St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-28
POLITICAL BUBBLES
Are Not All the Looker-1n
Sees in the Situa-
ton. s
The Cause of Good Govern
ment is One Of the
- Factors.
Shall the People Give Way
to Self-Constituted
Leaders
The Disregard of Personal
Interest Shown by
Gov. Church.
Globes Special Staff contribu tor.

WATERFOWL, April 2I.-NeXG w euLeS-
day at Watertown will be decided
the great political issues now at stake
in the territory. You hear nothing
about the Republican convention to be
held some time about May 16, | believe.
at Jamestown. 1t amounts to little any
way. With the Republicans there are
no issues at stake; theirs is "a hopeless
cause" so that there is consequently
little interest taken. But their dele
gate convention is already attracting
considerable attention, for the reason
that there are some men in the territory
who believe the next Republican n0ml-
nee for president will be elected. But
that it is no sure thing, not only do we
predict, but there are many men OF
experience and foresight on these
matters, who are free to acknowledge
the same. How matters have changed
in this respect in the last lew years!
Well do l remember the Democratic
territorial convention that was held at
Mitchell. There were few Struggling
representatives of the faithful there
and quite good time was had; in fact
everybody present enjoyed themselves
thoroughly. There was a nice dance III
the evening and
TIE SOCIAL FEATURE
was the principal one. Coupled with
this there were glimpses into the
promised land"-when there should be
a Democratic president. But there was
little real business done. Col. w. Il.
Steele, of DeadwoGd, was nominated Tor
delegate, but knowing that it was an
empty honor that he could little afford
to take, he promptly declined. The
executive committee of the central
committee met soon after at Elk Point
and decided to make a run with an in
dependent candidate, and Judge w.
w. Brookings, of Sioux Falls, was taken
and declared to be the Democratic can
didate for congress. But it meant little.
1t was an honor of the emptiest sort.
But now how changed! There is. be-
heve, really more interest centerlng
about the nomination OF the; next Demo-
cratic candidate for congress than there
is about the Republican. A nomina-
ton on the Republican ticket does not
insure an election by any means.
l was talking with II. G. Ayers,
one of the prominent Republicans
of Aurora county, the other day, and
in the course of his conversation, he
said: "There is no use in trying to dis
courage the fact; 1t is now question
whether our candidate will be elected or
not. l tell you the change is going on
very rapidly. Let an unpopular Repub-
lican be nominated, and against him
popular Democrat, whose record is
clean, and who is i'll sympathy with the
laboring classes the Knights OF Labor
and the Farmers alliance-and L would
not care to stake much on that Republic
cans election, strong as party feeling
is" Mr.. Ayers is right; his opinion is
sound. The people OF Dakota have
fhnx ant
something.
BESIDES PERSONALITIES
and glittering generalities in politics
and demand something more substantial
in the way of solid practical business.
They cannot understand why in the
noble words of Grover Cleveland ga
public office is not public trust" and
why this is not government of the peO-
pie, by the people, for the people and
not run in the interest of those who
happen to hold the offices. Later in the
week | had long talk with Father
Haire, of Aberdeen. on this same mat
ter. He said: 'sThe time is fast coming
when the people. of this territory will
fully realize their power. They are be-
coming gradually, but surely and
swiftly, educated up to this. Who is it
that stands back of our civilization. 1t
is the ~
MAN WHO WORKS.
If we should all stop working how
long do you suppose it would be before
we had nothing to eat; how long before
we had nothing to wear; how long be-
fore we had no houses to live in? We
should think of these things. The man
who works should enjoy the results of
his labor, and not the man who rests in
idleness. This plain, simple fact is fast
becoming appreciated and impressed
something that they can understand and
appreciate. 1t doesn't make any differ
ence to them, in practical business
way, which party saved the Union, or
which party has or wants the offices.
The living, real question with them is,
who is the man who will look after
their interests, protect them and with
the most ability see that they receive
the fruits of their labor to the fullest
extent. The people of Dakota to-day
are looking after men and not parties"
There is much truth in these
words of the reverend father. Father
Haire knows Dakota, knows her
wants. He was one of the earliest set
tiers in the territory, and at the time he
took his first charge, his district en-
braced nearly the whole of South Da-
kota. He has grown up with the ter
ritory and her people, has mingled with
all classes and conditions of society, and
is able to Judge and form his opinion
most accurately. 1t may be asked in
credulously what has this business to do.
with political convention called to Sc
lect two delegates to the national con-
ventiOn at st. Louis. 1t has great deal
to do, as l will endeavor to
show you before l am through.
In one short phrase, the Water
town convention decides whether the
administration Of President Grover
Cleveland
HAD BEEN ENDORSED
or not. And claim that the thorough
Endorsement of his administration means
a tendency towards honest government
for the people-the kind of government
that Father Hare says the people of this
territory want. This is the great issue
that the Watertown convention is to de-
eide, and that it will decide it right there
can be no doubt. A little over three
years ago the cause of reform and
honest government won big victory in.
the election of President Cleveland.
This fact has been mentioned before; it
has been proclaimed and echoed and re-
echoed again, until it is fact that the
election of Grover Cleveland means the
triumph of the principle of popular gov.
eminent as against the aristocracy. It
means clean government. This is true:
it is not a theory or nice-sounding
nlatituda in the administration of PreSi-.