The Mankato free press., 1894-10-26

L
OOO,O annually.
| In regard to mans conversion to
other party principles, he said no one
lquestions the right to do as he pleases
so long as he does not interfere with
somebody else. In making his esti-
mate of man he looked more closely
at the motives which governed the
action, and he said in conclusion that
he had more respect for the man who
deserted his party to be true to his
convictions than for one who remained
true to his party and was unfaithful to
all else.
General Becker was then introduced.
His declining years are marking him
heavily, and Father Time has left his
brand in his hair and in the manly
physique Mr. Becker spoke in very
low tone, much of his speech being in
audible in the rear of the house. His
talk was commonplace, but in that
weakness which betrays the speaker
into utter hopelessness for the cause
he has espoused, and Mr.. Becker
awoke feeling Of respect and pity in
the hearts of his auditors.
AS one of the earlier settlers of Min
nesota he said, he was peculiarly grati-
fed to meet the people of Mankato
and vicinity. He was gratitied beyond
expression to meet SO many he knew
in an earlier day. Many of the pio-
neers have passed to the Other Side,
yet there are a few present who
braved the dangers of new cline in
the days when the great state of Min
neSOta was not. There are some things
which age cannot wither and time
cannot destroy, and he quoted the
pretty couplet:
''Old wood to hurn.
Old books to read.
Old wine to work
Old friends to meet"
His object ,was to speak of Demo
cratic principles. In the political as
well as in the religious world, all
truths are old, and he referred to the
ten commandments, the Lords
prayer, and the Sermon on the Mount.
Yet in all Christian families these
truths have been reiterated and re-
peated every day. Democratic princi-
plies, he said, are old. What they were
in the beginning they are today. The
rtu hn6 dot in bn
of the revolution, and the history of
the United States is the history of
the Democratic party. Thomas jeff
ersOn, who was the author of the Dec
laration of Independence, and the
beautiful thought that Gail men are
created alike" laid the foundation of
the Democratic party.
He commended the income tax bill,
and cited as an instance of the JUS
tice of the law a st. Paul neighbor
whose salary in a month was as much
as he earned in year. One ate as
much food as the other; they were
equal in the purchase of wearing ap-
parel yet his neighbor did not pay a
cent more toward the support of this
than did the speaker, and
he wanted to see the tax taken off the
poor more and placed on the rich.
He praised the president highly,
and referred to him as brave, courage
Gus, honest Grover Cleveland.
He condemned the class difference
between gold and silver, and laid the
demone tization of our currency at
the door of the Republican party.
He said he was in favor of an ire
deemable currency, with an equal
standard for the yellow and white
metals. The dollar at home is what
we must maintain. If the foreigner
wants to buy anything we have to
sell, we must take his money in pay
ment; and if he has anything we
would purchase, he should take our
money for his pay.
Speaking of his nomination, he said
that before the convention he had no
thought OF again entering the field of
active politics, and that any thought
he may have had in that direction
died out long ago. But the honor
came to him so unanimously, so sim
cerely, that he would renounce his
previous inclination and lead the
party to victory. The honor need not
now go unsought. Time was when
the first question was, "Who wants
the nomination." Conditions have
changed through increased prestige
of the partyssuntil the question has
resolved itself into "Who does the
Democratic party want?"
''Some Democrats will vote 'forNel-
son to beat Owens, and some will vote
for Owens to beat Nelson. Stand by
your candidates, and We'll beat them
all. Stand by your party, and therell
be cleaning out at the capitol in No
vember. Well pitch our tents in the
promised land"
He concluded by referring to his ap-
poinment as railroad commissioner. He