Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-27

The Chicago Tsmss has been securing
the views of active and prominent Demo-
Gratis throughout the entire country rela-
tive to what should be the ISSUE for COM
ing political contests, and also upon the
adyisability of recognizing the party
under a new name. These interviews
appeared in the Tines of Saturday,
March 26, and we give below the report
IN full of the Minnesota commissioner,
who elaborately responded to the call for
Information:
TSt. Paul Cor. Chicago Times, March 26.l
The Democratic party does not flourish to
al alarming extent in Minnesota. Given a
territorial organization under Democratic
national administration, its infancy was sur
rounded by Democratic infiuencies, but its
surroundings and the character of a majority of
ths people seeking permanent homes along its
water ways and upon its broad prairies, were
n opposition to that party upon the slavery
question, SO that at the first state election
Minnesota took its stand in the column Of
Republican states. Then came the was which
but intensified the Republican sentiment.
Since the war this sentiment has been steadily
augmented by the large foreign emigration,
largely from Norway and Sweden, which has
instinctively sought political association with
the Republican party, so that to-day the State
IS capable of giving Republican majority Of
from 10000 to 10000 according to the impor-
tance of the election. Still Minnesota has a
sturdy band of Democrats, who year after year
go through the form of nominating candidates
30 be badly beaten when the election comes
OF. And though In such a disheartening
minority here at home, the Minnesota Demo
crat is as earnest in support Of his beliefs and
as dcsirous for their endorsement in the cOun-
try at large as their more favored brethren IN
other States where in the majority, or where
the parties are so evenly divided as TO hold out
q hope of possible success. st. Paul is the
headquarters of the Democratic party of the
State-a condition due to the fact that it is the
capital-that it is Democratic city, and con-
tains in its population large
number of the most brilliant and
well trained minds, backed by wealth
aad social position of the party in the State.
The voice, then, of the Democracy of st. Paul,
may be justly considered the voice Of the De-
mocracy of Minnesota. With this fact in
mind the Times correspondent has interviewed
some twenty of the Democrats of the city, en-
bracing old war horses, young men just en-
tering the political arena, the middle aged, the
business and professional men, the radical
and conservative Office. holders and laymen,
and their responses appended may be accepted
as fair expression of the views of the party
Of The State. The points upon which the in
terviews were made, were as follows.
First-Are you in favor of making the next pres
dental canvass on the issue Of tariff for revenue
onlyf
seoond-Do you believe it worth while, after the
defeat of last November, to longer maintain the
Democratic organization?
Third-Would you favor a reorg aniz alton under
another name, as the whig party was reorganized
into the Republican party after the defeat Of Scott in
1852, making q revenue tariff and no "protecti IN"
the chief article Of the new party policyf
GEN. H. II. sIBLEY.
In point of age, ability, service to the party
and State, and the general esteem in which he
is held by the people generally, the views of
Gen. H. III. Sibley are entitled to take prece-
dence. He may be properly termed the
father Of the Democratic party of the State.
lie has now passed his three score years and ten
of which forty seven years have been spent in
Minnesota. In 1S4S he was elected to Con-
gress and secured the organization of the
Territory. He was reelected in 1S49 and
1851, then de clining another nomination. He
served as president of the Democratic wing of
the constitutional convention in 1857, and was
soon after elected governor. Since, his only
elective office was one term in the State assem-
bly,, but he has for years been one of the
regents of the State university and has also
held other appointive positions of trust In the
State, During The war he gained wellmerited
praise and renown for the success with which
he conducted operations against the Sioux
Indians. He was q warm admirer OF Gen
hancock, and so earnestly did he desire his
success that he last fall yielded to the wishes
OF his party, and led the forlorn hope against
". ID. Washburn in the Congressional race in
this district Such is in brief the father of the
Democratic party of Minnesota, and these are
his views upon thethree queries propounded by
your correspondent. Like himself they are
clear cut.
fst. am in favor of making the next pres
dental canvass on the issue Of q "tariff for
revenue only" with the additional issue of a
sweeping change in the navigation laws, which
VIII encourage our citizens to compete with
foreign nations, for the carrying trade Of the
world on equal terms.
2d. lam strongly in favor of maintaining
the Democratic name and organization intact
The results of the two last presidential cleo
tons have demonstrated conclusiyeIv. that
Ecan in the union, and that if in the future,
the old and time honored Democratic party
will confine itself to living issues, and not
cucumber its platform with traditions of the
dead past, there is no reason to doubt, under
competent leadership, that i. will triumph in
1884
HON. EDMUND RICE
With a residence in Minnesota almost co.
existent with Gen. Sibley, having settled here
in 1S49, and having been prominently identified
with some of the most important enterprises
inthe State, notably the inception and building
of the st. Paul & Pacific railroad. and always
a Democrat, Hon. Edmund Rice may well be
heard next to Gen. Sibley. Though never a
politician desiring Office, Mr.. Rice was in the
territorial legislature in 1851, State Senator
in 1854, 1865, 1878, 1874, in the House in 1867,
and the nominee of his party for governor in
1879 He responded to the interviewer as fol-
lows:
1. lam
A tariff for protection is vicious in princi-
pie. The consumers, who are the MANY. need
lessly pay heavy extra tax, ingeniously dis
guised, to enrich the manufacturers, who are
the few. 1t is unjust to the many; it firan.
cially debauches the few, and deludes and mis-
leads them; it degrades politics aud legislation.
If it was made equally applicable to all the
productions of labor, every one would be on