St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-15
REQUA'S WORK.
Moral and Political Reform
Among the NOrWegians.

among the NOrWe2IanS.
Special 10 the Globe.
SPRING GROVE. Oct. 14.-In the moral
history of Houston county the life and
deeds of Rev. S. Requa. Lutheran pastor
of Spring Grove, will stand out forever
as a shining light. This mana Nor
wegian OF the intellectual type pOr-
trayed so finely in the children of the
Lords Supper''-cOming as a pastor to
the numerous Norwegian settlements
along the narrow gauge line of the Mil
waukee road. running from Caledonia
Junction to Preston, fifteen years ago
found a community embrOiled in the
diSSensiOnS and torture of intemper-
Rnce, litigation and public disorder. To
face the moral chaos prevailing re-
quired courage: to condemn and attack
it demanded something mOre-faith.
Both of these Rev. Requa possessed.
Glove. Truth and Mercy sat upon his brow,
And in his hand was the Word of God"
Mild of manners, deep in thought, a
persistent foe OF immortality of any
stamp. he threw himself into the work
and fought for the redemption of his
cOuntrymen. There were months and
months of trial and defeat, but by slow
degrees and under the changing order
of the new rule, Spring Grove and that
which is tributary 10 it rose from the
depths to the higher plane. To-day it
Is a sober, temperate Norwegian COM
munity. free from all saloon dOmina-
ton, and in many respects more pro-
greSSIve than the average family COM
munity i'll this state. The deluSiOn of
Wheat-raiSing has been abandoned: the
rich land is sown to corn and oats, and
pork raising has passed into the
paalt,, Of Oaafariai rroffS tho Iand
and personal taxes were reduced to the
mere necessities of administering gov
eminent, | do not know a section in
Minnesota that could be more blessed
than this. The bar sinister that rests
upon these farms, these tOling people
and all that they eat and wear, is exceS-
Sive taxation eXacted by the state and
national government. They are begin
ming to appreciate this. Much has been
written Of the American eagerneSs to
learn as if it were a peculiar national
trait. | discredit the assertion this
much by asserting that among the most
earnest and impetuouS acknowledgements
erS of America are the NOrwegianS.
First to reach the educational level of
an American and then to go Beyond it
if he can, is the natural instinct of
every bright Norwegian. He will leave
llO SlOiit ullluIItu III Ills SGdICH lOI Tie
truth and spare no pains to rid his mind
OF error.
In knowing this disposition of his
cOuntrymen and getting to the root of a
moral sense that is never lacking in this
race, Rev. Requa found the success of
his mission. The teachers of the low
tax cause now abroad in the land, have
taken the same avenue to their sense of
justice, and to all apparent purposes,
Will attain the same success. The pro-
cess is slow. but the turningS of minds
that twenty-five years ago adopted Re-
publicanism, because it meant anti
slavery, is bringing the Norwegian vOt-
erS and thinkers to the Democracy on
the principle that it represents lower
taxes, tariff reform and governmental
economy.
When Judge Wilson arrived at Spring
Grove he was met by a delegation of
prominent NOrwegianS, chief among
them Rev. Requa and Teman Gilbert
son. j. }. SmalleY and Capt Harres
accompanied him from Caledonia. At
100 the Spring Grove Cornet band,
heading tOrch-light procession, the
bearers of which carried Roman
candles. discharging their balls of
fire, marched through the main street,
serenaded the Judge and then escorted
him to the meeting hall. The place was
packed with Norwegian merchants and
farmers, ana they made up just about
as sturdy an audience as has vet greeted
the congressman. He spoke for three
hours on low taxes. Ii. |. G.