St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-03
HOTBED OF SECESSION
Otter Tail County in Open
Revolt Against the Repub-
liean Party.
Gov. Merriam Will Do Well if
He Comes in No. 8 in That
Bailiwiek.
Oppressive Money Power to
Be Crushed by the Alli-
anee Movement.
Comstoek Likely to Be Badly
. Cut in All Parts Of the
County.
Staff Correspondence of the Globe.

Staff Correspondence of the Globe.
FERGUS FALLS, Oct. al venture
the prediction that the county OF Otter
Tail, from time immemorial one of the
banner Republican counties of Mime
sofa, is lost to the Republican party this
year, if not forever, 1t has not gone
over to the Democracy, it is true, but it
has broken away from the Republican
fold with rending crash that is start
ling the Fifth district. Without being at
all rash. the assertion may be made that
Gov. Merriam will do we'll on Nov. If
he runs better than third in Otter Tail.
The farmers movement is responsible
for this state of affairs; and when l say
the farmers movement l mean that up
rising against oppression and taxation
of the agricultural classes that is not
bounded by aud limited to the Alliance.
Otter Tail county may be said to be the
botbed of this secession from Republi-
caniSm, because the movement is more
general here; because the Republican
majority has been more ponder
Gus heretofore, and because the
actual strength of the Democracy.
though progressive and buoyant, is very
email i'll proportion. How small it is is
evidenced in the fact that the campaign
of 1888, though handed down in Demo
cratic annals as the most brilliant and
aggressive OH record, gave Cleveland a
vote of only ITO in a total of 6,377.
But Otter Tail is in the throes of rev.
olution. 1t is not owing to the brilliant
campaign opening of Judge ThomasWil-
sonlast night, though that was al s)icious
enough to carry cheer to the few and
true Democratic hearts in Fergus Falls.
1t is not the result OF the general
Dissatisfaction and Disgust
with GOV. Merriam, though heaven
knows both are wide enough spread.
Nor is it yet the result of the triumphal
tour of S. NJ. Owen, who only famed
blaZes that were already hotly burning.
1t is simply because the farmers of OF
ter Tail have been ground and crushed
SO long beneath the heel of oppressive
money power. and have for so long
borne the burdenSOme yoke of eXceS-
sive tariff taxation. that they have
at length realized their situation and
have recognized in the Alliance move
ment the successful means to an end.
Through Merriam they have determined
10 deal the Republican party blow it
will never forget. And here let me say
l1db mtIIldul dllQ OOiHSlOCA d1S llLCl-
changeable and that Otter Tail county
is no less irretrievably lost to the st.
Paul banker than to the Great North
ern's agent who sits in Washington
scheming for railroad bills that will
eventually make bin rich. There is no
doubt nor division Of sentiment IN Otter
Tai lssFrom Perham ON the north to Ten
Mile lake On the south, the feeling is
unanimous. You may imagine what
the shock is to the Republican tradition
of this country to find Republicanism
running a neck-and-neck race with
Democracy. and both distanced by the
farmers movement which is gaining
strength with every hour. Republicans
sit with their hands folded, for it is but
a little over four weeks until
election and they see the utter
futility of any effort to check
or stem the farmers tide, which is rush
Ing onward with an earneStneSs that is
almost fanatirism. This tide is revolt
from RepuOlicanism. 1t is not merely
an uprising of farmers striving for con-
troll, butts sentimental declaration of in
dependence by Western farmers against
Eastern tyranny and taxation. Were
there but two tickets in the field this
year, the Democrats would triumph in
half of the counties of the Fifth district.
nC S1ttlctGOh
in Otter Tail is worth a study. There
are two county tickets in the field. The
Republicans, in vain effort to preserve
their autonomy, have nominated a
straight ticket, and are opposed by a
ticket on which straight Democrats,
Alliance and Prohibitionists are ANAL
gamated. Each state ticket is figura-
lively standing on its own bottom. and
&c f.H
from that Iii whose keeping the election
of the county ticket is placed. While this
is disadvantageous TO the Democrats, in
q positive sense, inaSmuch as it closes
the mouth of every Democrat on the
county ticket, it is advantageous IN
negative sense, in that it attracts Re-
publican votes and adds strength to the
Alliances at Republican expense, A
study of the political elements of the
county, 50 per cent of which is made ND
OF Norwegian farmers, very readily an
swers the important question: Whence
is the Alliance strength drawn? Its
true that many Democrats will be
drawn into the farmers vortex. but if
cannot be gainsaid. and especially here
In Otter Tail, that every Democrat who
casts loose from his party moorings is a
convoy for nine Republicans. Repub-
hcans here will admit this. Col. James
Compton. who was Slighted by Merriam
in the placing of the patronage power.
and who is therefore little sore, strug-
giles hard to keep up appearance. but
one tries in vain to draw hope
from him. Railroad Commissioner Will
1ams and G. ID. Wright, who are Merri-
ANS trusted iieutenants in this locality,
will privately admit the country has
gone to the dogs. Jake Austin has
openly deserted and now talks from the
camp of the Alliance. B. n. johnson
is discreetly silent; E. E. Corliss
thoughtfully strokes his long beard, the
only untaXed article about him, and
even Attorney General Clapp, who
dropped in yesterday. scarcely recog-
nlZes the political hustings he calls his
native heath. l might quote score of
Democrats, including such men as
Judge Baxter, E. II. Dudrey. James
McMahoe, NJ. B. Loury, Scott Stewart
or Joseph Nangle, but prefer to give ad-
missions rather than claims Halvor E.
Boen, who is the head and front of the
Alliance movement and the
Combination Candidate
for register of deeds, is ready to swear
by Odin and his hopes of Valhalla that
the farmers will poll for Owens half
the votes of the county, and he regards
that as moderate. But, figuring on a
total vote of 6,000 for the county and
making the most reasonable alloy,ances
for all claims and the best estimates
from all data available, it seems certain
that Owen viii carry the county Do