The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-10-18
MERRIAM'S RECORD.

Merriam and favorable to oMcGill We
condemned and still condemn the lavish
use Of money and the promises of Of
flee by which Merriam's s friends secured
his nomination. At the same time, we
have acknowledged the superior execu-
tive ability IF the man and the fact
that there is no stain upon his record.
This we have said before. In no sense.
that we know Of, is he u bad man. lie
has clean record just us his opponent
Wilson has.
IL Justice to Mr.. Merriam We give
below the statement Of the Republican
State Central Committee rs to his
record rs speaker of the house. We
will add also that since DO nh+lly has
been withdrawn us Il candidate for gov
ermnr, he has expressed himself as ia
v"rable to the election of Merriam, and
has testified to- Merriam's efforts in be-
half Of Ill legislation for the benefit of
the farmers and working classes. At
the same time he testifies to a similar
record for McGill as governor. We
give this in justice to Merriam, while
not beirg able to give him hearty
support.
We should regret to see the state of
Minnesota turned over to such men
as D"ran and Kelley. which will be
the result in the event of the election
of Wilson. Two worse ''ring men,"
two worse ''autocrats," two worse un-
gentlemanly tyrants in politics. "cloth.
ed with little brief authority" by q
President, never came to the front in
the Northwest. than these same men
Doran and Kelley. 1t would be q
calamity to the State, to have their
ticket elected:
Two years before, with Hon, John l..
Gibbs as speaker, q new era OF anti
monopoly legislation had been inaugur-
ated; and, while the railroad and grain
inspection laws of 1885 proved them.
selves meritorious, it had nevertheless
been discovered that there were still
many defects that enabled the corpora
tions to evade the real and proper in
tents of the law. The people demand
Ell that these be remedied, and distrust
Of Mr.. Merriam was naturally aroused
tions of partisan organs. They were
afraid that their hopes would be disap-
pointed. but instead of bringing his in.
fiuence and power as speaker to bear in
favor of monopolies, Mr.. Merriam soon
proved to the farmers and laboring
people that in him they had firm and
steadfast friend, and that all fair legis.
lation demanded by them would have
in William r. Merriam willing and
able champion. The committee of
most Importance to the agriculturalists
of this state was certainly the commit
tee on railroads. The people felt that
the extortions Of railroad companies
had become unbearable and demanded
that legislation be enacted by which
they should he made amendable ia
common law. No man in the state had
heen q more fearless and outspoken
enemy of the railroads than Ignatius
Donnelly. and him Mr.. Merriam made
chairman of this committee and gave
him as associates men particularly
favorable to the interests of the farm
ers, many of whom were members OF
the Farmers Alliance. Conspicuous
among the measures favOrably reported
Uy tul0 COuuIVGSsO "sSc q VII W IN UNA
imum charges upon the transportation
Of wheat and the products in the state
which was defeated in the house. Tht
hill would have saved thousands to thu
producers. Mr.. Donnelly charged that
il was defeated Ly corrupt means ant
q committee was appointed by Mr.
Merriam to investigate. In annouDc.
ing it Mr.. Merriam said: ''Spare NJ
one. Let the truth be known" O
the FIVE 90 the committee four hal
voted and worked for the bill. Th,
committee was not appointed to white
wash the matter. but to investigate
and the report of the committee, as Il
we'll known. created sensation.
The most important measure was th
one creating the grain and wsrehous
commission and defining its powers
This commission will give all the pro
lection necessary to the people agaiDs
the railroads. A courageous g0verno
TO appOinta courageous commission
and 20 fearlessly enforce their decia
Ions, ID oil that Is necessary, and th
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