St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-25
THE NORWEGIANS AND THE
DEMOCRACY

A common expression among those
mere politicians who generalize from
surface indications, and have neither
the patience nor the disposition to probe
to deeper causes, is that 1.-THE NOrwe-
gians change with the administration.
The fact that they were originally DEM
ocrats. but became Republicans when
that party came into power, and that
their detection from the latter party
dates from CLEvELAND's election. are
the utterly insufficient. as we'll as i'll
sulting, grounds Oh which this concept
of our citizens of Norwegian birth or
descent is based.
The GLOBE believes that the cause
roots in that instinct of the Norwagans
for the widest range of individual lib
erty which has characterized that race
since government developed among
tnem.- In the old country their concep-
lions of liberty were represented by the
word democracy. Coming here in the
flftles. and before, they naturally at
tached themselves to the party bearing
the name which meant freedom to them.
As they became informed of the policies
of the parties in their new home, they
learned that the Democratic party,
through its consistent adherence to the
sovereignty of the states. was committed
to the maintenance of the institution of
human slavery. They found a small
party, but "a rapidly growing one, which,
Whatever Its pretenses. was inspired
with opposition to slavery. 1t appealed
to the sense of freedom so strong in the
Norwegians, and they responded almost
10 man.
Until the party of freedom to the ne
gro became, in 1888, openly and avow-
edly the party of the industrial slavery
OF all men; until the Democratic party,
long controlled by men corrupted with
the gains OF protection, boldly and
bravely. under the leadership of CLEvE-
LAND, declared for industrial freedom,
the Norweglans chung to the party
which had won their fealty by assault
on and overthrow of slavery. Then
came the signs of revolt. The better
educated among them, the conscience
element, their professors, preachers,
teachers. seeing through the fog Of pre-.
tense the real direction of the parties.
abandoned their party and joined
the Democrats. The mass, held
by prejudiceS seduIously fostered
by Republican papers, still feared
the name Democrat and accepted the
Alliance party as convenient place of
escape from party which has lost their
confidence. and where their prejudices
might be saved from shock. When the
confusion which attends the disintegra-
ton of parties and change of policies
subsidies, their prejudices will have
worn away and they will be found with
the party which is committed by the
logic of every argument it uses, to the
complete overthrow of that relic of
slavery, the policy of protection.
To the NorwegianS the Democratic
appeal for support because it is right
Will come with the same force as came
the appeal of the Republicans in the
days of the youth and sincerity of that
party, and they will answer it as they
did the earlier call. They will respond
to Mr.. CLEvELAND's declaration that
1--WE insist that no plan of tariff legisla-
ton shall be tolerated which has for it's
object and purpose forced contribu-
ton from the earnings and income of
the mass of cur citizens to swell directly
the accumulations of a favored few:
nor will we permit pretended solicitude
for American labor, or any other speci-
Gus pretext of benevolent care for 9TH
ers to blind the eyes of the people to
the selfish schemes of those who seek
through the aid of unequal tariff laws to
gain unearned and unreasonable ad-
va!ntages at the expense of their fell
lows"