The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-11-20

man of the day. It's only u cues
ton of whether his health will per
nit his candidacy whether he vii
be the standardrbearer in 1892
Despite all efforts and all jealous
les he has been the foremost Re
publican for about twenty years
AS speaker Of the house of repre-
sentatives under Republican rule
he was uneXcellt d; as leader of The
Republican minority when the
Democrats first gained control, he
was without a peer, and at no time
since has there appeared in tho
arena OF congress, a man upon the
floor of congress, who could create
q furore which would extend tc
every part of the country. Fol
fifteen years, during which time he
has been q candidate for president
twice defeated for nomination.
and once an election-the country
has after each Republican reverse
said, with unanimous voice, the re-
suit would not have been the same
if Blaine had been at the head OF
the ticket. The only thing that
now stands between him and the
Republican nomination is his
health and life. jim Blaine is to-
day the unvanquished Republican
and the party leader.
1t was somewhat of surprise in
Washington that four of the five
Republicans in the house from
Minnesota should have been slaugh-
tered. Minnesota has so long been
a rock-ribbed Republican State that
it was not believed possible to send
more than one or two Democrats
to congress, even in an off year.
Still some here try to explain the
matter by saying local issues were
the cause, but the best informed
put the blame where it belongs
On the Mckinley bill. There was
no reason why any of the five mem
bers from Minnesota should have
been defeated. No State had a
more earnest and faithful delega-
ton. Every man of them were
alive to the interests of his district
and the State as a whole. During
the session nearly all secured some
thing that was demanded by the
district he represented. It was a
clear case of McKinleyism, high
tariff and high prices. Any warn
ing that was given to congressman
that Minnesota could not be kept
in line under the provisions of the
Mckinley bill was scoffed at.
Never having elected a Democratic
governor, except at the first cleo
ton after it's admission in 1858.
and having, with the exception of
two years, had solid Republican
delegations in congress, Minnesota
was pointed out as the banner Re
publican State, and one that need
give the party no uneasiness. Yet
here we have the peculiar situation
OF three Democrats and one Farm
ers' Alliance Democrat represent
ing what was considered a solidlv
sure Republican State.
More surprising that all else was
the result in the Fifth district,
when Sol. Comstock was laid out
by kittel Halvorsen. Of all the
members Of the Minnesota deleoa-
ton Comstock was the most per-
slstent and hard working. He
probably did not miss four days in
attendance upon the congressional
session Of the house. He was al
ways at his committee meetings,
and untiring in his work. He was
instrumental n! in securing for his
district nearly $S00,0OO in appro-
priations to be expended in various
portions Of the northern part of
Minnesota N The feature about
these appropriations is that the
money will be expended directly
among the people, and the i'm
provements made will be for the
benefit Of the people as well. It
could have been nothing more or
less than the fact that Comstock
supported the Mckinley bill.
1t would be charitable to place
that at least to the efforts of the
Republican congressman and Uni
ted States senators who voted for
the Mckinley bill, who had no
idea that it would so increase the
prices of nearly everything which
people east and west purchased.
1t was a surprise. only to those who
had studied the bill carefully, and
now it seems as though it was cum
n1ngly devised to deceive even the
members Of congress, and that ONLY
the few who had it Immediately in
charge were aware of tho fact fbo4