Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-30

backed by their northern allies, to cripple our small
army and prevent its enforcement of free and fair
elections, in order to leave the shotgun ruffians
in full control of southern polls.
OBJECTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The purposes and power of the Democratic party
are furnished by the solid South That section
supplies its BRAINS and dictates its policy. There
Is little lett OF Its ancient aspirations other than to
tamely obey the behests of its southern leaders
1t was the Democratic party that deliberately
attempted to force the president to surrender his
conscience and violate his oath of Office on pain of
stopping the wheels of government by refusing
needed appropriations. 1t is that party that has
repeatedly reasserted the pernicious and suicidal
doctrines to which the country owes the bloody
calamities of civil war; and which would substitute
weak contederacy of jealous States for strong
and honored government. Such party once IN
power could not be relied upon to resist an meal
culable expenditure to satisfy southern claims,
which already aggregate nearly 81 800, 100000, a
sum sufficient to bankrupt the treasury and insure
natlonal rum. 10 meet these enormous demands,
the suspension of specie payments aud another
resort to inflated paper currency would be inevitable
The recent declaration of the State Democratic
convention, that the volume of this currency
should be regulated by the business Of the coun-
try, is significant of what may be expected when
they come into power. The payment of rebel
claims would so regulate business as to bury the
country under a crushing mass of irredeemabe
currency. Such, of course, Is not the avowed par
pose of the home Democracy, but they are SO in
fected and allied with the greenback influences of
the party at large that the result would be in
evitable.
THE GREAT ISSUE
Now, while it is true that no national questions
are directly at issue in the coming State election,
the two parties in Minnesota are fairly representa-
tive of the aims of the two great national parties
respectively. The contest this year is to a great
extent battle for position; and whichever shall
wln the day will so command the field and place
its forces as to ensure victory in the great presi-
DENTAL combat of next year.
REPUBLICAN STATE ACHIEVEMENTS.
But the question in which the voters of Mime
sofa are directly concerned relates to the manage
ment OF their State government; and to this your
candid attention is confidently invited. When the
Republican party assumed control of State affairs
twenty years ago, it found an empty treasury and
State treasury warrants dishonored and deprecated
to about one-half their nominal value. The State
was without railroads or charitable institutions:
it's agricultural interests were limited and feeble
its industries Frustrated and its educational insti-
buttons languishing. In five years. the most calam-
itous and depressed in our history, the Republican
party, by careful economy, redeemed our State
credit and brought its treasury warrants to par
That party by Judicious management has promoted
the building Of 5000 miles of railroad; it has re-
organized and reared an educational system which
is an honor to the State; it has by consummate
skill amassed an educational endowment for future
generations which already reaches $4,000, 900
ranking fourth in the Union it has erected edifces
for and annually supports three normal schools it
has rescued from hopeless bankruptcy the Univer-
sity Of Minnesota, and placed it in commanding
usefulness, with surplus assets of 100000; It
has wisely supp enented the efforts of congress to
clothe our naked praires with attractive groves it
has provided careful supervision of our railroad
and insurance interests, through which is derived
an annual revenue approximating $250,000, les
SEEMING. direct taxation by that amount; it has
erected commodious buildings for the care Of the
insane, for the deaf dumb, and blind, and for the
reform school, and provides for the ample annual