The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-07-30
WHERE THE SHOE PINCHEs.

When the appeal for help came up
from the counties devastated by the
grasshoppers, Gov. Davis at once set
himself to work to obtain relief. It
soon became evident that something
more than the contributions of a few
individuals would be necessary to
meet the demand for provisions and
clothing. The country swept Of its
growing crops was extensive and the
number of those requiring assistance
was large. Governor Davis, finding
the State Treasury locked by law
against him, and unwilling to impose
upon the people the expense of an ex-
ira session Of the Legislature, appeal
ed to the Changers to extend q help
ing hand to their fellow-farmers !;
asked the Commissioners of the more
fortunate counties to advance money
for the relief of the distressed districts,
with the understanding that all sums
thus advanced should be repaid by
the State; and requested the War
Department to give to Minnesota the
value Of certain arms, which were not
needed, in rations, which were needed.
Believing that Minnesota was abund-
antly able to take care of herself, he
asked no help from outside. His &C.
ton was just what the ordinary feel
ings of humanity might be naturally
supposed to dictate to the Chief Ex-
ecutive of a State.
But the occasion was seized upon
by certain newspapers for attacks up
on Gov. Davis. 1t was charged that
he was running Minnesota by letting
it be known elsewhere that misfor-
tune had befallen certain parts of the
State; that immigration would be
driven back, and that incalculable
harm would be done. And now
comes the Bismarck Cd. T.) Tribune
with a column article assailing the
Governor for moving in behalf of
these suffering people. The remarka-
BILE solicitude of the Tribune
for the welfare of Minnesota
might excite some wonderment were
it not pretty generally known that al
though published far beyond the Dor
ders of this State it responds to GER
tain political pulsations here which
are antagonistic to Governor Davis.
The real fault Of the Governor is not
that he gave publicity to the fact of
the grasshopper raid and to the
further fact that there were
many people left destitute by reason
of the loss Of their crops it is not
that he asked the War Department to
give Minnesota what it wanted instead
of what it did not want-his fault
lies in the fact of his being a candi-
date for the United States Senate, and
it was feared by Senator Ramsey's
friends that his prompt and noble
efforts in behalf Of the people in the
devasted districts might add to his al-
ready too great popularity. In their
desperation they attacked him for do
ing what it was only his duty as
Governor to do. If the reasons they
gave were the real ones, why did not
they assail the people who gathered
in a Grasshopper Convention last
spring, memorialized Congress for re-
lief, and appointed q delegate to go to
Washington and present their petit
ton? Why did not they assail Con-
gress which extended to settlers on
the public lands in Minnesota and
Iowa the time for proving-up, because
Of this grasshopper raid? Why do
not they denounce the editor of the
New York Tribune, who, after the
visit Of a correspondent to the coun-
ties scourged by these pests,
calls for "the helping hand of those
who are more blest by fortune" to be
extended to "these farmers, who have
neither bread nor seed?' These
things all have given notoriety to the
6ct that in certain counties in Min
nesota great damage has been done by
grasshoppers, and immigration may
be retarded in consequence.
The pretence that the State will be
injured by what Governor Davis has
done is very flimsy one, and does
not at all disguise the real animus
which inspired the attacks. Those
who make them fear his rapidly in
creasing popularity-a popularity
which comes ofa growing -appreci-
alton Of his abilities on the part of