Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-12-05

year aud SIG per cent for the first
eight months of this year. This is on
a greatly overcapitalized and really
represents very handsome returns on
the actual money invested. The rate
increases which the railroads ask
would yield them increased revenues
of between $250,0O0,000 and 100000.
COO year. This sum would come out
of the pockets of the public.
Why Not Government Ownership?
Four days after the war broke out
Great Britain took over the railroads
md operated them as unit. Such
action should be taken in this country
If we are to develop the highest ma
tional efficiency. Railroads are oper.
ated for profits, not for national serv.
ice, and we cannot get tho best ma
tional service until the government
takes over and operates these public
highways for the benefit of the public.
Railroad heads fear that govern
ment ownership is coming. That is
one of the real REASONS they are ask.
ing higher rates: II they can in.
crease their earnings it will allow
them to ask and obtain much high Il
price when their property is appraised
by the government.
Theoretically ours is supposed to be
government of the people, for the
people and by the people, Actually
this is hardly the case. The American
people are ruled by professional poll.
ticians, lawyers most CT thera, who are
elected by the people, it is true, but
certainly do not conduct a government
either "of the people" or "by the PEG.
ple."
According to the 1910 census there
were 2,075,7O8 persons living in Min.
nesota. OF this number 1,225,414 re-
side on farms or in small towns and
villages. There are only 15s,l37 farms,
however, SO 1t is safe to assume that
this is the actual number OF farmers.
The next largest element of our popu.
lation is the city workers. There are
242,881 wage or salary earners in the
state employed in factories. mines,
quarries, railroads, shops and business
establishments. And a total of Fl, 463
persons were either proprietors OF
manufacturing establishments or en-.
gagged in professional occupations.
People Have Few Representation.
If the people really ruled the farm.
ers and workers, composing nine
tenths of the population Of the state,
would be represented in the legisla-
ture by an overwhelming majority.
But how does it go? There are nine
+ farmers ard no labor representatives
in the senate and So farmers and
three labor representatives In the
house. But the 31,463 manufacturers,
mine owners, bankers, newspaper
editors, doctors, lawyers and merch-
ants are represented by So members
of the senate and 80 members in the
house. - 3.
This element only is one-tenth of
the population, but they have three.
fourths of the members of the 1egisla.
ture, and of this majority 5S are law
yers. One Of every 40 lawyers in
Minnesota is a member of the legisla.
ture. But only one of every 1892
farmers has a seat in the law making
body. Much the same conditions pre-.
vail in most Of the Western states.
People Must Have More Voice. -
To be a democracy in fact as well
as in name Minnesota. and indeed, the
entire United States, must be gov.
erned by representatives of THE
PEOPLE. And this condition cannot
be said to exist so long as compare
lively few business and professional
men have larger representation in
state and national legislatures than
have the farmers and working men. So
long as this condition continues indus.
trial autocracy may be expected and
exploitation will not he remedied.
The National Non-Partjsan league is
organising the farmers to the end that
The Rzodnesrl NAY hayl adequate rep.