Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-08-21

i
ant in their abuse Of the present
Legislature perhaps It would not be
l,entirely out Of place for me to give,
briefly, nv opinion of them. The set
themselves up as the representative Of
the interests and Industries Of their
localities and stand ready to sell their
bilthright for mess of pettage. There
are some noble exceptions, but majority
Of the worst set Of mercenary dead beats
that ever dissraced any profession. They
! live on blackn,ail, and grow fat on the
tdirty dollars that are poured into their
hands l'y the untaxed and law defying
monopolios Of our state as the price Of
dccsiv,ng the people. They early
espoused the cause of the oppressed and
Idowntrodden farmers of the Northwest.
and were big with sympathy and plans
for his deliverance from the CALLING yoke
of the railroads and elevator men. Their
wailing for the hard lot of the poor
farmers was in proportion 10 the t'gAt.
ness Of the grip Of the monopolist upon
his teo large share of their common
! plunder. But fortune was on the side Of
the editor. It soon became apparent to
the monopolist that something must be
done, and Immediately the editors "were
seen" and they undertook the job of
be-littling the representatives the people
had elected. They labored industriously
until the conven,ng of the Legislature,
posing always as the especial friend of
the farmer. The tears that fell from
behind their veil of hypocrisy came
from the eyes Of Judas; they kissed
the lips of the farmer and took the
twenty pieces Of silver from his enemy;
their wisdom and their plans had
| vanished; they could see and talk only
Of objections and difficulties; their
advice, when they had any, was seasoned
with treachery, aud their criticism was
aishonorable and contemplate; and since
the adjournment they have industrieusly
lied about all that was done, and all this
for the purpose Of convincing the farmer
that his efforts to release himself from
the robbers, VINO were absorbing the
results of his industry, was failure and
that he had much better quietly submit
| to be robbed than persist in his efforts 10
find relief. I feel confident the people
will not allow themselves to be thus
deceived. They have taken the first step
in se]fdefence and they "will fight it out
on this line if it takes all summcr."
They are fully capable of coping with
their enemies, but they surely need Gods
help to deliver them from the hands Of
their friends" 1t is not my purpose to
enter into any lengthy comments of the
laws passed last winter. They received
my approval or disapproval a! the time
Of their passage and the honest, candid
citizen who is not trying TO breed
contempt for all law will give them fair
trial and an honest Judgment There is
one act, however, that above all others
seems to haunt the dreams ofthe average
editor-it is the hunyon on ths big toe of
he Tribune man and IS pointed out by
all we'll paid editors as the crowning
blunder OF the present Legislature This
so.called "railroad Ia "" was, as is well
known, the result of compromise
between the two houses and like all
compromise acts was not entirely
satisfactory to either, or perhaps to any
member of either. The house was
elected, as you intimate, upon the issue
of securing some needed railroad
legislation and 1t at once passed bill
that met the approval of the people Of the
state. The senate was not eIecte d upon
any such issue and to use the language
Of the aforesaid editors was ''depended
upon to hold the house In check :" It
did "hold them in check" by Immediate,
ly killingsthe house bill and passing one
that more clearly reflected the views Of
those who "were not pledged to the
farmer craze" and, wonderful to relate,
this Senate bill met the approval Of most
of the great newspaper friends of the
farmer; the House refused to pass the
Senate bill and deadlock was the result.
A committee of conference was had and
the bill that became law was the result
of its labors. I believe that it has many
good features and will result in much
good, but that it is no better than it is is
in no way chargeable to the members of
the Legislature who were elected at the
last election. Much more might De said,
in fact much more ought to be said. The
people of Minnesota should know the
class Of parasites it is that are raising
this hue and cry and the just indignation
OF deceived and slandered people
should be visited upon them. Personally
would much prefer there would be no
extra session, Is it would be at great
sacrifice of my private business that l
could spare the time the coming winter
to attend it, but if one be called I have
no doubt the result of its deliberations
will be satisfactory to the state, whether
it meets the approval Of the great mind
that shapes the destiny Of the Tribune
or not. In closing these hastily prepared
and disconnected remarks l ask you as
you regard my personal feeling; as you
hold dear those memories Of our child
hood associ atoms when we were free
from the evil influence Of politics and