New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-10-27
A ROUsING SPEECH.

"A sAOOOl4Nu Nj IEOlh
At Fergus Falls, Saturday evening,
the 9th inst, an enthusiastic and
large Republican rally was held; and
Hon. ]. 9. Hodgson, state lecturer fol
the Farmers Alliance, made the fol-
lowing speech, and which everyone
should read:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen: l
must be pardoned if l betray any
symptoms of embarrassment or awk-
wardness in your presence tonight. l
was brought up an awkward, green
country boy and l find that when l
have to appear before the public in a
new role my early characteristics are
apt to blossom out in all their pris-
tine freshness. Though 43 years Of
age I have never before tonight taken
the rostrum in behalf OF party plat
form or political ticket. For nearly
three years have been sort of pub
lie agitator among the farmers. I
thought ! saw that the vast wealth
of this. unrivalled northwestern
country was being absorbed by other
than the hands which produced
it. thought saw that the absorb
tion of the profit of our unequalled
soil and toll was the result of sys-
tenn which has grown up in this coun-
try in modern days, a system correct
enough in it's proper sphere and with
in proper limits. 1 refer to that form
of associated capital known as the
corporation. I thought that l saw
that this form of capital was not
bearing it's proper share Of the burdens
OF government and that it was en-
abled by it's concentration of power
to derive more than it's just share
of the profits of the industry of the
people. Ihavegone among the people
and have tried to arouse them to a
sense of their just rights and to spur
them to a sense of their own power
and duty; hence the Farmers alliance.
You will all consent to this propo-
sition, think, without argument. 1t
is the nature of power to perpetuate
itself; nay more. it is the nature OF
power to be aggressive-to accumu-
late If in the industrial or political
world you discover tendency to the
concentration of power into the
hands of individuals you may be
sure that the rights OF the people ar"
being endangered. There is but one
way to neutralize power; that is by
raising g. greater power in opposi-
tion. This is the work the Farmers
alliance has set itself to do. It is
not a political party. Its member
ship is composed of men of all politi-
cal beliefs. 1t is our aim to act on
the great parties in such way as to
compel them to recognize the rights Of
the people. The alliance is not respon-
sible for either ticket now in the field
for the suffrages OF the people. The
alliance and workingmen made an ef-
fort to combine for political action.
They signally failed. The alliance
men found it impossible to unite
among themselves. Hence at an ex-
ecutive session of it's committee it was
resolved that no recommendation be
made as to state politics, but that
alliance members should be allowed
entire freedom of choice between all
candidates. 1t is in pursuance OF this
decision that I am here tonight to
declare my preference for the republi-
can platform and the republican can-
didates. LApplause.l l am not here
as partisan. I do not be-
lieve that a party should DC con.
tinued in power simply because
of it past achievements. I do not
regard party as q sort ola God or
shrine to which it's votaries must
bow down and worship. l regard it
rather as an instrument, a machine,
if you please, or, perhaps more prop
erly, an engine bearing a mighty load
of precious freight over the track of
time. If it be on the right track and
in q state OF good repair, progress
and happiness come to the people and
the state; but on the wrong track and
out Of repair it's future is ominous
with danger, misery and ultimate ru-
in. have not always been q non
partisan. was once The most enthu-
siastic Of Republicans; ! cast my first
vote for Abraham Lincoln in his sec.
ond term; I learned my Republicanism
more from that man than any other.
And we'll remember that eventful
summer of 1854, when the great army
of the Potomac was for the last time
drawing it's lines around Petersburg
and Richmond, the head and brains
OF the rebellion, when Sherman was
marshalling his forces to penetrate the
very heart and bowels of the "great
iniquity," when Ulysses Grant, at the
head of all the armies of the United
States, was drawing them anaconda
like and with vice like grip around the
most wicked and unjustifiable rebel
lion in all history. It was at such a
time that the democratic party, met
in national convention, declared the
war failure. To say Twas indignant
is to state the case tamelv. I said.