Willmar tribune. [volume], November 08, 1899, Image 4

About Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
6 I O I A N I
DR. C. JOHNSON,
Trrgstrfem anil Storgron,
Calls answered promptly day or night.
When calling by wire, wive full name, town
and section (or If In village, give street), and
always say wbat sickness you think It Is.
Then you will get prompt and efficient ser
vice. OPPICB AT DBSIDBNCB on Second
street. Telephone No. 33.
Wlllmar, Minnesota.
QR. W. E. MACLAUGHLIN,
TrrgaiiBm stud Snrgom.
Graduate University of Minnesota. Late
House Physician, St. Luke's Hospital,
St. Paul.
OFFICII LEWIS BLOCK, KCS. FIRST WABD.
Telephone No. 132. Telephone No. 17.
WILLMAR, MINN.
A. ILSTRUP, M. D. C,
VETERINARY SURGEON,
Office at Freese St Freese's livery stable
Oalls night or day promptly attended to.
WILLMAR, MINNESOTA.
A. F. MANTOR,
DENTIST,
WILLMAR MINN.
C. E. GERRETSON,
DENTIST,
WILLMAR MINN.
Office in Mlkkelson Block.
A O N E I
OLNEY & FRYE,
Attorneys at Law,
Office in Aclcerman & Holt Building.
WILLMAR, MINNESOTA.
BENJAMIN CASTBERG,
NORSK A O A
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Office In Mikkclson Block,
WILLMAR MINNESOTA
Samuel Olson. Gharles Johnson.
OLSON & JOHNSON,
ATT0RMEY8 fl? LflW.
Office in I. 0. Olson Block,
WILLMAR. MINN.
A N S
PETER BROBERG. President.
M. JORGENSON. .vice President.
JOS O. ESTREM, Cashier
Organised Under the SUto Laws.
CAPITALTi25,000.00.
A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS
TRANSACTED.
Money to loan on Real Estate at Low Inter
eat. Collections receive Careful
Attention.
TIKCETS TO AND" FROM EUROPE
DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN
EXCHANGE.
NEW LONDON, MINNESOTA.
THE KAND1Y0B1 COUNTY BANK.
AND. LARSON,
President.
O. THORPE.
Cashier.
Organized under the State Law*.
PAID-UP CAPITAL AND SURPLUS,
$125,000.00
TRANSACTS A GENERAL BANKING
BUSINESS.
MONEY LOANED ON REAR ESTATE.
Collections Receive Prompt and Careful
Attention.
Bank Corner of Fifth Street and Pacific
Avenue.
WILLMAR. MINNESOTA.
A. B.BIOE, President. F. O. HANDY. Otshler
0. B. LIEN. Vice President.
BANK OF WILLMAR,
ORGANIZED UNDER THE STATE LAWS
CAPITAL AND UNDIVIDED
PROFITS, $100,000.
DOES A GENERA BANKIN
BUSINESS
CARBFUL ATTENTION TO COLLECTIONS
Drafts on all principal cities of
the world and steamship tickets
to and from Europe.
FARM LOAN8 AT 6 PER OCNT IMTERE8T
WILLMAR, MINNESOTA.
I 8 0 E A N E 0 6
8ANDBO BROS.,
—Proprietors of—
MINNEAPOLIS
& WILLMAR
RESTAURANTS
A N
COMMERCIAL HOUSE.
Meals served at all hours. Good accommo
dations to traveling public.
WILLMAR, MINN.
P. K. PARSON. J. H. PERSON.
PARSON&.PERSON,
Manufacturers of
WA60NS, CARRIAGES ANO SLEI6HS.
All kinds of woodwork and blacksmttnlng
done neatly and promptly. Repair
ing" a specialty. Prices as low
as possible.
Third Street, Willmar, Minn.
P. FREEBERG.
WINDOW & DOOR
FRAMES.
Window screens, wood turning
and scroll sawing.
WILLMAR. MINN.
,1^
WILLMAR TRIBUNE.
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AT
WILLMAR, MINNESOTA,
BY THE
I N E I N I N CO.:
YICTOH S. LAWSON, EDITOR AMD MANAQKB.
SUBSCRIPTION prloe, if paid before end
of first year, 11.00 ayear: If delinquent long
er. fl.» a year will be charged.
OFFICE IN TRIBUN E BUILDING.
WEDNESDAY. NOV. 8. 1899.
THE JLRQUS "EXPANDS."
One day after the I NE appeared
containing the Geo. A. Smith inter
view on the Philippine question the
Argus made the prediction that such
an interview would likely be pub
lished. Last week the well-known
writer who has been retained to
handle the Philippine question for the
Argus felicitates himself upon this
wonderful "hindsight." We hope we
may be pardoned for suggesting that
his foresight is not nearly so good.
This writer launches into the sub
ject with a glaring misstatement. He
say8:
•"The great majority of the return
ing volunteers are in favor of our
government retaining control over the
Philippines and Mr. Smith being an
exception is eagerly sought after by
the anti-expansionists."
It has been stated that four-fifths of
the Minnesota boys returning are
against the administration's policy in
the Philippines. We have yet to see
a contradiction of this by the soldiers
themselves. Let the Argus writer pro
duce an interview from a volunteer to
support his statement, if he can.
Further, the Argus impugns the mo
tives of Mr. Smith by saying that he
talks that way for the money there is
in it. It says,
I (the interview) was freely
granted, as that is the way Mr. Smith
proposes to make a living for awhile,
if he can find employment that way."
W did not employ Mr. Smith to
give his interview. Getting pay for
stating his opinions was the farthest
from Mr. Smith's mind at the time.
If, as in the case of the Argus writer,
money was the most important thing
to Mr. Smith, he made a great mistake
in taking tbe side he did, for there is
no doubt that articles bolstering up
the program of Asiatic spoliation and
conquest from a returning soldier
would command a good figure from
the powerful forces who are directing
tbe movement,.
The Argus writer says Mr. Smith
did not know the value of the Islands
nor that they constitute the gateway
to the Orient. We rather think he did,
but Mr. Smith was too much imbued
with the true American spirit of ab
horrence for wars of "criminal ag
gression" to consider a few paltry dol
lars a sufficient excuse for abandoning
what is the bulwark of our own liber
ties.
'As a matter of fact the islands are
well worth what was paid for them."
And would you Include what is be
ing paid for them every day? Are
they worth the lives of the American
youth which have been and are being
sacrificed for them? Ask the question
in the hundreds of desolate homes in
the land.
"The people are capable of self
goyernmeut.''
Good, then why not let them govern
themselves? This is a fatal admiasion
to our friend's argument. The hur
ried report of the Philippine Commis
sion, which was published last Friday
In order to help out the republicans in
the elections, states that they (the Fili
pinos are not capable of self govern
ment. This point is necessary to the
Philippine expansion theory, viz.
that as the inhabitants of the islands
are not capable of governing them
selves, we must govern them. In ad
mitting that they are capable of tak
ing care of themselves our friend
knocks away the one and only sup
port he has.
"Wil the Tribune kindly tell us
what these men think of the patriotism
of Aguinaldo?"
W have yet to see a statement from
anyone who has honestly investigated
his case to the effect that he is a trai
tor to his country. On the other hand,
every document or utterance emanat
ing from him before the outbreak of
hostilities as well as after has breathed
a deep regard for his beloved
Filipino land. He accepted no bribe
from the Spanish, nor is there any
reason to believe that he would ac
cept any from the Americans. In
deed., if he had been a Benedict Ar
nold we have not the slightest doubt
that to-day he might have possessed
a fortune of American gold.
"If, as Gen. Funaton says, the
church is the cause of the insurrection
and has been for years the controlling
power, the sooner it is crushed the
better. The Insurgents are
not fighting of their own free will but
because of the wonderful power the
friars exercise oyer them."
There can he only one reason why
the Argus writer would make this per
version of the truth, and it is such a
base one that we hesitate to charge it.
Even the most casual reader knows
that instead of the friars being back
of the insurrection, they are the espe
cial objects of hatred by the insurrec
tionists. The chief demand of the in
surgents is that the friars be expelled
from the country. On this point the
Argus writer is.so positively at vari
ance with every authority which has
spoken of tbe insurrection and its
causes, that we know of but one rea
son for its making it. And this is of
such a nature that we will await to see
if the Argus writer insists on this
point before we charge it. Perhaps
the remaining people will enjoy their
religious freedom better if our army
succeeds in killing off all those who
are now fighting for it, but we doubt
it,
rtThen
Mr. Lawson, do you know
that the majority of the residents of
the Philippine archipelago are op
posed to the policy of this government
as to Qur control? Now, don't yell.
a but scratch your head and
seek for truth.")
We know that there are enough op
posed to that policy to cause the
Americans to mobilize three times as
many troops as were used at any time
to whip the Mexicans, costing a half
million of treasure every day that to
day there is no American authority in
the islands except where guarded by
American bayonets: that some islands
are inhabited by mohaminedans whom
it will cost bloody battles to subju
gate before their ancient polygamous
and slavish customs are abrogated
that millions of savage negritos are
found whom Mr. Argus writer must
figure in to make a majority for Amer
ican rule to sum up—that a majority
of the civilized natives are fighting for
their independence.
I Is such statements as these by
the Tribune that cause men of thought
in the democratic and populist parties
to speak in such indignant way of the
bossism of the Tribune."
Point out please, Mr. Argus writer,
one instance, except in your case,
where a "man of thought" in the dem
ocratic or populist parties has spoken
out in an indignant manner of "the
boss ism of the I N E Come now,
just one instance or else stand con
victed of deception.
Don't hide the light under the cry
of "Imperialism" or "Militarism"
but seek ye first the truth and let the
comment come after."
When conquest is made of foreign
lands involving the addition of forms
of government foreign to the spirit of
republican Institutions, surely we
have imperialism upon us. And If the
70,000 of soldiers and millions of treas
ure necessary to secure the "gateway
to the effete East is not militarism,
then we confess that we do not know
what that word means. There is cer
tainly danger that the soldiers and
treasure that will be needed to pass
through that "gate-way" when the
dismemberment of the Chinese empire
begins and the imperial wolves of the
earth will growl ad snarl over
tbe division of tbe booty, will make
this term, which the Argus writer
throws aside so thoughtlessly, a word
of dread to every American mother as
she looks at her baby boy.
or the last several months the
editor of this paper has been gather
ing data from the most authentic re
sources concerning the condition and
desire of the people of the islands
and will in future articles give our
readers the facts as they are irrespec
tive of how the republican or demo
cratic parties would have them be.
Wha a pity the Argus editor did
not write this article and use some of
his facts therein.
6 per cent Money at Bank of Will
mar on Farm security. 2tf
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
Special Session of the Board
Held Last Week.
Large Amount of Extra Busi
ness Disposed of.
AUDITOR'S OFFICE,\
Oct. 24, 1899.J
The board of county commis
sioners met in special session
pursuant to. call all members
present.
Meeting called to order by the
chairman.
Petition of Lasse Hendikseu
and others, for a public ditch in
the town of Norway Lake was
presented, publicly read and con
sidered interested parties pres
ent were given an opportunity to
speak in favor of or against the
proposed ditch proof having
been filed that notice of hearing
had been served, posted and
mailed according to law, satis
factory bond having been filed
and approved as required bylaw,
and it appearing that the pro
posed ditch will be of public ben
efit and utility, the petition was
upon motion accepted, and H. P.
Lofgren, S. A. Sy verson and Peter
Skoglund appointed viewers of
said proposed ditch, to meet pre
paratory to commencing their
duties as such viewers, at the
residence of John Hystad, sec
tion 20, town of Norway Lake,
November 6,1899, at 2 o'clock
p. m.
The following order was there
upon issued and adopted:
ORDERh
APPOINTING VIEWERS IN
Ditc Proceedings.
In the tnatter of the petition of Lasse Ben
dikson and others for a public ditch in the
county of Katidiobi, state of Minnesota.
State of Minnesota, County of Kandiyohi—ss
Whereas, a petition bearing date the 31st
day of August, 1890, signed by Lasse Ben
dtkson, T. T. Spaanem, Christoffer Bjorkerud,
E. H. Hellerud, John J. Peterson, Ole E.
Rime, Nels O. Hystad, and Steiner Gof heim,
praying for the establishment of a certain
public ditch in said County, the route of
which is more fully described in said petition,
and a proper bond accompanying the same,
have been filed with the County Auditor of
said County as by law required
And whereas, it appears, by satisfactory
proof to the Board of County Commissioners
of Kandiyohi .county, that at least thirty
(30) days' notice of the pendency of said
petition, and the time and place at -vyhich the
same would be heard, has been given as re
quired by law
Arid whereas, said board has determined
that the construction of such ditch as pro
posed in said petition will be of public benefit
and utility, and conducive to the public
health, convenience and welfare
Now, therefore, we, the Board of County
Commissioners of said county, at a special
session held this day, do hereby accept said
petition, do hereby appoint H. P. Lofgren,
8. A. Syverson and Peter Skoglund three resi
dent freeholders of said county, and not in
terested in the construction of said proposed
work, and not of kin to any parties interest
ed therein, as viewers, and do specify the 6th
day of November. 1899, at the residence of
Fohn Hystad, Section 20. town of Norway
Lake, said county and state, at 2 o'clock p.
m„ as the time and place for said viewers to
meet, preparatory to commencing their du
ties as such viewers, as prescribed by law.
and after completing their duties as such
viewers to make and file their report with
the County Auditor of said county, as re
quired by law.
Dated October 24th, 1899.
By the Board,'
A S S O N
[8RALJ Chairman Board Co. Corn
Attest: -missioners of Kandiyohi Co.
LEWIS TPHNSOM,
County Auditor.
Continued on next page
...THE HIGH-GRADE...
NO, 9 DR0P.HEAD CABINET
FAMILY SEWING MACHINE
Possesses all the modern Improvement
be found In any first-class machine.
Sold at popular prices. Warranted ten year.
MANUFACTURED BY
ILLINOIS SEWING MACHINE CO,
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS
Exclusive Territory glvsn to responsible
Dealer*
OUR GREATEST OFFER.
The Farm Journal is 22 years old,
prints 40 tons of paper a month, and
is out of debt it is cut to fit every pro
gressive farmer and yillager. Don't
you want this fine little paper? Very
well, pay a year ahead for the W I
MAR I NE and we will have the
Farm Journal sent to your address
for the balance of 1899 and all of 1900,
1901, 1902 and 1903—nearly five years
—and it will get to you if alive and
anywhere on this planet.
Taken Up.
I have taken up a mule that strayed
to my place Sept. 28. Owner can have
same by calling and paying charges.
36-3p O N A S G. MONSON.
N
OTICE OF EXPIRATION OP HEDEMP
tion.
STATE OF MINNESOTA. I
COUNTY OF KANDIYOHI.
To Peter Norlander.
TAKE NOTICE.
That the piece of land assessed in your
name, situate in the County and State
aforesaid, and described as follows, to wit.
K'-i of lot 9 of lot 5. Sec. 33. township 118
ranjre 34. was. at the tax sale on the 6th day
of May. 189"), ui,der tax judgment enterpd in
the District Court of said county March 21st.
1895, sold for the sum of 42 cents (10.42. being
the amount of the taxes, penalties, interest
and costs due on said land for the year 1893
which sum. with interest from the date of
said sale at the rate of 12 per cent per an
num, is the amount required to redeem the
said piece of land from said sale, exclusive
of the costs to aocrue upon this notice, and
that the time for the redemption of said
land will expire sixty days after the ser
vice of this notice, and proof thereof has
beeu filed in my office.
Witness my hand and official seal.
[Seal.] this 20th day of October, A. D. 1899.
LEWIS JOHNSON,
County Auditor.
Kandiyohi Co.. Minn.
FEIG
"When it requires eleven columns
to attempt to answer a few (18) brief
questions, it certainly indicates the
weakness of the replyer's position."
E N FRIG, July 17, 1899.
FEIG' S REPLY.
Previously published, 27i columns.
This installment, 3$ columus.
Total to date, 31 columns.
(To be continued.)
RAYMOND, Oct. 22, *99.
Editor Republican Gazette:—
The great, perhaps the greatest
howl, of needed reforms at as
set up last fall by the fusion forces
as to reform the grain inspection
and the prison twine departments.
The alleged corruption of Republi
can officials in charge of these de
partment was the most favorite
theme of fusion campaign orators
The severe undergrading of wheat at
the beginning of the crop season of
1898 together with exorbitant twine
prices at farmers had to pay. made
these subjects of particular interest
in agricultural localities, and there
is no doubt at thousands of hither
to loyal Republicans left their party
and voted for Mr. Liud because they
believed the allegations made against
these important public depart
ments. Gov. Land largely owes his
election to a general dissatisfaction
on the a of the farmers with these
departments. Thousand of
good, straight Republicans became
convinced at a general cleaning
out in these departments of public
service were imperatively necessary.
And they further believed at with
Mr. Lind in the governor's chair
there as a better prospect for a
change. Candidate Liud and his fol
lowers made the most vicious at
tacks on the management of these
institutions attacks at shorn of
all denunciatory phraseology simply
meant corruption. The chiefs of the
departments, according to their
definition of the case, were nothing
but a loto Republican pa suckers,
thoroughly dishonest, and thorough
ly incompetent. The people were led
to believe at with Lind at the helm
there would be an immediate redress
of their wrongs by the ousting of
these officials. Well Lind was elected
and on a a 3rd, 1899, became
governor. On at day he delivered
his message to the legislature in joint
session. The people held their breath
when the governor started in to sug
gest needed reforms. He had led
them to believe at some radical
legislative departures were necessary
and at they would be particularly
mentioned by his excellency. The
farmers had flocked to the sup
of Mr, Lind were on the qui vive
as to at recommendations the
governor would make.
During the campaign Mr. Lind and
his co-sbouters knew all a the
corruption of the grain and twine
departments and they didn't hesitate
to rub it into Clausen and Wolfer.
Thev also knew just at reme
dies were required and they didn't
hesitate to promise them. They
knew all a it! They were will-
ing, only too willing then to clean
out the whole gang. They would
come forward with legislative pro
positions which, if adopted, would
afford ample protection in the future.
Oh, yes. they would fix the whole
business! give us a chance! was
the plea of candidate Lind augment
ed by the echo of a lot of minor
lights of fusion persuasion. Elect
me (John Lind) for governor, and
wheat will be always graded on its
merits, whether in July or January
There will in no case be excessive
dockage there will be no short
weights! Corruption will cease also
in the twine department. There will
be such a shaking up of dry
that Rome will howl! These depart
ments, which now only constitute a,
part of the corrupt Republican ma
chine will be purged! Politics in
these departments must cease! Just
give me a chance, ye farmers of Min
nesota, and see the reforms I will
inaugurate for your especial benefit!
grades and cheap twine will be
the reward of the faithful who pin
their faith in Lind!
And, Mr. Editor, many, only too
many farmers who were just then
laboring under real and imaginary
grievances, believed the professions
of reform on the part of Mr. Lind.
They believed at with Mr. Lind as
governor the prospect of reforms in
these departments was better than
with Mr. Eustis, and consequently
they gave their vote to the fusion
caudidate. A large number of Re
publican farmers voted for Mr. Lind
for just this one reason, a it was
with abated breath at they await
ed developments. Well, the day
came when the great knight of re
form buckled on his armor, marched
in before the representatives of the
great North Sta State, to begin his
career as the champion of the down
trodden and the avenger of wrong.
Much was expected of him. Nothing
but the severest kind of arraignment
of corrupt Republican officials would
appease the wrath of the reform
conglomeration at elected him,
and nothing would satisfy these
patriots but the most lucid sugges
tions of legal reform. They knew
at Lind would hurl into the teeth
of a Republican legislature such an
array of grain inspection and prisou
twine corruption at the strongest
partisan would quail beneath the
exposures of his excellency. They
also knew he would simply over
whelm them with the lucidity of his
reform propositions. But, alas!
at a disappointment!
In regard to the grain inspection
and twine departments Governor
Lind's message was practically a
blank. Not one single charge of cor
ruption in either department did Mr.
Lind make. Bear this in mind dear
reader. The governor did not make
one single charge of dishonesty or
incompetency against either the
twine or grain department in his
message to the legislature. After
parading up and down Minnesota
with wholesale denunciations of both
departments, insinuating dishonesty
and corruption, the governor finally
rests his case by saying nothing.
The corruption had vanished, the
dishonesty had apparently disap
peared, or better yet had never exist
ed. The cry of fraud and corruption
served its purpose. Mr. Lind was
governor. Wha did he care! Now,
Mr. Editor, there isn't a rational be
ing of mature agt in the State, but
at knows at if Mr. Lind could
have laid his hand on any corrup
tion in these departments he would
have only too gladly done so. His
message svould have bristled witli
the fraudulent and dishonest acts of
Republican officials if he only could
have discovered them. Particularly
would it have pleased his reform
excellency to lay such facts before a
Republican legislature! Rut why,
why didn't he? Because he couldn't.
After all the fuss and noise he and
his a of alleged reformers made
previous to the election as to the
mismanagement and corruption of
the grain inspection service and the
prison twine department he cannot
find one single tangible to complain
of or one single thing to recommend.
think of it, dear reader, the
giant intellect of the great apostle of
fusion, which so elaborately compre
hended the whole situation in Octo
ber, knows nothing on the subject
months later! His stock of
knowledge instead of increasing had
decreased. When he and his fellow
howlers were on the stump looking
for office they kmnv all about it!
months later they couldn't
even make one single intelligent rep
resentation on the subject! What do
you think dear readerof such politics
and at do you think of such poli
ticians? With them it's "anythin
to get the coon." Anything at
will prejudice the public mind against
the party iu power is to them a god
send. But my friend Lawso will
cry with exultation. "Governor Lind
did redeem his promises even if he
didn't discuss these matters in his
message to the legislature he fired
Clausen." Very well dear Vicky, and
no one is gladder at Clausen is out
than 1 am I contended on the
stump last fall, and I have not
changed my mind yet, at Mr. Clau
sen had outlived his period of useful
ness at the head of the grain inspec
tion department. I contended then,
and my contention as subsequently
borne out by a legislative Investiga
tion (Jacobson committee) at the
grain inspection as unstable and iu
the interest of the buyer particularly,
whereas the intent of the law as
at it should be stable and impar
tial. Accordiug to Mr. Clausen's
own evidence before the Jacobson
committee the policy of the depart
men as to a the inspection of a
new crop "conservatively." this
no one could reasonably object. But
when this "conservatism" amounted
to the loss of a full grade and as
continued for five or six weeks then
it became a palpable wrong, abso
lutely inconsistent with the intent of
the grain inspection law.
keep up the reputation of Min
nesota grades was apparently Mr.
Clausen's sole aim. In order to se
cure the buyer he was given the beue
fit of all doubt. This of course was
eminently satisfactory to the buyer,
but it was a grievous loss to the
producer. And for this policy Mr.
Clausen was responsible, and I don't
think he ever made any serious at
tempt to evade the responsibility.
Undoubtedly Mr. Clausen considered
his "conservative" policy the one
which would eventually produce the
best results. But to me and many
others this policy did not appear the
proper interpretation of the grain
law. I contended, and 1 do yet, at
wheat should be graded on its merits
at all times of the season. Under
Mr. Clausen's "conservative" policy
about one third of the whole crop of
the Dakota and Minnesota was
marketed before they really graded
on its merits. The poor farmer was
particularly the one who suffered
from this arbitrary interpretation of
the grain la w. He must thresh early
and sell immediately, and he is the
one who had to sacrifice a grade in
order to keep up the reputation of
Minnesota grades. And this, Mr.
Editor, is what I characterized last
fall as the trouble with our grain in
spection system, and I do so yet It
is not of individual cases I am speak
ing, it is the general policy to abso
lutely protect the buyer at I ob
ject. We farmers a nothing but
at is right in the premises, we
a No. 1 Northern wheat graded
No. 1 Northern whether in the begin
ning of the crop season or at the end.
a all.
every close student of the State
grain service this defect was fully
apparent. Gov. Lind and his friends
seemed to know all about the trou
ble before election, but, when it be
came time to act, when it became
opportune for the governor to com
municate these and other facts to the
legislature, he was practically silent.
But, my friend Lawso assured me
in his "reply" that a change would
be made when the official term of
Clausen expired. Of course he knew
all about it. I neveroccurred to him
at Clausen might again be ap
pointed. Oh, no! Vicky knew at
the great and only Lind would fix
this. Clauseu w7ould have to go and
the reform press would then point
with exultation to the redemption of
ante-election promises. But, my
friend Vicky, together with many
others of his ilk reckoned without
their master. Mr. Clausen was re
appointed in spite of Governor Lind
and his reform promises, and nothing
ever happened at so completely
took the wind out of the sails of the
Lind administration. It was a scan
dalous moral defeat. judge by
the expressions of candidate Lind
last fall we had the right to expect
the summary removal of Mr. Clau
sen, and indeed many expected this
to be one of the first official acts of
Gov. Lind. But, lo and behold! Mr.
Clausen remains and not only re
mains but is re-elected, and the only
reason he is not chief inspector to
day is because he resigned. Mr.
Clausen magnanimously came to the
rescue of our present administration
and helped save them from embar
rassment by voluntarily resigning.
The whole business, Mr. Editor,
smacks of farce comedy. Before elec
tion Mr. Lind was to reform the
grain department by removing Clau
sen and when it came to a show
down Mr. Clausen had to do the re
forming himself, and to cap the cli
max of this reform farce the governor
in a public statement exonerates
Mr. Clausen from all blame by say
ing "he is one of the best, if not the
best, wheat man in the United
States." Oh, at a farce! Oh,
at a comedy! Before election
Clausen was a monster, whose mis
sion was to rob and skin the farmers
by the wholesale, and eight months
afterwards he was "one of the best,
if not the best, wheat man in the
United States!" This man whom
our fusion friends characterized as
the particular enemy of the farmer
gets the highest kind of a eulogy
from the chosen champion of the
fusion forces. I may well ask my
friend Lawso for an explanation of
this rather extraordinary change in
the sentiments of his excellency. If
Clausen is one of the best, if not the
best, wheat man in theUnited States,
why should the governor desire to
get rid of his services? Does it uo
stand to reason dear Victor at
at is the kind of a mau we want?
If Governor Lind believes at Clau
sen was one of the best if not the
best wheat man in theUnited States,
at as his motive in making a
change? I supposed under a reform
administration appointments would
be made for merit only! And parti
cularly appointments of this kind?
Why should the governor run the
risk of getting an incompetent man
at the head of this important de
partmen when the place is already
filled by "one of the best if not the
best wheat man in the United
States? Is that a sample of fusion
politics? Is at the business rule
at ordinarily obtains with reform
administrations? Is it by discharg
ing the best men at they expect to
reform and improve the public ser
vice? On at grounds can you,
dear Victor, uphold such a farce?
Is this kind of comedy a of the
reform menu you held out to us last
fall?
Oh, Victor, Victor! When on Jul
5 you assured me of a change in the
chief grain inspector's office, you lit
tle dream of the humiliation in store
for your idol Lind! You little dream
at despite all of his and your
promises, Clausen would nevertheless
be re-appointed! And it never oc
curred to you at to pull the ad
ministration out of a bad hole the
co-operation of Clausen himself would
be necessary! And you have scorned
the ^thought at Governor Lind
would give Clausen such a grand re
commendation! These things never
occurred to my dearreformfriend,
when you so promptly disclosed Mr.
Clausen's future to me. I am afraid,
dear Victor, you are not a howling
success as a prophet, even when you
a to forestall the official acts
of your proteges! You never dream
at a moral defeat this appoint
ment of a chief grain inspector would
prove to his excellency. But to recur
to the motives at may have actu
ated the governor in dispensing with
the services of "one of the best if not
the best." What could it have been,
dear Vicky*' The governor ignored
the common, plain business rule to
retain the best man, so there must
be some other reason. And I think
it is not very difficult to discover.
The chief inspector appoints his sub
ordinates, and the hungriest crowd
of office-seeking fusionists to be
found on this planet have beleaguer
ed the executive office siuce the gov
ernor's inauguration demanding
their "pound of flesh." They tried
first for this and then for at job,
but the offices were gradually all
filled and still many with a forty
year appetite were unprovided for.
So the grain department had to be
invaded. But how? There stood
Clausen and he reigned supreme. He
effectively blocked the way for the
hungry horde. So he had to go even
if the administration had to get on
its knees and beg him to resign.
Public policy, the demands of the
people, were all forgotten. "To the
victor belongs the spoils," this old
maxim of Jackson, was even applied
to the grain department l)3r one of
the latest proselytes of Democracy.
And I may well inquire at im
provement can the public expect from
a department at is so thoroughly
subordinated to politics? In a letter
to the Pioneer Press Governor Lind
denied the injection of politics into
the department and also denied the
change of more than the chief inspec
tor. Well, the Pioneer Press general
ly knows at it is talking about
and it also did so in this case. Under
date of September this paper pub
lishes a list of 100 appointments
(changes) at had been made in the
grain inspection department, and
out of these 100 appointments 05 are
from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Du
luth.
Jus think of it,my farmer friend,
under this reform administration
Minneapolis and St. Paul farmers
will inspect your grain. The exper
ience gained in running Democratic
ward politics are apparently the on
ly qualification needed to constitute
a first-class reform inspector or
weigher of grain. The inspector of
country elevators is A. Hoidale, of
Dawson. He is a newspaper man by
profession and of course his training
just fits him to judge wheat. The
resources and capabilities of a re
form editor are indeed numerous!
It occurs to me lightning ought to
strike Willmar pretty soon. E a
O'Brien, of Minneapolis, succeeded
our friend Reese as weighmaster. He
has gained his experience by editing
the Irish Standard. He ought to
make a good chief for the weighing
department. And then there is W
R. Dobbyn, the Populist editor of
Minneapolis (and I believe the parti
cular friend of Mr. a so he
ought to be able to distinguish pota
toes from wheat, or corn from hay.
These democratic, popocratic, popu
list, fusion editors, or whatever you
may call them,mus be taken careof,
even if the most important depart
ment of public service is prostituted
thereby. Wha difference does this
make to Governor Lind. He is gov
ernor and he a to be re-elected
next year.
I repeat: at improvement can
the farmers expect from a depart
ment subordinated entirely to the
political ambition of one man?
W at service can you expect in the
inspection and weighing of farm
produce when sixty-five per cent of
the officials are from the cities? Isn'
at a grand way to reform the grain
inspection service? I suppose these
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth
farmers are all experts on grain and
on scales! The regulation democratic
ward politician of the large cities
usually is. As inspectors of
most of them are a howling success.
And now my farmer friends, and
particularly you of previous Republi
can proclivities voted for Liud
because yon wanted to usher in the
golden period of reform, is this the
kind of reform you voted for? Is
this at you expected? Did it ever
occur to you at out of 100 inspec
tors and weighers our reform
administration would take 65 from
the three large cities? Candidly, my
farmer friend, did you expect this and
how do you like it? And of you, my
dear friend Lawson I would iuquire
how do you like these evidences of
reform Is this the blessing a re
form administration would show
er on us? You are one of the parties
responsible for this! I hope you are
satisfied. If not, since you have
gone into the apologizing business
you might make a few apologies for
our reform governor.
Gov. Lind's prison twine reform
next.
HBPTRT FBIG.
KStMjSSL'J.'^if li- 'isi