The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-09-19
JUDGE WILLIS.
His Contribution to the People
Party Campaign.

His Contribution to the Peoples
Party Campaign.
To the Editor.
In recent issues of the press of the state,
especially of the Twin Cities, l notice sly
slurs cast at Judge Willis, on account of
his gift to you of 500 for campaign pur
poses in the coming election. Had he given
one of the great daies of the poor old
parties that sum for like purposes we
would have heard nothing about it, but to
give it to the Peoples party is a crime of
such vast magnitude that all the pains
and punishments of a modern political hell
are insufficient to properly atone for the
offense according to the perverted versions
of these astute reasoners.
Now, | for one can nothing out of
the way in the action of the judge in max
ing the donation, nor in the action of the
editor in its acceptance. 1t seems that
you did not have recourse to dark and
secret places, wherein you might concoct
and devise ways and means whereby you.
could raise u political breeze by levying
contributions or collecting a campaign fund
from the offspring of your laws, these lille
gally oVergrOwn creatures, conventionally
called corporations. 1t seems that the act
done openly, and the public had full
notice of it in all its horrible details imme
diately after. 1t does not appear that the
judge gave the fund for mercenary mo-
tive but rather that he gave it to party,
young politically, but old antiquity, for
the purpose of aiding it to properly help
itself. From his act it cannot be inferred
that it was his intention to prostitute the
judicial ermine to the level of the current
political booder, or offceseeker. If a
gives to a struggling party, it is an act of
charity. but if he gives, as is frequently
done, to those already supplied with suf-
1icient of this worlds goods, it hardly
be so construed. So it is in this The
Peoples party, as an organization is finan-
cially poor, though prolific in numbers. Not
only that, but it has to combat both the
old, long established political ruins, which
it may justly be termed the aristocratic
parties of the country.
They raised a yell of derision at it's in
ception, and in keeping pace with it's
steady and sure growth, that yell has ex-
banded into a hdeous howl. Years ago it
was a mere matter of current sport for
them, something upon which they could
recreate, while pauslng in their abuse Of
one another but the embryo of that day
has in the short interval already crossed
the Rubcon of puberty, and unless they
check his promising career by craft,
deception and cash, he will in this cam
paign be very liable to develop vigorous
and lusty manhood. Therefore, their sheer
ing inSinuatonS when the sources from
which they emanate are considered should
be used only for the purpose of measuring
the extent of their political pains.
In his donation Judge Willis clearly illus
trates and emphasizes the fact that he has
the welfare of the people at heart. He we'll
knows that in this age of the political
mammon, it requires contributions to sus-
tain campaign in which corporations have
interest He we'll knows that they give
millions of dollars to the old parties at
every election, that they may by legis-
lation have the privilege of robbing the
people, and he. one of the people, con-
sders it his duty to donate such sum as
he may see fit to the end that that system
attic course of piferng may be at least tenn
porarily enjoined. Give the people q
br aathing space in this rich of corrup-
ton, so that they, if nothing else, will
have time to say, God bless u.s.
But these-editors and their satellites, who
cannot associate with the common people
unless in the ranks of their party, and who,
by the way, should betalle themselves to
such society as Nebuchadnezzar is said to
have found in Babylonian pastures unless
that society should seriously suffer by the
contact, cannot see or recognize anything
but impure motives in politics. Having
practiced it SO long, it would be strange if
they could recollect anything else, and
therefore must allow a little for the
warped and distorted turn of their convic-
lions. We need more good, upright honest
judicial foresight, thought and action enlist
ed for the better government of the entire
people, and to save that government from
the impending destruction.
A Daniel might answer for Jewry for q
time, but many Daniels are necessary now
to tide us over our present deliverance.
Jewry then was afflicted with the deep sea
on one side, and the devil away off in Tie
dim perspective on the other But with us
these destructive elements steadily APP
preaching each other and the vortex Gre
ated by their uncanny conjunction will fur
nsh the crater in which will be forever
blasted and buried national existence,
unless stayed by the strong arm of the in
duStria1 classes of the entire country. We
cannot. do what we may, close our eyes to
that fact. History is said to repeat itself.
If that be fact, and 1 think it is, then by
referring to it readily discover our
ancient prototype in power in wealth, in
opulence, in extent, in population, in cor
ruption and political rascality, in that
period of Roman history which embraces
the time from the birth of julius Caesar to
the birth of Christ, marking the period of
the great social wars, the struggles of the
plebians, poor, against the morbid and
avaricious encrolchment of the patricans
or rich. resulting In victory for the patri-
clans and the utter destruction Of the great
republic.
j do not aspire to astronomy but the
signs of the times tell me and must tel
every other candid observer that we are
fast approa aching that fatal constellation q
know not whether it be scorpion for sting
ing or aquarius for stock watering pur-
poses where the greatest of republics met
her untimely Waterloo. We shall get there
too, unless the people of this country take
hold of the wheel and so guide it as tC
steer the ship of state that she will
avoid these shoals and shadows, purposey
set by the old party adherents for her abso-