The sun., 1888-08-23

recOTu ol THESE nominees, the rare courage
and ability shown by each of them in the
discharge of the official duties repeatedly en-
trusted to them, their indomitable antagon-
ism to corrupt schemes of corporate monopoly
and partisan plunder, their conscientious
adherence to the principle that public Office
is a public trust, and their stalwart honesty
and fearless devotion to sound political
principles, in spite of popular clamor and
regardless of personal popularity, are the
best guarantees that the executive administra-
ton of this government can be safely COM
mitted to their care The national Democ-
racy invites the country to no experiment
with untried men: it offers the tested fidelity
and craftsmanship of it's candidates as the
best argument for their election No sus-
picion of jobbery, timidity or official derelic
ton taints the administration of Grover
Cleveland. To him owe it that the great
question of the abolition of a superfuous
revenue by a reduction of the excessive
taxes upon necessaries is made the
prominent issue of this campaign. This
issue. as declared in the national Democratic
platform, meets our unqualified approval.
At the same time We reiterate the more ad
vanced principles set forth in the platform
adopted by tile last Democratic state con-
vention as an explicit sta tement of that
policy of revenue reform which we believe
should be adopted gradually, but as rapidly
as practicable until the entire system of tax
ing the many for the subsidizing of the few
shall be forever abandoned. We hope that
the slight reduction of Az per cent in the
existing AZ per cent tariff as proposed by
the so-caled Mills bill, will. when put into
practical operation, fully satisfy the people
that greater and more thorough reduction in
the samesystem oftaxation can safely be made
with permanent benefit to our rindustrialinter-
ests, to the workingmen employed therein,
and to all the people of our whole country.
But it is not alone the field of national pol
tiles that demands the attention of the voters
of Minnesota. The same influences that have
created extravaganza profiigaey and corrup-
ton in the national Republican party have
worked out their inevitable results in the ad-
ministration by that party of the affairs of
this state. For years last past the Republi-
can party has held undisputed control of all
branches of the state government, resulting
in the rapid development in its legislation of
the Republican conception of government as
the surest fountain of easily acquired
wealth. The complaints of the people
have been either unheeded or, under
the pretense of giving relief, have been met
with remedial laws which, through ignorance
or design. hove but aggravated the evils
complained Of while the legislature, doml-
mated by the party has departed from the
legitimate functions of state and has per-
verted it's powers to unusual and unwise pur-
poses.
Grain Inspection-The farmers of the state
complained that they were suffering from the
extortions of the elevators; that these, by
perversiOn of the powers and duties of the
railroads. We're, though built and owned by
the roads, given into the exclusive control of
individuals, who operated them in their own
interests, thus creating n monopoly of
grain buying with the usual concomitants
of such power in dockage of weight
and systematic undergrading of grain;
and that for this there was no relief aside
from the power of the state of which they APP
peal, ignoring, either through ignorance or
DESIRE the simple remedy of compelling roads
to resume and perform their properfunctions
as carriers of grain. and in their exercise to
operate the elevators for the shippers of
grain as they operate their yards and ware
houses for the shippers of other commodities.
The only remedy Republican Legislature Of
fered was the present cumbrous and ineffi-
cient grain inspector act, which, if
honest is stupid, and if not is
malevolent. They answered the appeal for
relief from a grinding monopoly by con-
tinuing the monopoly; for an open market
by one sealed by competition; and they armed
the farmer against the undergrading of his
grain by the remarkable provision tor it's in
spection at point hundreds of miles from
and at a time days after the time he had
sold it to the local buyer. This masterpiece
of legislative stupidity or deceit, not only
Injuries the class it assumes to protect, but
adds another to the usual uncertainties of
the market against which the local buyer
can only guard by diminishing the price. But
it takes annually from the treasury about
$50, 900 to feed the officers it creates.
House File 157-While under arbi-
trary laws the state enforces the pay
ment of the last cent of tax levied upon the
property of the humblest citizen, Republi-
can legislature by that measure, notorious
as "House File No. 157," remitted to rail-
road company, enriched by grant of the
public domain, the taxes upon its land evad-
ed by it for years, and amounted to about
$1.O00,0OO, under the specious pretense of
IAN act to relieve settlers" on these lands.
We offer this as a monumental example of
the kind of "protection" modern Republican,
ism affords to a tax-burdened people.
Multiplicity yofoffices-successive Republican
legislatures have busted themselves in the dis
covery of places in the civil service ofthe state
in which officers could be planted and cultured.
Commission has followed commission, and
bureaus with large salaries appended have
been created and each successive legislature
taxed its ingenuity to find place for heedy
partisans until the charge lies against the
Republican party, which century ago our
fore fathers laitl against their king: He
has erected q multitude of new officers, and
sent hither a swarm of officers to harass
our people and rat out their substance
Extravaganza - 1t has greatly increased
| the amount Of taxes imposed upon our
people, and with lavish hands it has wan
| tonly squandered the funds thus collected.
| So recklessly has this been done that the
state il now confronted with the appropria-
tions exceeding the revenues, SO the public
institutions are now being run upon
| credit
Oil Inspection-It has ignored that princi-
| pie of legislation which, when possible, leaves
| the execution of laws to the self-interest of
men, and has created an oil inspector, whose
| fees are paid by theconsumer and amount to
| $40, 900 per year, and the legislature at it's
last session refused to take any action though
requested.
We particularly arrnign the present execu-
| tive of the state for he has persistently re-
| fused to intcrpose his veto for the protection
OF the public treasury against the extrava-
giant legislature. We commend to his cOnsid-
GRAFTON the example Of Grover Cleveland as
evidence the wholesome influence upon vicious