The Mankato free press., 1890-10-17
FOR THE ALLIANCE.
Hon. s. M. Owen DenOunces the
Old Parties for Their
Shortcomings.
A Slim Attendance.

4NOG oNOI GWo dohuiO GU pCIOOho SoUh-
cred to hear Hon. s. M. Owen, Alliance
candidate for Governor, Wednesday af-
ternoon, and the cold shivers chased
each other along the spines of those
few, owing to the coldness of the build
ing. Mr.. Owen is clear, forcible
speaker, and entertaining. his princi-
pal points brought forth considerable
applause, but so far as making votes is
concerned, the meeting was failure.
The most of those present were of Dem
ocratic procllvity. The speech began at
2:35 and lasted nearly an hour and half.
Mr.. Owen opened by referring to the
great wealth of the country, and COM
pared the wealth of the farmers with
that of the other classes, to show that
his proportion has fallen off. During
the last thirty years the wealth of the
farming interest has decreased from
five to two-tenths of the total
of the country. Though popula-
ton has increased farm values have de-
creased ten to fifteen per cent. The
farmers are to-day better educated in
their work than ever before. There
are causes for his falling behind, which
are creeping silently upon them. One
of the old parties has discovered none
of these wrongs, while the other has
found one. 1t is to the new party that
is left the honor of ascertaining the
causes and laying them open to the
public.
His speech was not campaign one,
he said, but lesson in political econo-
my. His first point was that all the
wealth of the nation has not been as
sessed during the past thirty years.
The farmer cannot hide any Of his
wealth of the country. 1t is the jewels,
goes scott tree. To prove this he should
examine the records of the Mlnneapo-
lis county offices, to compare the assess
ment records with the probate records.
In one case a man was assessed on $3.50,
while his personal estate probated at
1925, 900. Another was assessed on
$25.15, and his person2l estate was pro-
bated the same year at over $800,000
These are few of the examples cited
by the speaker. He then referred to
the assessment of railroad property, one
being So, 800 mile, while it was paying
high dividends on ten time that amount
of stock per mile. This simply shows
that the laws now passed are all for the
protection of the rich man from paying
his just share in the support of govern
ment.
He then took up the protective tariff,
but his sarcasm awakened no response
from his hearers. He opposed the sys-
tenn as lniquitous, and despicable and
vile. 1t is a tax on human life and the
human form divine and the appetites
The more mouths a man has to support
and the less he is able to pay it the
more must he pay. 1t is the meanest
system of taxation on earth. He denied
that a protective tariff protects labor.
He stated that Henry Clay favored the
tariff because it would induce immigra-
ton and cause the competition to reduce
wages. The tariff is a discrimination
against the poor in favor Of the rich.
He said that the republican party had
taken tumble from it's position in it's
binding twine tariff, which the Demo-
Gratis had helped to pass. With great
straining little measly free trade body
was brought forth, but it was strangled
by Reed and Mckinley. They were
greatly. pleased with the baby, and it
would be a good thing if the Republican
has knocked out the other pin from un-
der the Republican policy. His reci-
procity plan means that the protective
tariff does not protect and help the
farmer, but he must look to a foreign
market and must be more than ever in
competition with the farmers of the
world. They compel you to go out with
what you have to sell, but don't let you
come back without paying duty on what
you buy. Labor forms 80 small pro-
portion In manufacturing that the labor
er can be protected but little. He re-
ferred to the Mckinley bill as reducing
revenue by increasing taxation. He
tried to show that the free sugar clause
is fraud, as tax is put on refined su-
gar, protecting the refner but making
prohlbitory tariff on refined sugar.
The sugar trust will reap the benefit. It
is believed that its profits will be $780,
600, 900 greater this year than last,
though there is paid a dividend of %
per cent. on its great capitalization.
The Democratic party is one-eyed