River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-04-05

no other II IS sure precursor to national
poverty nationsi oapsruptcy and INDIVIDUAL
distress. 1t Is the toEerunrer Of hard times
/ II is without single worthy triumph The
years IN which il has been tried il the United
StEtcs -rcite neither our respect nor pride II
has furnished re inspiring page in our history.
Its record has been one IF deficient revenues
greater bonded Indebtedness snd universal
want among the people.
The prevailing Widespread distress empha
sizes the necessity for enlightened pubic poll
icy ana wise statesnanship The indifference
which has been too prevalent for many years
has given place 10 deep and absorbing
interest in public AFFAIRS The masses Of the
people are considering economic questions
more earnestly than ever before and are
aroused 10 their importance as affecting their
own individual happiness and prosperity To
wisely guide them calls for the exercise OF the
his hest wisdom, coolest judgment and purest
patriotism No party can he safely trusted
pie or the control Of the government without
Ii possesses u fixed honest and enlightened
purpose. Singleness OF purpose is necessary
to every reform, Indispensable to wise admin
istratiOn and legislation The want OF this
quality is the infrmity OF she present admin
istration and the present congress. Their vic
tory was due 10 discomfort OF every kind IL
was not the result Of unity OF purpose, nor OF
lofty and united public sentiment II was the
/ outcome of misguided judgment, pique, passion
and prejudice. The majority OF those who
voted for Mr.. Cleveland and the present demo
critic congress did not agree Gpon any principle
or policy. They had their several different
reasons for opposition 10 the republican party
and their temporary union was not inspired
by devotion 10 democratic principles. pur-
poses or policies Free silver men voted the
democratic ticket: opponents 20 free silver or
10 any silver in our circulating medium, voted
IL: the widest inf1ationfsts as well as those
infexibly opposed TO every form OF imitation OF
our currency, voted it the prOteciionist voted
IL because he did not believe the democratic
leaders would be reckless enough TO disturb
the tariff the free trader voted IL in the belief
that the democratic leaders would ueTnolish all
custom houses and inauguraie unrestricted
Z m m RrCR wi all 10 .
men, the disciples OF Henry George,
voted II, while thousands who hate ali
such tagaries voted 1t: the silver stan
dard the gold standard, the double stan
dard the paper money advocates and the
advOcates OF state bank money voted II; pen
si0fiers voted IL, and those who were certain
that the democratic leaders could be counted
upon TO wipe out all pensions voted IL. And
when IT was all over and the victory was
tending elements, the realization of their
hopes ana the enactment OF any legis-
OF course found 10 be utterly IMPOSSIBLE
Failure and disappointment were bound 10
follow an administration and congress thus
chosen. and the whole country suffers as a re.
suit The administration and congress are
without compass or rudder. Before they have
accomplished anything-while they are yet
wrangiing about what they Will do-the people
have become dissatisfied as 20 burn with
fmpatience for an opportunity 10 repudiate
them. general election was never before so
much desired as now. and never so much
needed The altogether too common idea that
there IS In TaCt little 0lNerence between Inc
two parties, and that the country will prosper
equally well whichever may he IN power, has
been completely exploded by one years trial OF
the democratic party. That difference has
been shown 10 be so vast as 70 I'LL the country
with establishment 1t is a greater question
than who shall hold the offices. In fact IL has
been demonstrated that the success OF one
party or the other means all the difference be-
tween national happiness ana prosperity and
national oiseonteHt and distress
What part shall you my fellow Gun trymen
OF the state of Minnesota, take in the settle
ment OF these great and pressing public ques-
tions7 May we not hope That the spirit NJ JUS
tiee and patriotism which animated you in the
critical days Of the past wien the peOple % the
northwest led the hosts of freedom in he
great contest with the slave power NAV still In
spire you TO even mighter efforts in behalf Ct
the fundamental principles Of our government,
and Of our industrial Independence and pros.
peritys Standing before this vast assembly, l
recall the words of William II. Seward spoken
to the people of St Paul on September Is, $50,
When he said:
-.The virtue which is TO save this nation
must reside in the northwest On both sides
of this stream are the people who hold in their
hands the dsslsnies of the republic. That
some great states are to be built up In the
valley OF the Mississippi, know. You will
no longer hear hereafter OF the old
Dominion state; dominion passed away from
Virginia long ago Pennsylvania is no longer
the Keystone OF the American union, for the
arch has been extended from the Atlantis
coast TO the Pacific ocean and the center Of the
arch Is moved westward A new keystone IS
to be built IN that arch New York Will cease
10 De the Empire state anu u new empire sta 20
will grow up in a northern latitude where the
lands are rich AMI where the people who cult
vate them are all free and all equal That
state which shall be truest TO the great funca.
mental prime pies of the government, that
state which shall be most faithful and most
vigorous in developing and perfecting society
on those principles will be at once the new
dominion state. the new Keystone state the new
empire state
The question for which the great New York
statesman spoke SO eoquently has been set
tied. righteously settled. as he plead and PRAYED
IL might be; settled in consequence Of the
DEGREES OF the great campaign in which
he spoSe: settled by the great hberator for
whom lie spoke, the immortal Lincoln: set
tied in eternal justice. for freedom ana man
kind Citizenship Is no logger unequal and
every man is free beneath the flag The diff
ferences existing then are no longer present
to impede the progress and unity OF the
republic. or 10 stand between US IN the
realization OF fits highest interests. Now all
sections and all states bow at the shrine OF
freedom All have common and glorious clti-
zenship. all like interes. in the permanently
and progress Of the union. The liberty for
which Seward spoke has been secured and the
union saved stronger and better than ever.
The virtue which is 10 advance the nation now
free IT'S highest destiny and glory must re-
side in the people, not OF the northwest alone,
but in the people of every part Of our common
country The northwest can be relied upon now
and in the future. as in the past TO contribute
to the onward march OF the best government on