Morris tribune., 1890-07-30

the truth when he said Il was an
eminent man before the Alliance was
thought of, and will be an eminent
man when it is dead" That is if the
Hon. Ignatius Donnelly lives to the
goo,l old age of ''three score years and
ten And there is another fact
which strikes us it would be eminent
ly proper for the Alliance party to
remember, viz: Hon. Ignatius Don
nelly having been an eminent man
before the Alliance was born, and
having been an earnest advocate OF
the rights of the farmer and laborers
generally for many long years before
S. NJ. Owen became a citizen OF
Minnesota or was known to our peo-
pie, it would have been more fitting
for the farmers and laborers to have
recognized the efforts of Mr.. Donnelly
in their behalf, by placing him at the
head of their ticket. We believe in
rewarding the men who stand the
brunt of the battle and are ever ready
to lead in the charge, instead of con-
fering honors on those who lag in the
rear and only show themselves at the
front when the hard fighting is over
and there is show for victory. When
party throws overheard its old
veterans and attempts to promote new
recruits, it has taken the first step on
the road to defeat. Mr.. Owen is
undoubtedly a good man and an able
editor, and as matter of course advo-
Gates the rights of farmers, being the
publisher of an agricultural paper.
Simply this and nothing more. He is
radical in his views on many ques-
tions. He believes that government
should not only own the railroads OF
the country, but should control the
street railways of our large cities,
telegraph and other plants of a public
nature. But his remark in his speech
accepting the nomination, that the
farmers of Minnesota are as much
slaves at the present time as were The
negroes of the South in 1861, is enough
to condemn him in our mind. The
idea of calling the intelligent farmers
of Minnesota slaves, is an insult of
the grossest kind to every tiller of
the soil in our great state. Talk
about slaves where school houses are
to be seen on every hand! Out upon
such rot! Mr.. Owen knows better. and
it would have been better for him if
he had never uttered those words.
We copy the following in relation to
the nomination of Mr.. Owen from the
Winona Republican:-The nomination
of Mr.. S. M. Owen for Governor by
the Farmers Alliance convention at
St. Paul does not augur very strong
or hopeful political campaign by that
organization. 1t was effected as the
result of sudden impulse, and not as
the deliberate judgement of men who
know what they want and how to get
it. 1t was begotten in internal dis
cord, and though the suggestion is
made that it will harmonic the
antagonistic elements, the probability
is that it will draw strength from
neither and that the movement be-
hind it will eventually dwindle into
comparative helplessness. The candi-
date is reported to be man of good
abilities in his profession, which is
that of an agricultural journalist. He
has shown no capacity for public life,
however, and those who vote for him
must take him wholly on trust. In
deed he has been resident of the
state but four or five years, and is
personally an utter stranger to the
people whose support for the highest
position of honor and responsibility
he has been put forward to solicit.
The nomination is thus an incongru-
GUS one. 1t is confession of ineffici-
ency and lack of political judgment
which no subsequent efforts of the
Alliance leaders can possibly neutral
ize or overcome.