Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-10-13


nominations they WILDE misrepresented;
for if it is understood that a nomination is
secured by intrigue and a resort to disrep-
utable methods, then fraud is at a prem.
ium and unworthy and disrepntable men
will always succeed over honorable rivals.
It is almost by imperceptible and stealthy
beginnings that good government is
attacked, and it is from such attacks that
it has most to fear. The secret burrow-
ing of an insignificant mouse will under.
mine and destroy the foundation of a
structure whose strength defed the force
and fury of the flood. Our government
can never be destroyed by force of open
violence from without, but as against
burrowing corruption it may truthfully
be said, ''eternal vigilance is the price Of
liberty" A Brady, a Dorsey and their
coadjutors and their secret partners are
more dangerous to free institutions than
a Cataline or a Julius Caesar. And, my
friends, be not deceived. He who will
by fraud secure a nomination or an cleo
ton to Office will use that office for
fraud. I am in favor Of being not only
just but generous to III soldiers. They
who were baptized in fire that our coun.
ry might live and posterity enjoy the
blessings of freedom, deserve this-and
have a right to expect nothing less.
JUDGE WILSON 1T PRESTON.
At the request of the Democrats of
Fillmore county, Judge Wilson visited
Preston on Thursday. AS it was the Sec
ond day Of the county fair, there was a
large attendance of farmers and others
from all over the county. The Judge
addressed a large audience, including
many Republicans, and was frequently
interrupted by enthusiastic and repeated
applause. At the close of his speech,
many Republican farmers crowded
around him and shook hands, pledging
their earnest support. Milo Whites
friends very generally will support Judge
Wilson, and there seems little doubt that
he will carry Fillmore county, so strong
and widespread is the feeling for him
among the farmers. Judge Wilson spoke
as follows:
Having discovered that my friends in
the district would perhaps urge my can-
didature, a few weeks before the nomina-
ton l wrote and published a letter for
the purpose of letting it be known not
only that l was not a candidate, but also
that certain potent influences in the dis
trict would be opposed to me and there
fore that my nomination would be unwise.
In that letter l said:
Consulting my W feelings and interests
merely, I would decline to accept a nomina-
tion, even if assured of an election. Recog-
and desiring to oblige them, 1 might, perhaps,
feel constrained to accede to their wishes In
this case if I felt any reasonable assurance
chances of success. But 1 do not feel such as
surance:, On the contrary, as l stated to YOU,
| think that would probably lose many votes
If nominated on our ticket. And it is to be
borne in mind that while happily party ties
gre growing weaker year by year and electors
70 their convictions, un1nfuenced by party
bosses or party names, 1t Is hardly probable
t9at we nave SO far advanced In the direction
OF independent political action that any one
can be elecetd in this district this year who is
called a Republican, - If any Influential class
| OF any SFeaC NUMBER OF electors OUTSIDE OF the
Republican party opposed him. believe
would be opposed by some who could influ-
ence a great many Votes. i have never. been
legislature land out of i) has by no means
been always acceptable; on the contrary. it
has at times been deemed very. Objectionable
70 the granting Of lands or other subsidy, or to
the ~reviving Of any land grant to any railroad
company, and my course in favor of the taxa
ton of the so-called railroad lands and in op-
position to the right of power of foreign cor
porations to transfer causes from the state
courts to the federal courts and my opposition
generally to the expansion of the power of COR
porations would place in opposition to me
nearly every railroad company and corpora
ton in the state; while on the other hand, the
fact that l have been employed not. infre-
quently as the attorney of some railroad COM
panies and other corporations would enable
certain persons to misrepresent me and my
views and perhaps to prejudice me in the esti-
nation of some honest persons who do not
know the views l entertain, or what I have
therefore, wish to have it clearly understood
that l am not o candidate.
Unless information coming from diff
ferent quarters is wholly unreliable, the
opposition which l predicted from certain
corporations is already manifest, and the
reason of it is not far to seek. My con-
duct in Office and out of Office has been
such as to condemn me with that class as
a legislator. They know me to lie I'M
changebly opposed to all land grants, sub
sides and bonuses, either by way of orig
inal grant or renewal, and to any special
favor or privileges to them at the expense
Of the people. [ have always by word
and act opposed the expansion Of power
of corporations and any and all special
immunities to them. A few examples
will illustrate my principles and actions
in such cases, and at the same time the
ground of the opposition of these corpo.
rations to my election.
THE RAILWAY LAND GRANTs.
In 1857 as those whose memories reach
back so far will recollcct, the United
States made a grant of several millions Of
acres of land to Minnesota to aid in the
building of a number of lines of railroad.
The lands were by the legislature trans
ferrcd to certain railroad companies
which agreed to build the roads. The
companies agreed to pay in lieu of all
other taxes three per centum OF their
gross earnings and The lands were on that
consideration exempted from taxation
until they should be sold or contracted to
lie sold by the companies. This immun-
lty from taxation was only Of the prop.
erty Of the companies paying the three
per centum of their earnings. The
DlOpC1t VI AO OlV CloS was CAOIuptCN.
The land grant railroad companies in
1858 applied for a loan of state credit to
the amount of S., O0O, 900. This could
not be granted but by an amendment of
the constitution which required a vote of
the people. One of the roads whose
eastern terminus was at Winona, was TO
have 81, 250, 900 of the loan. The direct
ors of the company lived at Wlnona and
they by the loan expected to be enriched,
and the people of the city expected that
it would be greatly benefited by the build
ing of the road. l saw, or supposed
saw, that the scheme was one intended
and whose effect would be, to plumber the
state, as it in fact proved to be. l there
fore opposed it; for though the officers OF
the railroad company who asked fol
bonds claimed that the state would never
be called on to pay a dollar-I was not
satisfied with the honesty or truth of the
statement. All the companies stood TO-