The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-08-19
SECOND DISTRICT. DEMO-
Gratis.

The outcome of the Democratic
congressional convention yesterday is
just what might be expected from
any party that will play fast and loose
with principles in thei vaini endeavor
to get votes, as the Democrats of the
Second district have for several years
back. They have been willing to
form any sort of combination in the
vain hope that it might yield votes
enough to secure them an office, and
they have finally arrived at point
where no one wants acnomination
that means certain defeat, with no
honor whatever attached to it, for
all principle has been cast to the four
winds and lost sight of, Hence it
was that yesterdays convention was
frost. There was no enthusiasm,
simply mechanical movement of 60
ing through the motions of keeping
up a party organization under ex-
treme difficulties.
But after all there was something
pathetic in the way the Second dis
trict Democracy chung to Judge
Severance under the delusion that ne
could cast off the gloom that has set
tied around it. But the Judge refus-
ed to be sacrificed. This necessitat-
ed the turning in some other direc-
tlon. Something had got to be done,
as one of the delegates remarked, to
keep the little gathering from becom-
ing the laughing stock of the district,
so Mr.. Hammond was nominated. He
couldn't decline because he was not
present, and an adjournment could
be effected before he could learn of it.
Upon one point the convention
was truly Democratic in it's modern
sense. In it's resolutions it squarely
planted itself against all progress. 1t
departed from the ways of Jefferson,
who believed in taking all the terri
tory that could be secured, and oppos-
ed the acquisition of new territory.
But true to itself it,. maintained alb
solute silence as Ito what course
should be pursued regarding the ter
ritory the United States finds upon
it's hands as a result of the war, and
of which some disposition must be
made. 1t further stated that the
carrying out of the present policy Of
the administration twill attach to
this country territory.swhose popula-
tion is insurrectionary by instinct
and education, and wholly unfit to
participate in the government Of a
free republic, based upon intelligence
and just comprehension of liberty"
Here is boyle man entirely of their
own making. There is no danger Of
any insurrectlonary people in ANY of
the territory that may be annexed as
result of the war, being allowed to
participate in the government of the
republic until they are fitted. They
cannotlso participate until such ter
ritory is admitted as state, and
there is no danger Of that until the
people thereof are fully fitted for
statehood hence that resolution falls
pointless. In short, the resolutions
we're simply an echo of the remarks
made by Judge Severance and it looks
as though there must have been some
col, usion between him and .the COM
mittee reporting them as the word
ing is almost Identical.
But the final outcome of the conven-
tion in.its nominee was most credi-
table to It, Mr.. Hammond is clean,
honorable man, gentleman in every
sense of the word. But it is known
that he does not want the nomination
and it is not expected by those who
know him that he will accept. He
has had one experience in running for
congress in this district when circum-
stances were far more favorable than
are now presented, and it seems very
unlikely that he will care to make the
run under existing conditions land so
invite q more severe sdefeat.