The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-09-28
From thursdays Daily.


The theatre was packed this after
noon when the hour OF two o'clock
arrived, every available seat down
stairs being occupied, as well as the
most of those in the gallery. His ex-
cellency, Gov. Nelson, had arrived ON
the noon train. and was met at the
depot by the Junior band and a dele
cation of citizens, headed by Mayor
Weaver. In the lattes's private car
riage he was taken to the Saulpaugh,
where he rested until the hour ar
rived for him to speak. He was then
escorted to the theatre, and his
entrance was greeted with applause.
The Junior band was present, and dis
,coursed some excellent music
The audience was composed to a
large extent of farmers, who had
come by team and train from all parts
of the county and from adlacenr
counties. This was one advantagemG
having the address in the at iernoon,
although it prevented many business
men and laborers from the city from
ATTENDING.
Mayor Weaver and Chairman Nc
Connell, of the Republican county
committee, occupied the stage with
Gov. Nelson Mr. Weaver introduced
the speaker with some excellent re-
marks, in which he referred to what
the .goAernGr had done for the city
when his services were needed, and
hoped that all would remember this
and vote for him. He introduced
Gov. Nelson aS the present and next
governor.
Gov. Nelson referred to the neees-
Sity of every voter attaching himself
to some one party, and to do this he
will compare the past of the different
parties. There are some who con-
slider themselves too good to belong to
any party, but they count for little,
have no weight and are followed by no
one. The state and national govern
mentS are in the main the handiWOrk
of the Republican party, which has
had control of them for the past
quarter of a century. AS citizens of
the nation we vote for national Of
ficerS, and as citizens of the state we
vote for state officers.
Men OF various callings, living by
their wit, prey upon the farmers,
finding easy victims, selling them
patent rights, lightning rods, bolts of
cloth, etc. There is another class of
pee pie, men who have LOST their USE
fulneSs in the other two parties, who
have gone among the farmers with
their calamity howl, telling them that
bad laws have made some people poor
and others ric They have urged
the farmers to form a class by them
selves to overthrow the plutocrat.
In 1890 some Of the farmers were be-
guiled and they elected many ALI
ance men to the legislature to make
reforms. When they went to St. Paul
they fused with the other parties to
elect some secretaries, spittoOn clean
ers, and other employees, and this was
the extent of what was gained by fus-
ion. The reform legislature cost
81 900 more than any previous one,
in extra helpers, as about every mem
berhad somebody to keep him straight;
it levied a greater tax than
the next legislature by half
mill, amounting to 1868, 900.
Baking powder legislation occupied
the time and wisdom of the reform
legislature, and it was not settled.
The alliance legislature expended the
road and bridge fund for six or
eight years ahead. The Repub-
lican legislature of 1893 passed
much legislation for the benefit of the
farmers. The country elevator law