The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-12
It's Time TO Have a Charge.

That was a sensible thoughtful
speech of John Lind's at Minneapolis
Monday night. 1t will win him the sup
pert of thoughtful and conservative
men. 1t showed that he had given
careful study to the interests of MiE-
nesota and what will advance the wei
fare of the plain people. Vested capital
will deal with no extremist when he
takes his seat in the executive chamber.
AS a lawyer anC a business man he oc
cupies no ground that is not common
to every citizen of the state and he adj
Vances no ideas that dfferentiate him
from other men of affairs in this rap
idly advancing age. What has been
must be, and no thought of retaliatory
action was suggested What is to he
may be bettered by drawing upon the
experiences of the past. This is the
lesson to be drawn in the states future
dealings with corporate interests, and
to that no investor can offer the slight
est criticism. Honesty. fair dealing for
all and economy of administration may
be fairly said to sum up the views
which Mr. Lind SO clearly and frankly
presented to his Minneapolis audience.
At the very outset he seized the is
sue advanced by Mr. EustiS and cleV-
erly twisted it out of shape. He made
it clear that 1.-The moral effect Of this
campaign upon foreign capitals" would,
in the language of the day, ''cut no ice"
with American voters. What may
crafty or dissatisfy European capitals
is matter of no concern to us in Min
nesota or in any other part of the
Union. We have long been accustom-
ed to minding our own business and
settling our own affairs to suit our
selves. 1t may be different when the
era of imperialism sets in. Then we
shall need the services of apologists
and servile attendants upon foreign
courts, and it would be proper for
Minnesota to reserve Mr.. Eustis for
some such mission. Nh Lind sees
nothing attractive in a large standing
army to burden the taxpayers, and he
stamps with disapprOVal, as do most Of
our foreign-bOrn citizens, the idea of
entangling this country with any for
eign alliances.
But it is in his description of the
partisanship and want of economy
which have characterized the conduct
of our state institutions under Repub-
lican administrations that the voters
are most interested. The farmer knows
that the plan, whether wise or unwise,
to provide him with binding Irvine at
minimum cost has been legalized, but
has he been benefited in consequence?
He knows that the law provides for
the inspection Of his grain but he also
knows that, in actual practice, he is
a loser, both on grading and dockage.
The bank depOsitor knows that the
state guarantees a rigid examination
of its banks, just as he knows that had
this been given no disastrous failures
would have occurred and swallowed I'D
his savings. The public generally
knows what John Lind pointed out,
that official incOmpetency is at the
bottom Of the ills and abuses which
have marked the thirty eight years Of
undisputed supremacy" of the party in
power.
1t must occur to the average voter
that it is about time for a change;
that the books should be opened up to
public inspection; that men should be
selected as departmental managers be-
cause of their competency, rather than
III Cit0I pOIIlicdI SKILL Cnat economy
and businesslike management should
characterize the conduct of public Of
fees. Thirty-eight years is too long
period to trust any party in power.
The opportunity, the hour, the man are
at hand. Will the voters of Minnesota
plump their ballots this fall for their
own interests, or will they continue to
be fooled by the politicians of the DOM
inant party?