The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-01-05
COMMUNICATION.
ISLAND aRovE FARM. Dec

tVilu has pcSotuc topfu III bic uSVSy |
apparel of winters heavy whiteness,"
i again lind myself penning a few dis.
connected thoughts, for the perusal
of your readers and the columns Of
your. valuable journal.
And. first of all, allow me To thank
you with u heart filed with gratitude,
for the "beautiful volume of Poems
which wended its way through the
politeness of dear "Old SANTA" sent
hither by your kind thoughtfulness.
Words are inadequate to fully portray
the exquisite joy, that pervaded my
inneImOst being, Oh receipt of it.
The more fully appreciated, by com.
ing SO Unexpectedly and from a
source SD remote to my anticipations.
But let me assure you it is highly
priced. and ! shall always retain with
pleasure the remembrance of your
thoughtful kindness, SO deftly ex.
pr essed, from IN unknown friend,
other. than through your valued
columns. But One wiser than any
has truthfully said, Freely as We
give. freely shall he receive" and l
hope that Santa Claus may be so
Overburdened with rich gifts. that he
will lie compelled TO cast IL goodly
share of them at the Office of The
FREE PRESS.
Every week The FREE PRESS
comes into our household most well
come v!sitant, and it Is with eager
interest that we peruse its columns
so ably arranged, as to please the
most casual observer. And each
week we are alike filled with either
Joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain, s,Ir-
prise or laughter, rs we note the
marriages or deaths, the locals or
personals, the puns or retorts. the
strife among business firms to Guido
each other in the way of advertise.
ments, and all that goes to make up Il
thorough, interesting and impor-
tant journal.
We were deeply interested during
the fall election. to see with what
earnest, answering energy; with
what thorough Republican principles,
with what unfettered arguments.
with what straightforward efficiency
and ability THE FREE PRESS lahored
for the benefit of the people at large;
and we hailed with joy the victory
gained by its Hercnlean efforts. Well
done, good and faithful servant Of
the people. May they ever show forth
with the deepest gratitude their APP.
probation of its noble works.
When we read Of the Democratic
gains throughout the country at the
recent election, one becomes para
lyzed with undesirable establishment
for moment and thinks the long
taught battle lost, but when we re.
fleet upon the causes which led to
those gains. we shrink from recog-
nizing any permanent reioicings on
their part, and the thoughts so filled
with misgivings, soon give way to
calm resignation in the assurance
that "a will again bring such over.
whelming majorities for the Repub-
licans and people at large that Demo.
cracy will withdraw within the port
ais of their supposed battlements
with hatred to themselves and their
Oppressors. Then will it be that they
will learn to their chagrin and humili.
alton that the Alliance movement,
the prohibition movement and the
suffrage movement are issues brought
before the Americans, with purer
l. nrtv, NJ ,Nln IN
to be made the bulwarks and battle
ments behind which they can frame
their cunning devices. Democracy
and the whiskey ring will then be
impressed with the glaring truths,
that they are movements for the ben.
eft Of the people at large and not
instruments with which to again
throw the country into the snare of
the aggressOr. They will by that
time understand that prohibition
means simply to rid this noble land
from the greatest curse, that ever
stained Its fair name, and to purify
1t before u civilized world.
They will by that time fully realize
that suffrage means equal rights to all
citizens, which gives the mothers the
chance to protect, keep aud save her
sons from those hellholes of infamy
and drunkenness, and her daughters
from becoming dupe to vice and
wantonness. 1t is not Il movement
on the part of women merely to vote,
but it gives her the right TO protect
herself and property, rs she so richly
deserves, II right, with her pen and
intellect to suppress all such legisla.
ton as we read of in Ohio and other
places. 1t merely gives her right to
become equal with six million seris.
and recognize the fact that she is ut
least human. How humiliating to
the noble women of Americas to think
that they are debarred from this
right by those, fer whom they gave
their sons and husbands, that they
might breath the free pure air Of
Heaven, by those made sons of
America by adoption, by the illiterate
the uneducated portion of the voting
population. But the issue lost to us
in Nebraska this year, does not SAVIOR
of defeat permanently, nor yet to he
Il vote that we might feel baflled. No
indeed 1t savors of the perfumes Of
these dens of corruption and of selfish
bigOtry and ignorance. of the needs
and gains of II free and independent
people. But the defeat to say the
least. Is a victory gained; it has
brought the issue more directly be
fore the American people and shows
to them In undisputable truth, that
the prosperity, the purity. the liberty
of this country will never in itself
become on element until the people
are made equal. And who are the
people?
1t has nerved the noble women Of
America, with deeper, more fer
vent energy and determination to do
or die in the cause. The Spartan
blood yet coarses through their veins,
and their great love of liberty still
cries out for justice, and never will
they lay down their arms until the
victory is gained. Delay it as you
may, you that oppose, but as sure rs
that God rules. You will have to meet
| it sooner or latter, and acknowledge
its right and power.
!. But / did not intend to turn my
communication into political lee.
ture, deeply and earnestly as l appre-
ciate and wish for the good of nil
mankind. To-day Is the Merry
Christmas: And when, glancing back,
down the halls Of memory, dawned
upon the footstool of the Creator, u
day more lovely, more BETTING the
appellation. The Emerald apparel,
which. a few short months ago cloth.
ed the natural world, Is supplanted by
; the fieecy white garb of winter, fresh