Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-09-05
WHOM DOES JUDGE WILSON REPRE-.
SENT

~V0oAS0oS OWVS AAo ADV 0l4CkSUuVV ~ VIZ
Chicago & Northwestern railroad COM
panY, the alacrity with which he came to
the support Of the Presidents PROPOSE
ton to suspend the provision for the
shipment Of Canadian goods through this
country In bond. should dispel such
doubt. This arrangement with Canada
Is mutual one and we have the same
privilege to ship our goods through that
country that they have through this.
Should we deny the Dominion the privi.
lege of shipment in bond. of course it
weuld follow that that government would
deny Americans the like privilege through
its territories. The motive which actual.
ed President Cleveland to make such
recommendation has been generally sup
posed to be his desire to secure Irish
votes. In the whole history of Ameri-
can Presidents, from the foundation of
the government to the present time, we
do not think there Is an instance where
the chief executive Of the nation has
been influenced by the corrupt use of
money, although some of them have been
swayed from their duty, by party or
sectional interests, to policies which were
quite % detrimental to the country as
any betrayal of trust purchased with gold
could have been. We do not believe
President Cleveland has proven On ex.
ception to the general history of the oc.
cupapts Of his high Office. We do not
believe he has been purchased by the
great railroad corporations Of this coun-
try to betrsy the people. We are even
willing to believe that his only motive
was to capture the Irish vote by pre-
tended hostility to British interests, and
that he was not even actusted BY the
desire to increase the commercial grand
eur of New York city at the expense of
the great Northwest. Nay more, we are
even willing in charity to believe that he
would not have dared to have recon.
mended such mischievous policy had
he not felt certain that tho senate would
promptly reject it. While it is not COM
plimentary to him to look upon his act
as that of willy politician, yet it is more
comfortable to so consider it than to
imagine treacherY and corrupt bargain
and sale in so high position.
But what shall be said of Judge Will
sons course in this matter2 For what
consideration has he betrayed his trust?
He is q representative from the great
| Northwest which would be injured most
by the adoption of the Presidents policy.
He seems to have known of Mr.. Cleve-
lands intention-he confesses as much
and the reading of the message has no
sooner been concluded in the House than
MIR. Wilson arises and, with bill already
prepared to carry out the Presidents
recommendation, presents it. There is
nothing to be gained by mere pretense
in this matter. The same motive that
actuates the President does not influence
him-he is in earnest-he wishes his bill
to pass. What influence then is it that
controls his action? Let US see. Mr..
Wilson has long been connected as an at
torney with the Chicago & Northwestern
railroad, which is now part of the Jay
Gould system. All his artful attempts
to explain away his relations with that
road have not deceived the people, for
his words cannot disprove what his &C
tions have made so plainly evident. AS
a railroad attorney the Judge has earned
large revenue, and those who looked
upon him as an honest mane wondere
why he would sacrifice his business for q
seat in Congress. 1t was believed by
many that he could not faithfully per-
form his public duties and continue his
relation as railroad attorney. Every
man has his own standard of moral du ty,
it has been said, and Judge Wilson's
standard will be judged by his acts,
When he presents this bill his constitu
have a right to ask whether he is repre-
sentlng their interests or the interests OF
the Chicago & Northwestern railroad
company.
In consequence of the privilege enjoy
ed by the people of the Northwest Of
, shipping goods and produce through
Conada in bond their freight has beer
greatly reduced by the competition o.
Canadian roads and waterways. 1t il
the interest of the Chicago & Nerthwes
tern to break down this Canadian com
petition. and Judge Wilson is prompt t
second tho Presidents policy and intro
r duce bill in Congress which will destro,
. this competition, by abolishing the ship
r ment of goods and produce in bon.
through Canada. His bill, If passed
would place the farmers and bushes
men Of this country at the mercy of tn
Chicago system of railroads and thei
eastern trunk line connections. After tn,
500 road has been built at such great ex
pense to relieve the business of this sec
ton from the tribute it has paid to tn,