St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-06

An Analysis Of Merriam's
Character Drawn From
the Truth.
A Foe to All Of the Common
Interests Of the
People.
His Public Career Used for
the Benefit Of Corpora
tons.
Money Has Made Him What
He Is To-
Day.

Waseca Herald.
In the choice of chief magistrate, the
people should look well to the public
record of the man, his surroundings and
his private interests. If his personal
interests, his surroundings and his pub
lie record all combine to place him in
opposition to the best interests of the
masses, the people should not vote for
him. Years ago, when the old 100000
railroad bond-swindle hung in the bal
ance over the heads of taxpayers, we
warned the people against electing
"Honest John S. PilIsbury" governor of
this state. And we mean what we say
when we state that John S. Piilsbury
was and is an honest man. He honestly
believed the old swindling bonds should
be paid, and so stated in his messages
and public utterances. Republican
voters, blindly following the lead Of the
bOndholders and their newspaper advo-
Gates. elected Mr.. Pillsbury, term after
term, and finally chose members of the
legislature that saddled that fraudulent
debt upon our shoulders. Then the
''dear people, turned in and cursed
Gov. Pillsbury and the legislature. for
getting entirely that they themselves,
and not Pillsbury, were the ones at
fault.
The people then refused to accept our
warning. Perhaps they will now. Party
worship is so sweet to unthinking men
that they blindly follow their party
leaders. However, we shall give the
warning, and the people can do as they
please.
Mr.. Merriam is the son of a railroad
mOnOpOliSt, and during all his mature
years he has been closely identified
with
RAILROAD COMBINES,
banking, state prison contractors and,
as we are informed, pine land specula-
tions. If he had never made public
record, his private interests and the
circumstances surrounding him place
him in direct opposition to the interests
of farmers, working people and the
business interests of the whole state
outside of railroad rings and monopoly
combinations. But the record is not
lacking.
For years he has been lobbyist or
member of the legislature. All this
time he has been interested in the st.
Paul & Sioux City Railroad company
and its immense land grant. Under the
decisions of our courts, whenever
Immigrant, railroad company sells its
road and franchises to another company
and ceases to operate its road, the land
becomes taxable, unless the legislature
passes an act to continue the old COM
pany. So, in 1881, the year when the
old bond Swindle was conSummated,
Mr.. Merriam'S company prevailed upon
that legislature to allow it to sell its
road to the Chicago, st. Paul, Mime
apOlis & Omaha company, with a special
provision continuing the existence of
the old company as great land syndi-
cate, and especially eXempting their
empire of lands from all taxation for all
time to come, or until the company shall
see fit to sell them.
We are not blaming Mr.. Merriam or
his company for this sharp deal with the
peoples wise ~ Legislators, but we pre-
tend to say that the people of this state
are
VERY UNWISE
to elect such man, under such clrcum-
stances. as their governor.
In 1888, the writer hereof was men,
Der of the legislature, as was also Mr..
Merriam, and knows whereof he writes.
At that session, in the house, there were
several bills to control railways and pre-
vent unjust determinations. One of
them, which the writer prepared, was
almost Identical with the Illinois rail-
road law, and contained section almost
identical with the long and short haul
clause of the interstate commerce
cause. At every stage of these bills
Mr.. Merriam opposed their passage and
worked with the railroad corporations
to defeat them.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Brown, of
Mankato, to tax railroad lands, was
fought at every step by Mr.. Merriam,
and finally defeated.
The bill to reduce the rate of interest
caused Mr.. Merriam a cheap of trouble
until it was finally defeated by himself
and other SharperS.
The bill to protect the people against
swindlerS who obtain promisSory notes
by fraud, which finally became law,
he opposed to the bitter end.
He early joined the unholy combina-
ton of the state prison ring of the Re-
publicans and Democrats that defeated
Mr.. Window and elected his business
chum, u. NJ. Sabin, to the United States
senate.
Upon the question of high license two
years ago, as we are informed, he prom
ised the Columbia association Saloon
ring before his election that he would
vote against it. and when the test came
he called Mr.. Donnelly to the chair and
lodged the vote.
1t is claimed by his friends that in
making up the committees of the house
two years ago he favored the farmers,
but how did it come about? Simply be-
cause he was forced to it by bargain and
sale to secure his election as SDeaker-a
corrupt bargain at the best.
His whole life and all his surround
ings make him the representative of
those interests which
FLOURISH BY ROBBING
the masses. Personally, he is a good
fellow. His check is as good as gold.
He is respectable, as the world goes.
He is even generous, but all his wealth
has come from monopolistic sources,
and all his prospects for the future de-
pend upon the ability of himself and
his corporation hackers to deceive and
rob the producing masses of the people.
Jim Hill himself would make better
governor than Mr.. Merriam, simply be-
broader views. Had it not been for the
wealth his father left him, we do not
believe Mr.. Merriam would have ever
been heard of outside of the ward in
which he lives.
His fathers money has given him the
position he occupies, and if he is elected
governor it will be on account of his
money and his monopoly hackers, and
not because of his ability or fitness to
fill the position.
Ii the people desire to be ruled by
corporations they should vote for Mr..
Merriam-ot not.