
that it may achieve the end for which
it is striving. 1t must be admitted
however, that when there are no great
issues dividing political parties, they
are of little use, and many hold tC
them simply for the sake of the Offices
or patronage they control.
No Sinking Responsibility.
do not say there are no great is
sues in the State of Minnesota today
but one may affirm with perfect safety
that there are now, and have been fol-
the last quarter of century, no great
issues dividing the two leading politi
cal parties in the State Each in its
platform has condemned the manner
in which the other conducted public
business, each has announced Itself
for economy in State disbursements
for progress in State development, ant
for good and stable government
Heretofore, public servants Nigh
say to the people who elected them a.
partisans, that they were bound to &C
in accord with those who belonged tt
their political party and to co-operat,
with them in all matters of State con
Germ. When criticised for thus actin!
they might evade the criticism by say
ing, 1T was not my own best judg
nent, but as partisan I felt bount
to stand by my party and support tn,
party policy" Now, one effect of tn
recent legislation is to compel eacl
official eSDeCiallY member If thI