The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-06-15
HOW THEY LOOK AT 1T.


Mr.. p. B. Winston and Mr.. A. L.
Ankey, on the part of the Democrats,
and Ignatius Donnelly of the Popu
lists, on the political situation in
general. Curiously enough all four of
those gentlemen were of the positive
opinion that the party they repre-
Sented was the favored one.
Mr.. Goodnow covered the Republic
can situation in general outline OF
the questions before the people, and
the position Of the Republican party
toward them. The policy of the Re-
publican party would be, he believed,
to stand by the principles set forth at
Minneapolis in June, 1892, and that
silver would be favored as factor in
our currency to the utmost point Of
safety He considered the outlook
favorable for the election of six Re
publican congressman in Minnesota
next fall, and thinks there is good
fighting chance for the seventh one
that united effort on the part of the
Republicans will make the delegation
solid. He regarded the outlook for
the Republicans very bright.
Mr.. Ankeny did not give even
Abraham Lincoln credit for assuming
the reins Of government in more try
ing times than those which confronted
Grover Cleveland when he took the
oath of Office on March 4th, 1898. The
civil war was small thing to con-
front in comparison with these Demo-
cratic hard times. The prohibitory
features of the Mckinley law, he said,
cut off the revenues and left the gov
eminent unable to meet it's Obliga-
tions He did not yOuchsafe an,eX-
PLANTATION how it happened that
this same law provided ample revenue
until the Democrats assumed control,
and threatened to revise the tariff on
a revenue basis, and reduce our labor
ing classes to the level of those of
Europe. The bill now before congress
would provide, he claimed, sufficient
revenue for the needs of the govern
ment, and would be one of the wisest
revenue measures ever devised, and
he believed the party would be sus-
tanned by the people, though he did
admit that their majority in the house
was liable to be cut down pretty close.
Mr.. Winston took very optimistic
view of the situation, and thought the
Democratic party in as good shape as
ever. OF course he diSclaimed that
the Democrats were to any consider
able extent, at least, responsible for
the present situation.
Mr.. Donnelly is the same old Ig he
always has been, blest with the same
visionary nature. He is just as SAN
guine that the Pops are going to carry
the state next fall, as he was that he
was going to be elected governor two
years ago, and that the two old parties
would be reduced to side show con-
Germs. He predicts that the Populist
vote will reach 100000 next Novem-
Der. This is simply his prediction of
two years ago warmed over The hard
times, he says, is driving the people
from the old parties into the Populist
ranks. Evidently the sage hadn't
read the news from Oregon when he
made this statement. He joins with
the Democratic cry that the hard
times are due to the Republicans and
the policy they followed, but failed to
explain just how they are responsible,
as they have had nothing to say in the
control of the government for nearly
ayear and half. He admits friendly
feeling for Democracy, and that the
Pops would like to cooperate with it,
bad as he has painted it's reputation
in times past. According to him, the
only possible salvation of the country
from utter ruin lies through the sue
cess of the Populists. But after the
experience of the people with that
party in some of the western states,
the people of Minnesota will undOubt-
edly hesitate some time before they
agree with him. If Populism is so
beneficial, it is strange indeed that
the people Of Oregon should so en-
phatically repudiate it after having
taS 70 Of; 4