The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-10-17
NELSON AT APPLETON.

NELSON AT APPLETON.
His Speech a Rehash of Stale Misrep-
representations.
To the Edtor:-
GOV. Nelson is now around "stumping."
I heard him at Appleton. To characterize
his speech in few words, it consisted chiefly
of perverson of facts and SCOTS and jeers
at the Populist party. The governor evid-
emily thinks he can annhilate the Populists
by heaping abuse upon them.
There was one truthful thing that he
said. The leaders of the Populist party.
said he, are generally men who have run
their race in the old parties and are no
longer possible there. No doubt this is true.
But Nelson's understanding is so clouded
by prejudice and ambition that he does not
perceive that it is a credit to a man to
nave run his race in the old parties. An
honest man certainly is not possible in a
gang of thieves and robbers" His race"
company. will soon be run" When Sen
ator Window proposed a monetary plan
not agreeable to Wall street. his race as
u,
H1lliboe told us a few days later
Ihere is plenty of money" said Gov.
Neisoh. Money is scarce" said a Mon
tevldeo banker who a couple of months
ago had advertised. Money loaned at the
lowest rates of interest,"" this Lowest ra te"
oelng IL per cent. The remark was made
III answer to person who thought that
such low rate (the highest legal rate)
was rather high. By the way, if 10 per
cent Is the lowest rate of interest what is
the highest?
The governor recommended remedy for
the nara times as far as the farmers are
concerned. 1t was diversified farming -
But he failed to tell us how we are to
diversity" Some have tried fax-raisne
IL mas brought us the Russian thistle and
the mustard-weed and it impoverishes the
SOIL and in most places where 1 have had
occasion to observe it the crops have been
poor or an entire failure, Some have tried
pariey' IT Is genraly a poor crop. Corn in
this part of the country is an uncertain
crop. Oats, except for home consumption.
are always failure because, when there
is poor crop the prices are low and when
II is abundant the prices are still lower.
Inc reader may say, perhaps that We
ought to have asked the governor how to
diversity. But few of us care to he
throttled, and we still remember the case
at Elbow Lake. Indeed, one person in the
audience asked the speaker about a certain
matter, l did not hear what, and as in
the course of Gov. Nelson's answer. he or
some one else, made some further remarks
the governor told him to "shut his mouth -
One thing in the governors speech seemed
10 me IN the highest degree singular IT
was that he blamed the governments in
the Popullst states for the riots that their
opponents are causing. In this connec-
alon he blamed the Populists because one
or the state officers of Colorado has been
tared and feathered, an act, it is to he
presumed, that has been committed by his
Demo-Repubican opponents. Pursuant to
TINS KIND of logic, l suppose the governor
also blames the Republicans of 30 years
ago because their political opponents com
mtted acts of lawlessness and caused the
war of the rebellion
The governor arraigned the Alliance leg
lslature of 1891 for having accomplished
nothing in the way of reform. On the
other hand, he praised the Republican leg
islature of 1893 for having enacted various
salutary measures. l must confess 1 am
unacquainted with the acts of the legisla-
ture of 1891. But with regard to the acts
OF the legislature of 1893 1 have been told
that the acts mentioned by the governor
causing certain Investigations, were carried
through by the efforts of a leading Popu-
list
The governor said that passenger and
transportation rates are higher in Europe
where there is government ownership of
railroads. than in this country. 1 have
read an article to the same effect in The
Representative But if such is the case it
must be owing to causes which have moth
ing to do at all with government owner
ship. Singularly enough, the article in The
Representative says that the table of rates
which it quoted seems unfavorable to gov
eminent ownership and yet that very ia
BILE shows that in Great Britain, where the
railroads are not owned by the govern
ment, the rates are higher than in any
other country in Europe AS to passenger
rates, there can be no doubt that the rates
on the better classes of cars are owing to
the caste system of Europe. The spirit
of caste certainly would not admit the
lower orders into it's palace cars by rea-
sonably low rates. They do not even
have political other meetings (except
regular church services), in Europe with
out charging an admission fee in order to
keep out the poorer devils
A few days after listening to Gov. Nelson
heard Prof Hilleboe, the Prohibition can
didate for governor, speak at Milan. His
speech formed an agreeable contrast to
that of Gov. Nelson. There was no abuse
sentation of facts. Only in one instance
the speaker grew slightly sarcastic, and
that was in speaking Of knute Nelson 8
diversified farming.' y
There was one surprising thing in his
speech. He criticised the free coinage
pidHh VI the OpulStS S1NiHo Ills LISTENERS
the impression that the program of the
Prohibitionists in that respect is different
from from that Of the, Populists. This,
however, is not the case. If the professor
wishes to preserve his reputation for
trustworthiness he ought to state that the
money plan which ihe advocates presents
his own individual opinion, and not that Of
his party.
With regard to Prohibition, it is, per-
haps, desirable. But under present cir
cumstances, I think it is throwing ones
vote away to vote with the Prohbitionists.
Not because voting with minority is
throwing away one's. vote, but there is
another reform party in the field with a
reasonable show of success. and it seems
to me the height of folly to abandon at
tainable reforms in order to vote with a
party that may vote and vote till dooms-
day without accomplishing its purpose. Re-
specially, P. P. 1NERSLEE.
Watson. Mimi, Oct 10.
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