The Saint Paul globe., 1898-03-06

the Norfolk Club, a strong partisan
organization, and he became it's first
secretary. When Blaine was nominat-
ed in 1884 he bolted with the late John
F. Andrew, Col. Charles r. Cod
man and large number of the silver
top Republicans. He became chair
man of the committee of one hundred
every member of which had been a
Republican. This developed into the
celebrated mugwump coterie which
strenuously labored to direct the pol
icy of the first Cleveland administra-
ton. The shibboleth of these enthusi-
astic independents was reform. They
demanded reform Of the tariff, re-
form in the civil service and a reform
of the currency. They believed in low
tariff, the soundest of sound money
and competitive examination for near
ly every office at the disposal of the
president or the heads of departments
Mr.. Williams was subsequently elect
ed member of the state legislature by
Democratic and independent votes He
was still mugwump; and he still
clamored for reform He buckled OH
his armor like real knight of old and
gave battle to all forms of corruption.
He attacked the corpora tions: he made
war upon the lobby; he preached econ
omy and purity, and won the plaudits
OF the hosts of reform. He refused to
81 iillO parry CducuSSS ana ne QeSD1SeQ
the plodding creatures who wore the
party badges. In short, he posed con-
stantly as a man of superior talents.
aims and purposes.
Then he was elected to congress- This
was in the tidal wave of 1890 when the
country grew diSgusted with the per-
formances of President Harrison, and
with the passage of the Mckinley tariff
Dill, the Lodge force bill and other leg
islative atrocities which were either
perpetrated or attempted. In congress
he made something of a record as a
champion of sound money. He was a.
member of the coinage committee and
he helped to rally the forces favoring
a stable currency against the hosts Of
free coinage.
In 1895 he was the Democratic can
d1date for governor. The chief objec-
ton to him was based upon his person
al characteristics. He had the reputa-
t1on OF being snob. He had persist
emily declined to establish social rela-
tions with his Democratic neighbors:
he had publicly opposed the appoint
ment Of Democrat as postmaster at
Dedham, because the Democrat
belonged to the toiling classes,
and for the same reason he
failed to vote for a regularly nomfn-
ated candidate for the legislature. Only
the aristocratic and the rich were fit to
doSOCidlS Will Sucn was the
who in one short year placed himself
at the head of bowling mob of Popu-
lists, socialists, anarchists and Demo-
cratic ward heelers of the lowest char
acter and proclaimed himself the leader
of the. Democratic party.
When the Democratic convention was
held in April, 1896, Mr.. George Fred
Williams was pronounced champion
OF sound>money and an inveterate foe
OF the Populistic forces that were driv-
Ing the democracy toward the mining
camp theory of finance. IF he had mani
tested any disposition to sup
port Bryan or flop to Bland
Ism or Altgeldism he could not
have been chosen as delegate.
Yet in June of the same year he was
loudly proclaiming the doctrine of 16 to
l with as much fervor as Stewart. of
Nevada, Or Tillman. of South Carolina.
What brought about this radical
change? Mr.. Williams remained in