The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-03-09
Why nor MlNNssoTA7


AVAILABLE for President on the Republic
an side We find Ohio with her Sher-
nan. Illinois with her Lincoln, Iowa
with her Allison, Indiana with her
Gresham and Harrison, New York with
her Depew, Vermont with her Edmunds,
with her Hoar, all well
patriotic, and popular gentle-
men, any one of whom il is believed
sould lead the Republican hosts to a tri-
nmphant victory in the pending cam
paign.
But what of Minnesota We have
within our borders man the peer of
any of the gentlemen mentioned, and
one whose name is well-known through
out the confines of the United States.
He comes of family whose history can
not be surpassed, if indeed equaled, in
this country for the production of states
and scholarly attainments, po-
litical pfeferment and business sagaeity.
He is man whom Minnesota has hon.
ored more than once, and in all places
and conditions he has ever been found
true and faithful. Perhaps there is no
gentleman in the State to whom the peo-
pie of the Northwest owe more.
Connected with the commercial
prosperity of Minnesota, Wisconsin and
Dakota for twenty years, he has bent his
every energy and spent great sums of
money to aid in bringing this empire to
its present state of development and
prosperity, and whatever political favors
have been bestowed upon him have
come spontaneously from the people,
and with a willingness which carried
conviction that he was worthy and capa-
BILE. We have reference in these re-
marks to Gen. W. d. Washburn, of Min
neapolis. Mr.. w. represented his dis
trict for eight or ten years in the lower
branch of Congress, served his county
several times in the State Legislature
was for term of years Surveyor Gener
al of the State, and has held several of
fees of trust in his city. He is one Of
five children, every one of whom has
served in Congress, two as Governors o.
States, and one as Minister to France dur
ing the Franco Prussian war.
On the tariff issue Gen. Washburr
stands on positive and unmistakabl'
grounds. He is Republican, and upoI
this great question of tariff reform h.
takes a position that seems to accorC
with the great mass of the people-intel
ligent, thinking people Of whatever part!
who are not blinded by party Zeal o
dumb to the demands of the times. Ii
recent interview in the Minneapoll
Journal, Mr.. Washburn's views, brief.
stated, are put IN these words:
Protection to American labor and in
dustry, every time. On that the part,
is united. Certainly, the surplus vii
come in IN prominent shape. If thi
congress adjourns without taking meas
ures to reduce it, they ought to be hung
every one of them. There are ditferen
ways of bringing this about; one is b.
tariff revision. Understand what meal
| by protection. The Republican part
wants a tariff revision as badly as tn
Democrats, but not in their way. Tn
tariff on imports might be reduced; tn
duty taken off sugar; the tax on tobacc
lessened; the tax on whisky removed
l do not mean that whisky should not b
taxed at all. 1t is luxury aud an evi
one at that, and those who use 1t shoul
| be made to pay for the privilege, but tn
federal tax should be removed and tn
matter of collecting revenue from it lei
to the State or other local power. Sue
thing as federal tax is foreign to tn
spirit of our institutions, and in sue
ways as this was never heard of befor
the war. The States are the right one
to levy and collect this tax"
No one could ask for more frank
straightforward exposition of his view
than this, and while brief, there is We
sufficient in the paragraph quoted
give his position on the great questio
which is destined to be the leading issu
of the campaign.
When all things are considered Their
is no reason why Minnesota may not la
Just claims to Presidential candidate
And it would seem that the twin cit
dailies have not been alive to the intel
ests of our State in not before this mel
tioning the General for this high Office
Certain it is that his life has been speI
in aiding to develop the Northwest, an
the fact that under his guidance til
$500" road was built is only one of tn
many patent evidences of his great wort
as an enterprising, successful busine!
man and financier.
What say you to entering into th
contest with a Presidential candidat
from Minnesota?