The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-25
JUDGE ANKENY's ADDRESS.
Long Continued Control by One Par
ty Cannot but Re BanefuI.

ty Cannot but Re Banefui.
Judge Ankeny said:
Mr.. Chairman: When Minnesota entered
the Union in 1858. the Democratic party was
in political control. Now. forty years after.
when consider the wisdom and the justice
embodied by the trainers in our state con-
stitution, We cannot but accord to them both
craftsmanship and patriotism Of the very
highest order. After a long and most patient
acquaintance with its admirable provisions
1 hesitate not to say that no builders Of a
state, in any age or cline, ever more clearly
defined the true powers of government. or
more sacredly guarded the just rights Of the
people. To set in operation this magnificent
construction was confded to a Democrat
our first and only governor-the luster Of
whose fame shines only the brighter as the
years roll by The name of Gov. Henry H.
Sibiey stands, and probably forever will
stand the proudest in Minnesotas history.
The civil war coming on, the Republican
party. here elsewhere, obtained control
That ascendency, from one cause or another
by hook or by crook, sometimes in good re-
port and more often in i'll report, has been
maintained down to the present hour. While
every other state in the great Northwest
has frequently. seen changes in political ad-
mnistration, here we are mournfully led
to excIaim:
Such as creations dawn beheld.
| Beholdest thou it now!"
STRENGTH OF PARTIES.
The Republican majority for president in
this state during this time shows. an average
of about $4,000. The average majority for
governor has been less than 10000. Indeed
! in several instances 1t has been uncomfort-
! ably low. In 1869 1t was only 1,947; in 1873
! 5,49s; in 1885. 26C0; in 1892. 2267 and In the
last campaign. when the majority for presi-
dent was ever $4,000, that of the present SOW
er9or over John Lind was only 1852. Once
only, and in 1892. the combined Democrats
and FopuI1sts carried the legislature and
the candidates for the supreme court were
elected by an average majority Of about 10, COO
hn 1r1o " ~,
| bers IN the belief that Minnesota is at all
uihes ana under all circumstances surely Re
publican, and that come what may the al
| lied forces cannot win in a given contest
stands fair chance Of being disappointed
70 democrats the results and have been
matters mater. OF secondary Importance They have
apidlng falth in their cause and they know
that sooner or later the triumph must come
WHERE REPUBLICANS FAILED.
The conviction is fast settling down in the
minds of thoughtful citizens that we have
not, IN the past forty years Of Republican
control, made the most of our wonderful
natural advantages. When our state came
into the Union We We're on the very con-
fines of civilization. Today we are prac-
tically midway in the continent Our n mn
lation was then about no. 0o0: now 1t is ten
times that number. Our assessed valuation
OF real and personal property is about $780,
eooN0 Astonishing as these figures and
indicative OF enormous growth l still lust
as confidently declare that they are by no
means what they ought to be- IT, during all
this period, just and fair conditions had at
all times prevailed, the growth develop
ment and progress would have been very
much greater. In considering our favorable
location In the sisterhcod of states, Cid
you ever observe upon the map that the
great lakes Of the North strstch half way
across the continent as II for the sole Eur
pose OF connecting US with the great wa
ter ways and markets Of the world? We
have an area. of over $1,000 square miles,
1t is larger than all of New England with
Maryland and Delaware added II IA nearly
as large as the two big states OF Pannsyl-
vanfa and Ohio. It has 80, e01.e00 acres OF
agricultural. timber and mineral lands SIM
ply inexhaustible in their wealth We en-
Joy climate which bears health and vigor
| of constructed railway and peonIe made
up of every others best and fast unffying
| INTO splendid race. our capabilities are in
deeo such as to mock all our past achieve
ments, and to invite to a destiny beyond
all human computation.
Looking. therefore. at such conditions in.
their true light. the conviction is rot
forced one that the party so long in political
control has been simply playing with the
development of our vast resources Our en-
ergies have been msdirected sometimes rar-
alyzed. and our resources have been wasted
Wealth. ambition, greed and power haze
been allowed to dominate and as a conse-
quence. while perhaps the fortunate end
masses who dig and delve it must be said
they have not as a rule nfospered or these
1t may be truthfully said:
"They lower buckets into emptv wells
And grow old in drawing nothing up!r
CONTINUED CONTROL BANEFUL.
Mr.. Chairman: In my opinion there IN
nothing so banefu1 for any people as a long
| continued political control. 1t must be SO In
the very nature of things. The very waters
require change to prevent stagnation aud
pollution. Even the seasons come and 60
ana the stars do not always shine. The ever
1atal tendency is for the wheels of govern
nent 10 get into "rut," and the ionser
tney continue the more difficult is the work
| Oh eXtrication. Changing the figure. things
simply drift. IT there be wrongs they
are are covered up If complaints, they are rat
oeo down. And so the political machine y.
creased by the lubrications' of official feas.
like modern Juggernaut, moves, r,Ithlsss.v
| on, Crashing and crushing everything that
STANDS In Its way. Meanwhile the great
prostrate body of the people, like BozSrrIs.
lies bleeding at every ven."
REFORMS DEMANDED.
| 1t would be impossible IN a brief address
70 set forth all the evils which demand re-
form. They are specifically set out in our
| platform, and include such matters as the
following: The proper care Of our public
lands; the just and equal taxation Of prom
erty the establishment Of fair rates, of
| transportation and storage; the rigid control
OF our hduciary institutions; the regulation
or orflcfal' fees; thu preservation of an inde-
| pendent judiciary, and full recognition of
the rights and interests OF the toilers and