Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1890-02-26
The Heavy Weight Champion

Inc F16dNy "Oi6hS
To the Editor of the TRIBUNE.
The great heavy weight champio
. Of Minnesota oppressed farmers an
boomer of Ignatius Donnelly, In
Rev. Prof. John Allison, Of st. Eau
, performed before an audience OF ~
40 (three of whom We're actual WORK
ing farmers) at st. Cloud last week
The Rev. gentleman Is u good actor
can almost instantly carry himselfan'
his audience from hilarious mlrth
caused by some rough humorous IN
ecdote, to impulsiVe and sympatheti
sorrow, over some tale OF poverty ant
suffering. The emotioned nature
the speaker alternately swaying TIL
audience from extreme noisy mlrth
tulness, to the choking sob, the tear
full eve and red nose of emotlona
sympathy. The story of the wrongs
of the down-trodden and oppressed
farmer, that stood out Ill bold relic
from the others, and is firmly en-
graved on memory's tablet; the one
in which the producer and consumer
suffered alike, was the beef question
No pen can adequately portray to the
reader the trembling voice of the I'M
FASHIONED speaker, with face sutfuseo
with the red blush OF sympathy and
the tears just ready to burst the I'M
| prisoned bounds Of Il generous soul
| filled with emotional frenzy. The
| beef question was one he well under
stood. The raising of steer by the
farmer, was graticaily described, with
all the narrowing circumstances at
carrying for, in our cold and frigld
climate, until he was years old,
when the poor farmer was obliged to
sell him for the pitiful price OF IL
cents per pound. Then, i'll order to
show what the poor consumer III ST.
Paul had to pay for that beef, the
speaker pictured TO the audience, a
scene in his humble home in st.
Paul. And here again, 1t is impos-
sible to use the eloquent words of the
speaker, or fully give the impression
produced upon the audience by the
quivering lip, the overlooking eye,
the diIated nostril, or the impassioned
voice that seemed to saw across re-
sponsive cord, situated somewhere in
each individuals anatomical struc-
ture. The picture of his humble home
in St. Paul was drawn in vivid colors
as seen upon his return after long
absence, organizing alliances among
the oppressed and doWn-troden farm
ers. His boom companion has
everything prepared as best she can
to make his return pleasant; and, as
they gather around the frugal repast,
he discovered a fine beef steak nicely
cooked, upon the table, He fully ap-
preclates this thoughtful and loving
care, and his heart giows with love
for the one who is so mindful for his
comfort and happiness. AS he thrusts
his fork into the dainty mOrsei the
thought strikes him that if he knew
the price of this piece of beef it would
be good matter to work into his
speech to the farmers. So in his
kindest tones he said: "Wife, what
did you pay for this piece of beef?"
But the poor woman mistoOk his
and feared he would chide |
her for her extravaganza; her eyes
were Immediately suffused with |
tears, her lips GuiYered with sup
pressed emotion, and her heart broken |
sobs convulsed her slender frame.
This narrowing tale Of suffering, so
wildly portrayed, was too much for
the tender heart of Farmer Cor
man, who pieces out the slender in
come from his farm by taking care of
U. S. Land Office, and q tear en-
deayored to escape from the corner Of
his left eye. Farmer Mills, that came |
so near being county attorney, and
who finds time to attend to his large |
law practice while not laboring on
his farm, was unable TO suppress his
emotions. Farmer Cross, whose
salary as bank president, enables to |
sympathize with both producer and |
fulfilled all that the occa-
sion called for by feeling twice as bad |
as the others. The only excuse that |
Farmer Hunt and Marshal gave for
not m1ngling their tears with the |
others, was, that they lived in another
county. Farmer Ketchum, who sup
ports his farm by his salary as county |
attorney, OF Grant county, had al
ready shed tears oyer this same story |
so many times that he begged to be
excused, besides he was bOttling up
tears for his own county. Farmer
Freeman, DAVIS & Rankin creamery |
man, was so overcome that he used |
his silk plug hat to take up collec-
ton in and pumped in a silver dol
lar to start with. When Farmer At |
wood was asked why he did not join |
in the weep, answered! that as he
was engaged in raising Poland China |
hogs he was not interested in the |
beef question. Farmer Shafer would |
have went had it been creamery but |
ter that the Prof. had stuck his fork |
into. Farmer Patterson, had rented |
his larm for cash rent and could not |
afford to weep But these narrowing |
scenes Of sorrow must end and the |
meeting adjourned; those most af-
fected retired to the wash room of the |
Grand Central hotel and washed their |
sorrows down with copiOus draughts !