The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-10-27
cry Of the speaker and the Alliance mem

One plank Of the Alliance platform de-
nounced land grants to railroads.
But when Republican member, Mr..
Bell, brought in bill to forfeit all land
grants to railroads, the Democratic ALI
ance speaker took the floor in opposition
to it.
The bill was defeated, ayes 46, nays 81
many Alliance men, including the
speaker, voting against it.
At least 5OO,UOO acres of land were
thus left in the clutches of paper rail-
roads, which ought to have been re-
stored to the public domain, according
to Alliance principles.
Again the Alliance pa rty was com
mitted strongly by its platform to sui :
NIT prohibitory amendment to the
people.
But, by the terms of the :sfusion,"
the committee on temperance was a lso
packed against it, and the matter was
shelved and smothered.
The most damnable act of political
perfdy remains to be revealed.
The Alliance was strongly committed
to the Australian ballot law.
The Democrats opposed this, and
dragooned the weak Alliance brethren
into opposing the salient and saving
feature of the law, which requires a
cross mark opposite the name of each
candidate voted for.
But for q solid Republican support,
reinforced by a few honest Alliance
men of Republican antecedents, the bill
would have been defeated.
What was the financial record?
Pledged to retrenchment, they did
not retrench.
Pledged to lessen taxation, they enor-
mously increased it!
1neficiency and recklessness marked
the work of the finance committees of
the two bodies. from beginning to end.
The appropriation bills were not re-
ported by the committees until the very
closing hours of the ninety days session.
Then it was found that the proposed
appropriations exceeded the revenues of
the State, by over half million dollars.
Here is the comp arson:
Appropriations by legislature of 1889
Republican, $s,7s5,5 14.
Appropriations by legislature of 1891
s., 5ss, Os2.
This, then, was the result of all their
Intriguing and scheming finale of
the loud boast of retrenchment and re-
form?
The bills carrying this enormous in
crease were passed.
Then, to provide means for paying all
these swollen and extravaganza appropri-
atoms, the reform, fusion legislature, on
the last night of its ignoble and disas-
trous session, passed a bill increasing
the levy for state taxes from ITO
mills, as it had stood under Republican
rule, to 2-1O mills as it stands today-a
raise of half mill, or about $500, 900 a
year.
This is the dear price the dear people
have paid for ninety days experiment
with "fusion" reforms.
The ''reformers' feathered their own
nests too!
They had been specially clamorous
about the expenses of Republican legis-
lative sessions.
They promised special economy and
reform in this matter of their own pick
ings and perquisites.
What was the result there?
The total expense of the Republican
legislative session of 1889 was $149, ~. so.
The total expense of tho Democratic
Alliance legislative session of 1891 was
$l62, 953.52.
Surplus cost of REFORM" $l3, 1859.
How is this for ''fusion" economy?
The little petty steals were phenome-
nal in their number and boldness.
More clerks, ushers and hangers-on
were employed than ever before.
Each ''fusion" senator was given 81
pocket Knife at the expense of the state
Republicans were put off with an in
ferior article.
Each senator vuaa oivo,, a sry,r1v of