Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-11-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

Of Maryland is rapidly becoming the
Bernard Shaw Of that body, so cutting
are the pleasantries with which he dis.
poses OF solemn humbug and frenzied
prejudice.
For example, the senate was yer
bally clawing the air the other day
with reference to the coal miners
Walkout, then 48 hours of. Pomerene
Of Ohio had started the stampede, and
Thomas Of Colorado, Townsend OF
Michigan and others had assisted him
in hanging. drawing and quartering
tho coal miners. They were propos.
Ing their resolution "upholding'' the
threats made by the cabinet in the
name Of the president, when Senator
France broke In.
II do not WISH" he said, Ito prolong
Z futile debate on what appears to
me to be perfectly useless measure"
Then he read few kilograms from
labor organizations in the coal dis.
tricts Of Maryland, showing that it
was q handful of coal barons who had
started the whole trouble, and that
failure of delivery Of coal cars had
aggravated it by keeping the miners
Idle for weeks at time.
subverted Government.
II do not wish ever to do anything
which will intensity the widespread
and ever wider-spreading conviction
that in some way the government does
| not represent the people," France
went on. 1--WE observe on every hand
evidences Of profound unrest, and l
believe that it has a deeper underlying
cause for which we are ourselves re-
sponsible. I believe it is this: If l
understand the theory of our govern
menr correctly, it Is government
founded upon the theory that the peo-
| pie are sovereign; that legislation
should arise from the people; that rep
resentatives in the legislative bodies
should enact the popular will into
statutes, and that it is then the duty
| OF the executive branch to see that
these statutes are executed in a broad
and comprehensive manner.
III that is the theory of the gov.
eminent, then we must all admit that
during tho period of war our govern
ment has been practically subverted
The legislation, instead of being en-
acted by the legislators as a result
Of = popular mandate, has originated
with the executive and has descended
to the legislative, and by the legisla
tive body it has been imposed upon
tho masses Of the people. 1t is, be-
Neve, as q result of such subversion
Of the republic, as a result, so tc
speak, of attempting to stand the pyr
amid upon its apex, that this pro
found unrest has taken place.
1.-THE people feel that the govern
ment is not responsive to their needs
and to their wishes. The sooner this
condition is cured, the better 1 shall
be satisfied"
la Toilette Defends Miners.
Another senator who married the
plans Of the panic-makers was La
Toilette. He offered an amendment
to the Thomas resolution. That reso
luton mentioned the bituminous Goa
miners proposed strike as the peri
which was to be guarded against by
the governments stropg hand. La
Toilette proposed, as an amendment
'That we hereby assure the coal min
ers that they will be IN like manner
protected in the exercise of all Lawful
means in any effort to secure their
rights
Townsend Of Michigan and Hitch
cock of Nebraska protested. La Fol
lette reminded them that tho coal min
ers had been specifically mentioned in
the resolution as the result Of an
amendment offered by Mccormick OF
Illinois. Myers of Montana got the
floor and began a diatribe against the
coal miners, which was interrupted
by Gronna of North Dakota, who chal
1enged his claim that the miners al
ready are getting 70 per cent more
wages than before the war. Gronna
said that 1.-THE cost to the laborer tc
live has increased 200 per cent; and
there is not a senator on this floor
who can Justify his position by saying
that the wage Of the laborer has in
creased 70 per cent"
Finally, cornered by the La Toilette
amendment, Townsend and Thomas
agreed to strike out all reference tc
the coal strike, and simply have the
resolution pledge full enforcement Of
legal rights in "the present industrial
emergency"
So, meaningless and futile, the
Thomas resolution was adopted.
Domain Bill Amended.
One victory, at least, has been Won
by Representative Baer of North Da
kota nd few associates, in the
he md by Senator La Toilette ir
Il senate, in their continued fight
a. .nst the mineral lands bills. The
measure that has now passed the sen
ate, and which with some amendments
has passed the house, does not per
nit the sale or giving away Of any
lands in fee. The public remains
owner. although the party holding the
lease for 20 years with the privilege
of renewal will be able to get mos