Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1898-04-07
FORCO.OPERATION.
Minnesota Democratic State
Convention Called at Same
Time and Place
AS the Peoples Party State
Convention.-An Address to
The Voters.
What the Minnesota Wealth
Producers and Government
Have Surrendered.

Producers and Government
Have Surrendered.
ST. PAUL, April 2:-The Official call fer
Nhe state democratic convention directed
to be issued at the meeting of the state
central committee Wednesday, was made
yesterday. The delegates will number
1856, the smallest representation being
given Cook county, which will have
three and the largest Hennepin, which is
entitled to 2O7. This will be the largest
delegate convention ever held IN the
state. The chairman Of the state CEN
trail committee issues the following
statement:
x The central committee Of the demo-
cratic party of Minnesota, considers it
fitting that they should at this time ex-
PLAIN the motives which actuated the
committee IN fixing :be time and place
>for the state convention this year.
We are now in the second year OF the
republican national administration, and
the first of the promises made by that
party during the campaign Of 1896 has
yet TO be fulfilled. The mills have not
been opened, the currency laws have not
been reformed, confidence has not been
restored, prosperity has not returned,
sufficient revenues to provide for the Or
dlnary expenses Of the government have
not been provided. Vaclllstion. and in
efficiency have marked every act of the
administration except in the protection
of corpor atoms and in furthering the
interests of trusts.
The republican administration in THE
state presents IN an exaggerated form all
the evils OF the national administration.
For forty years the republican party has
had absolute control Of the Legislation
and administration Of public affairs in
the state OF Minnesota, and the people,
therefore, have right to ask that party
to give an account Of its stewardship.
In natural resources Minnesota has
been particularly blessed. With fruit
full soil sbundantly wstered, with mag
nificent forests, with inexhaustible mines
and abundant natural waterways for
transportation, the possibilities for pros
! perity and happiness to the people of
: tfis state are boundless. In the absence
Of special privileges being granted, by
means of which q few could m0nopOllze
the natural wealth OF this state. general
prosperity and happiness must have
come. Unfortunately. however. our
public servants have seen fit to grant
euch license to monopoly and corporate
greed. that the wealth OF the state pro-
vided by benefcent providence for the
benefit Of the people has been divided to
the use and enrolment Of Of few.
Railroad Land Grants.
The total area of Minnesota is about
100000 sores; more than 1O,O0O.OOO
acres have already been decided to rail-
ftad corporations under various land
grants, and the total amount claimtd by
them under land grants already made
amounts to nearly 2O,OOO,0OO sores. Al
fair valustlon this would amount to
sufficient to rebuild and equip every
mile Of railroad in the state Of Mime
sots.
Unjust discrimination in freight rates
10 nOtOriOus. and to such an extent has
this been carried in that portion OF the
state where iron mines are found that
such mines are practically valueless
when owned by those who are 80 un-
fortunate as not 10 belong to the syndl-
cate which controls the adjacent rail.
J road. And YET yesterday, when the
interstate commerce commission met IN
st. Paul, the pitiful spectacle was seen
of representative business men fleeing
the state to avoid test,tying 10 their
illegal transactions.
Whenever through the lnadvertence
OF the railway managers valuable piece
OF land appropriated to the state Tor
educational purposes hss been over
looked, come political favorite has
obtsined 1t for an inadequate price.
And when Legislature was found 10
dependent enough to psss law provid.
ing for the taxation of railroad lands the
republican managers went to the extent
OF robblng duly elected member OF the
benate of his right to Q seat in that body
for the purpose Of furnishing the rail
|. road companies with technical legal
defense through which they hope to de.
feat the solemnly expressed will OF the
people.
INCREASE OF RAILROAD VALUES.
Under the fostering care OF the repub-
lioau administration Of this state the
value OF railroad properties has In
creased enormously. This is no mere
idle statement, for that such 10 the fact
was solemnly sdjudicsted by our su-
Creme court in the famous Steenerson
rate case. That proport,ouste IN
crssse in the holdings Of the people gen
orally has not taken place 10 proved BY
no less an authority than the present re-
publican state auditor. Mr. Dunn
ssys in bis report for 1896 6: ~ =
W. - AZ khia tina OonfnnntAd With