The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-12-26
OFFICIALS. HIRED HELP.

In some counties of Northern Min
nesota, not far distant from Beltrami,
Investigations are being held into al
legged irregularities on the part of
public officials in conducting the
public's business affairs. Whether
matter, the Investigations are emin-
emily proper and no one to say nay.
Time was, and not so long ago
either, when the voters went to the
polls and put into Office men who
seemed to bear the stamp of honesty
and integrity, and then turned away
and let them severely alone-con-
scious Of having done their duty
exercised their right Of franchise. At
the next election it was the same
thing, and the next. No attention
was paid to what was being done
too busy with personal and business
affairs.
In this manner it was small Won
der that men untitled for the trust
imposed in them betrayed that conf
dence-did things they shouldn' t.,
we're guilty of sharp practices, yes
and downright "crookedness. Their
Vaccinations were cleverly manipul-
ated and the longer they were allow
ed to continue their work grew
"coarser''-sort of what are you
going to do about it," brand. Sc
cure they felt in their positions, their
power to "do things" to put it over"
for they had emeshed others, prom
inent if you will, in what they had
been doing to enrich themselves, for
private gain and at the expense Of
those who placed them in office.
In some instances this practice was
continued for years and until in
places the boldness of the officials
and their continued methods grew
oppressive to some of the Victims"
and there we're rumblings- scarcely
preceptible at first but gathering IN
intensity as others came to light. In
the natural course of events the bup-
BILE burst and the people were shaken
out of their lethergy. They took no.
tice and they acted accordingly.
That, then, in brief is what has been
termed reform movement"
But the truth is there was no RE-
FORM about it-merely common
sense and an inclination to exercise
more care in their business affairs
in the future. They had been slum-
bering long enough and finally de-
cided to pay little attention to their
public business themselves. Then, as
usual and expected, there was raised
the CRY of persecution and as the rot
tenness was probed more deeply the
ho ct hOnV
polite.
Terre Haute, Ind, furnishes shin
ing example and so does San Fran
cisco, too conspicuous not to be ia
miliar with every reading and think
ing person throughout the United
States. Men and officials high in the
counsels of city, state and even the
nation we're held up in their true
light and stripped of the sordid off,
cial raiment with which they had
been clothed and many Of them don
ned the stripes of a federal peniten-
tiary.
The "good old days" have passed.
The people are aroused and are TAX
ing unto themselves that which is
theirs by inherent right-their public
affairs. They knew long, long ago
that the public offices belonged to
them but paid little attention to their
conduct. Now they are doing diff
ferently, and the handwriting is on
the wall.
A dishonest public official is in
the same class with the porch
climber and "sneak thief" He re-
sorts to practices that would shame
any self-respecting safe blower and
he is entitled to the same cons1dera-
ton as the man who blows safe
or commits any other crime, ana
should be death with to the utmost,
for in his case he is supposed to be
of a more superior order OF intelll-
eence than the common criminal.
Public officials are nothing more
than servants of the people hlred
help if you will.
A lumberjack goes to camp boss
and asks for job. If the applicant
seems suitable for the work he is
given a job. The same with can
didate for public office. During
the campaign he goes to the voters
and asks them it he can have GER
tain office-a certain job. It accept
able in the eyes Of the voter the can
didate is informed Eyes, I'll give 1t
tn Won on *.*5+ =" If the applicant
does not meet with the favor Of the
voter he tells him otherwise, and on
,....S,, aov Tho vnfnrs saw whether