Morris tribune., 1888-06-06
FAULTRY TACTICS.


EDITOR TRIBUNE: TO many 1t may
seem like presumption for one 30 little
known rs the writer to publicly criti'
else the acts OF gentleman SO well
and favorably Known throughput ouz
whole state rs In General Barrett
than whom there is not u man In the
North west who has given more I'M
sparingly aud unselfisllly Of his time
and talents towards turthering the
farmers interests. My reason for the
criticism is,Itbe General is now trying
to advance that important cause OF
which he is justly considered the
leader at the expense OF another cause
far greater than the one for which ne
Is so earnestly fighting. He has been
so zealously waging his one battle
against the railroads, that he has not
properly considered the Importance
of that cause tor which temperance
republicans are striving, nor has he
noted their political strength.
A question pertaining to traffic
which fills our jails, poorhouses, and
insane asyluns, which is admitted
to be q social, moral, and financial
curse upon our whole country, which
is the great prolific cause Of human
misery and unhappiness, is not OF
secondary importance compared with
any other issue now before the
American people.
That the political strength OF this
temperance cause is such that aspir'
ing politicians cannot safely oppose
it is we'll evidenced by many signih-
cient facts. Our state Republican
convention Of two weeks ago declared
for restricting the liquor traffic to the
narrowest possible limits, and reso-
lutions Of like purport have been
passed by . congressional district
convention, and by many county
conventions, including those of Big
Stone and Stevens. In not single
one OF the late Republican convene
tions has an anti-saioon resolution
metwith strong opposition but in many
of them as in our own county such
resolutions have been passed without
opposition, without dissenting vote.
In view of such facts, they are blind
indeed who cannot see that republic
cans of this state will this year fight
on an anti-saloon platform, and for q
gubernatorial candidate whose senti-
ments on this great moral question
are in accord with those Of the rank
and file OF his party. The republican
farmers and the republican people of
our state are interested In and are
anxious to vote for both temperance
reform and transportation reform,
and is there any reason pray tell why
we should not have fog governor q
man who cap fifty represent us on
both issues? Are there. no puolic
spirited men In Minnesota who would
gladly and lably work 40 governor
for the advancement, or both the
moral and the economic issue?
Isit not q mark Of very bad general:
ship fov a prominent leader like
General Barrett to attempt the adj
vancement of the economic issue al
the expense Of the moral issue to try to
forward the one by lmeans which II
successful must retard the other? Is
he not dividing bis own forces, mak'
ing enemies Of those who would
glad to be his allies, when he sup.
ports for governor man who Is
known and admitted to be diametri-
cally opposed to that reform for which
/ anti-saioon republicans, are working
With such republicans or large
portion OF them, the claims ofnIorali.
| ty and Of the religion which many ol
them profess ape stronger than party
ties: they will work against such o
candidate as Albert Scheffer, in
caucus, in convention, and II necessary
at the polls, aud their strength !.
such that they need not nor will they
suffer this state to be disgraced by
the election of q freethinker, FIRE,
drinker, free liquor man, as its COVER
nor.
| In 1852 the rank aud file Of the .oli
WING party were grossly misrepre
scented on the moral issue Of that do!
by platform which catered to tn
pro slavery views Of few Of it's am
bilious leaders, and rs q result tina
party was ANONYMOUSLY defeated, 1t
career was finished, and the ambiti
GUS leaders among them America
greatest orator, sank into politics
lgrayes Of THAR inwn digging. 10
politicians Of the Albert Echefft
stripe remember that the saloon quel
ton ID now the great moral Issue an
will not down, and let them also n
member that the punishment so vi
, sparingly measured 10 great mon Il
disregarding the moral Interests I
q people, may not be withheld fror
aspiring demagogues Of to day VIII
{ are guilty of like offence.
WARD STONE.
; Six mares to exchange for cattle.