Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1894-09-12
OUR OWN UNTERRIFIED.
MINNESOTA DEMOCRACY IN THE
HANDS OF WEAkLlNGS.
Light Thrown on the Official
Record Of Auditor Bierman.
What Will the Democrats Do
With Judge Willis, Who
Takes Pride in Being a Third
Party Man.

/
Party Man.
The Democrats of Minnesota, after a
desperate struggle between conscience
and expediency, have at last got a
ticket in the field. The convention OF
the party held in st. Paul on Wednes-
day last was a curious spectacle, For
weeks beforehand, the Democrats OF
the state had thought of nothing else
| but the issue-to fuse, or not to fuse.
In spite OF the melancholy experiences
Of two years ago, there was very
large element of those hungry for local
Office who insisted ON another joiut
campaign with the Populists. To the
credit of the party it must be said, how
ever, that there were enough stead
tasty opposed to this program to defeat
| it. When the convention assembled
there was no one who dared stem the
|, It'd , of anti-fusion sentiment, or give to
the fusion scheme anything more than
a covert support This would have been
more praiseworthy if the party had not
given the lie to all its fine pretensions
at the last moment by indorsing one of
the most Objectionable of them all,
named in the Populist ticket
Official Record of Auditor Bierman.
The only two candidates of any par
those of Mr.. Bierman for state auditor
and Judge Willis for associate justice of
the supreme court. The remainder of
the offices are filled with such Demo-
Gratis as would consent to accept NOM
nations; most of them quite respect
able, and most Of them, except General
Becker and Mr.. Ludwig, known to very
few people outside of their immediate
constituencies. Whatever may have
been his private reasons for fighting
Mr. Bierman, Mr. Doran's head was ex-
ceedingly level when he declared that
the Democratic party could not afford
to carry into the coming campaign the
handicap of its present state auditor.
Huge frauds have already been I'M
earthed in the matter of state pine
lands that have been carried through
during the incumbency of Mr.. Bierman.
A large amount of money has been re-
covered to the state from those who
profted by these illegal transactions. 1t
is said by one of the committee, now at
work on timber frauds, that the total
misrepresentation of state property dis
covered up to date will exceed million
dollars. 1t would be very difficult
matter to persuade any voter that mis-
demeanors of this number and amount
could be committed, and a record Of the
transactions passed through the state
auditors Office, without any suspicion
upon his part of misdoings. If Mr..
Bierman's conduct of his Office has been
thoroughly honest, then he is too care
less a man to trust with the immense
interests Of the state in its public lands.
AS far as he is concerned, the Demo
cratic campaign must be defensive
one from first to last.
What Will Dtsloerats Say About Willis?
Less excusable will the straight-out
Democrats of the state consider the ac-
ton of the convention in indorsing the
Populist candidate for associate justice
of the supreme court. IF there is one
place in the government to which a
Populist should not be admitted under
any circumstances or on any plea, it is
its highest judicial tribunal. The PEG
pies party has no respect for law In
b
power 1t has assumed that might
makes right" as thoroughly as any des-
pot who ever lived. 70 put such men
as this upon the bench is to say shat
justice shall no longer be considered,
and that laws shall be interpreted ao-
cording to the personal or political in
terests Of those who administer them
Tried 10y this test, Judge Willis is as
good Populist SIS any Of them. His
record on the bench of Ramsey county
is the record of q ranting demagogue
He has repeatedly prostituted his high
office to the basest partisan ends. 1t
was service such as this that endeared
him sufficiently 10 tho phpulist party to
make him their willing and weloalne
nominee. He has never disclained
their principles, and i'll accepting him
the Democrats of this state have as
sumed all the dishonor OF fusion with
out receiving a single compensating adj
vantage. Nothing can save them from
the consequences of this but prompt
and public rejection on the part of
voters of the Populist can.
didate.
Democratic Platform Lacks meaning.
The platform adopted does not con-
tain a single definite and clear cut prop
Osition. Any man Of any party might
take his stand upon it's vague and gilt
;ering generalities and declare that
hey expressed lss political faith. We |
Ill of us believe in safe and sound |
currency; in the rights of labor; in
equal justice to employer and employees;
n just pension system, and in arbi.
ration as a method of settling labor
disputes; but as to the specific methods
~ which any Of these general objects
ire to be attained the platform is wholly /
ilent and wholly worthless It is as
4toIO lliePAAItS do II5 tlVhSb ltOLlliHdtGAAJ
II as the debates of the convention.
They all have the funeral air Of one
and resigned to his fate.
The leaders of the Peoples party are
lot a little ohagrined by thor failure to
make teIl-strike ont Of the observance
f Labor day. It was down on their
ills to have speakers Of their own har,
ngue vast crowds of working men
on that day, and call in a
mall army of recruits for the Peoples
,a1ty In November It was a pretty
God scheme, based Oh the dissatisfac
ion Of labor with recent events, aud on
he public advice Of a few heads Of !
abor organizations to their members to 4
Import the Peoples party. But, the