Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-05-14
0BSERV rs:
(By a Corntleld sPhilosopher).
Notwithstanding Aftermath.


point in State affairs. For it was In
this Legislature that the insolent au-
dacfty OF organized greed first receiv-
ed decided check. Heretofore It had
been the policy, with little or no pro-
test or opposition, to legislate for the
few at the expense of the many. This
practice had been systematically car
ried on even on the matter of taxa
ton SO that the favored classes had
a decided advantage over the great
mass OF the common people in many
things. The great mineral wealth of
the state had been shamelessly ex-
plotted to build up few fabulous for
tunes. The water powers worth many
millions OF dollars had been appropri-
ated through Legislative license by
few enterprising citizens with appar
emily no thought that they were the
property Of the whole people and
should be paid for at their actual
value. To encourage private enter.
prise and investments by favorable
legislation and at the expense Of the
entire citizenship seems to have been
regarded as the highest form of states.
manship.
For the state to enact laws for the
great mass of the people and thereby
incidentally reduce or imperil the ex-
cessive profits of the few, was not to
be thought of seriously. The prin-
c1ple xception of this policy was the
enactment of law which cut down
the profits Of the great cordage trust
which had the people of Minnesota
as we'll as those of all grain growing
states by the throat thru monopoly
OF the Irvine business. Binding twine
was absolutely necessary to harvest
the grain, and the "Alliance Farmers"
believe that the state could purchase
the raw material just as cheaply as
the trust, and by utilizing cheap con-
vict labor at the penitentiary, Mime
sofa might furnish binding Irvine at
fair profit and at a much lower rate
than the trust. The same identical
class of editors who are knocking the
organized farmers today opened their
mud batteries upon the ALLIANCE"
But after some four years Of agita-
ton, the farmers won out, and the
Irvine factory became a reality. AS
state policy, it is here to stay, other
departments have been added and it
is increasing in usefulness. Not even
the rankest reactionary today would
dare to favor the repeal of the law
This is one case where they we're
confessedly wrong. And time will
demonstrate that they were wrong in
opposing the legislative program of
the League during the recent ses-
sion.
Loyalty a Fake Issue.
Bear in mind that the legislators
were not elected in opposition to
| league principles with possibly rare
exceptions, nor even upon their own
past records. Designing politicians
aided by the kept press skillfully in
| jected the loyalty issue into the cam.
paign and hundreds
Of intensely patriotic but deluded vot.
ers supported Burnquist and his bench.
men on the sole grounds that no one
questioned their loyalty, and they
could not afford to take a chance.
But the moment the election was over
the loyalty issue was quickly dropped,
and the matter of protecting the steel
trusts and other big business interests
became dominant
To this end, meeting was called,
engineered by men like Adams of
Ottertail and Warner of Aitkin, and
a program outlined that included the
repeal Of the primary law the control
of the committee on taxes and tax
laws and the passage of the red flag
and motor corps bills to Prussian1ze
the state. They found suitable mater
ial for speaker of the house in w. I.
Nolan, a silkstocking representative
from Minneapolis who had opposed a
tonnage tax two years ago and was
entirely acceptable to big business
! 1t is only fair to Mr.. Nolan to say
that he is a skilled parliamentarian
and made an excellent presiding of.
ficer, judged merely from the stand
point of efficiency. But he carried out
the order both faithfully and we'll in
the makeup of the committees.
| He gave Mr.. Warner the Committee
on Elections, so he could strike out
the direct primary; and Adams got
the Craftsmanship of the committee
that handled all matters relating to
taxation. Nolan had to give Theo.
ChHistianson the great committee on
appropriations, but he packed it with
liberal spenders, giving counties that
had state institutions to care for
double representation in some cases.
While every anti-league member vot-
ed for holland and thus securely en-
trenched the special interests, yet
signs of rebellion were soon manifest.
The Rebellious Members.
The Hon. Leavitt Corning, a silk
stocking, but honest member from St.
Paul, was the first man to file a pro-
test to the proceedings. He introduce
ed resolution to the effect that in
the distribution Of patronage-that is,
In the selection of the employees,
preference should be given to the
Returning soldiers. Mr.. Warner was
on his feet in an instant, and not only
was the resolution tabled, but Warner
insisted that it was an insult to the
speaker, and should be expunged from
the record which was actually done.
This action squelched Mr.. Corning,
and he was not heard from again
except on rare occasions during the
session. But the repeal of the primary
law met with opposition from Hale,
Grant and Bendixen, all old and ex.
perienced members. They were farm.
ers elected in opposition to the League
and generally inclined to be conserv.
alive, but they were both honest and
stubborn, could not be placated and
cast their votes with the Leaguers
against the repeal Of the law. But
fourteen other League haters who
had stood with them In the beginning
deserted under pressure and went
over to the conspirators, thus enabling
them to put the bill thru the house.
The names Of these illustrious would.
be- statesmen who want to go back to
the old boss-controlled party system,