The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-04-18

the Fergus Falls Journal, sent us by
an Otter Tail County friend, we take
n democratic" letter of Mr.. Donnel-
|ly's, at the time, and reproduce the
following:
cas- a party Of reform the democ-
racy has future. As an appendage
of Jim Hill, and representative OF
wheat gamblers, millers' rings, wa
tered stock and general corruption,
tie people OF Minnesota have no use
for it.
FOR MYSELF ASK NO OFFICE.
lam well aware that the man who
fights the plunderers of the people
must expect political ostracism. |
can stand it: While | live | shall
battle for the right. Will the demo-
cratic party do the same? Will it
revolutionize the state, or will it
sneak through the world at the heels
of Pat Kelley, Mike Doran and Jim
Hill, an abject lot OF trucking lick
spittles, fed on the scraps doled out
by the millionaires. Be not deceived
by false issues. Kelly and Doran az
ter prescribing every man who has
Irish blood in his veins, are trying
to make it appear that they are per-
secuted because of their race. Is Jim
Hills watered stock Irish, too?
Castlereagh was an Irishman. Judas
Iscarlot a Christian. and Benedict
Arnold an American. A good race
or great cause is no excuse for a
bad man. This is not my fight,
democrats. 1t is yours. You can
not hurt me by sustaining the ring:
You can hurt the people. You can
hurt yourselves. l shall at least
have done my duty in uttering this
note OF warning and foreboding.
Respectfully yours,
IGNATIUs DONNELLY."
Mind you, ye who whip the heels Of
this intellectual giant-mind you, We
carping thongs and scorpion-stings.
on the end OF the political whips
which political crime lashes through
the air-ye children OF toll who wrap
yourselves in the night OF doubt so
that you can overlook public shame
and yet magnify the faults OF your
friends-mind you-this
MAGNIFICENT DECLARATION
was from man speaking of the very
party that had endorsed him land
that he was accused of joining for
selfish ends.
And pray, why shouldn't he work
in democratic ranks as we'll as re-
publican? The farmers of the state
are crying for free men from party
shackles-and then smite the loyal
man who, with a brainful Of ordin-
ary pigmies under his hat, dared
years ago to forswear those party
shackles!
Go on. farmers OF Minnesota-in
this course! But you will find that
the NATION will use the stone
which you reject in mightier politi-
cal structure-and meantime you
can pick up some dwarf, who gets in
to the fold when the fold is built
around him when self-interest points
her fat finger at the granger's ballot
box.
We are getting weary of writing
up" sacrifcial affairs. It is not
Ignatius Donnelly who is meant. 1t
is the old story of every man who
dares! OF every man who puts his
life-work and his all, into the fateful
future of political righteousness.
The history OF reform is not Il rich
valley made brilliant with flowers, and
sweet with song! It is desert. And
along the sandy barrenness, from
oasis OF victory to oasis, there are
skeletons grinning at the venture
some traveller. Every toothless jaw
and scalpless foretop, every whitened
, leg-bone and shiny forearm has 8
/ word engraved on it, written in tn
blood of grief-'Sacrifced." And il
: the GASES, where the past is forgot
+ ten, are no monuments to the genius
which ravo nm its inaniratiOn tf