PROGRESSIVISM IN MINNESOTA, (CONTINUED)
Nash, James Linn
Progressivism in Minnesota By JAMES LINN NASH (In this instalment, Mr. Nash describes the work done in the progressive movement in Minnesota by organizations of citizens. Of especial interest is...
...Several of its leading spirits were also prominent in the organization of the Minnesota Citizens' League...
...of the candidates for the primaries were elected...
...Minnesota Citizen's League THE Minnesota Citizen's League, which was the product of this line of reasoning, had its birth at a secret meeting of a little group of men deeply interested in the restoration of real popular government in Minnesota, the purification of elections and the choice of legislators who would truly represent the people...
...Saturday Lunch Club THE Saturday Lunch Club was organized by men who felt that there should be a forum where social, political and economic subjects could be discussed in a live way...
...Of especial interest is the effect of Lynn Haines' published roll calls on the legislature...
...These men had found by experience that they could accomplish little by fighting single-handed...
...It was effectively employed in the 1910 campaign and such was its power that one of the legislators whose unenviable record it bared to the public, said, "Haines ought to be jailed for writing so many good men out of office...
...Its chief object was to keep the citizens of Minnesota informed as to the actions of their representatives in legislative halls, so that they might know whether the men they sent to the state capitol were faithful to their trust or not, and thus be able to make the right choice at future elections...
...The forces opposing them were highly organized, powerful, and fortified behind barriers of corporate wealth and special privilege...
...Prominent among them were the Minnesota Citizens' League, the Minnesota Anti-Saloon League, and the Saturday Lunch Club of Minneapolis...
...It contained a careful analysis of the makeup of both houses of the legislature, their organization, the various forces at work on them, the character of the principal measures presented and the votes on them...
...Organization must be met with organization...
...The members are united, however, in their desire to improve political, social and economic conditions, and particularly to hasten the advent of real popular government...
...The germ of progres-sivism in Minnesota is traceable in all these organizations which, though non-partisan in character, were composed of those who favored reform measures and advanced legislation...
...Continued from last week...
...Lynn Haines, secretary of the League, issued during the legislative session of 1909, three bulletins, each giving a summary of what the legislature had thus far accomplished with the attitude of individual legislators on important questions...
...In addition the record of each member of the legislature was briefly summarized...
...It is continuing its work and is recognized as a political power with which every candidate for the legislature must reckon...
...After the close of the session he published a little blue paper covered volume entitled "The Minnesota Legislature in 1909" which had a more potent effect politically than any other publication which ever appeared in the state...
...A legislative committee was appointed and labored for the election of good men to the legislature and city council...
...Several thousand copies of the pamphlet were printed and circulated throughout Minnesota...
...What has been done in this way in Minnesota has been done with striking results in California by Franklin Hichborn.—Editor's Note...
...BUT IT WAS not alone in the selection of congressional candidates that the progressives made themselves felt at the primaries...
...With the arrival of the 1910 campaign its political activities increased...
...On alternate Saturdays the members dine together, listen to addresses by noted reformers and leaders of advanced thought and discuss the latest political and economic developments...
...The League was instrumental in defeating fourteen candidates for the state senate and thirty-four for the house, replacing men known to be corporation tools with better material and preventing the election of some untried candidates who showed corporation leanings...
...They directed their efforts also towards the election of a legislature which would be free from corporation control and would pass much needed and popular reform measures...
...Naturally a club of this character would not be satisfied with mere academic discussion...
...Anti-Saloon League THE Anti-Saloon League, of course, devoted its energies towards promoting the cause of county option, but in doing so it secured the election to the legislature of a number of men of sterling character, who favored reform all along the line...
...Seventy-five per cent...
...Through the passage of resolutions, the appointment of delegations to call upon legislators and city council-men and by throwing the white light of publicity upon measure's which could not well bear illumination, it exerted considerable influence...
...Its political makeup is heterogeneous, for it embraces in its membership, Republicans, Democrats, Socialists and Single Taxers...
...In this work several different organizations participated and each did effective work in its own sphere...
...It issued a statement endorsing certain candidates, condemning others and giving reasons...
Vol. 3 • April 1911 • No. 14
