The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-10-21
ADDRESS OF
HON. WILLIAM II. EUSTIS
ATsT. PAUL, nINN, OCTOBER 8, 1898.
Clear and Concise Discussion of the Questions Now
Uppermost in the minds of Our People.
AT ST. PAUL, nINN., OCTOBER 8, 1893.

Tonight we meet for the purpose OF con-
sidering questions involving our duties as
citizens both of great republic and OF pro-
gressive commonwealth. The commonwealth
we serve is still young in the sisterhood OF
states, but she possesses material resources
and climate and manhood that is rapidly
making her potent factor in all questions
affecting the commerce and civilization OF the
World.
OUR COMPOSITE CITIZENSHIP.
The children Of many nations haze made
our state their homes; lntermlngllng with
them are the sons of New England and the
sturdy boys of the Middle states. In this
crucible of the Northwest where all races are
fusing into one new and grand type OF man,
we find everywhere veterans OF the Civil war,
who followed Sherman to the sea and Grant
through the Wilderness, and at the close OF
the war came West to help homestead and
pre-empt the soil of freedom. where their
lives have proved an inspiration to the Hottest
patriotism, the highest fruits of which we see
in the swift and noble response the boys OF
Minnesota made to McKinley's call to arms.
4HnationaktieS cOmn1ing ling are making
this high type Of american citizen. The
adopted citizen. equally with the native born,
discharges all the functions of peace and war,
voting and fighting an American.
Previous to the war foreign critics pro-
nounced the American Navy weak and unable
to compete successfully with the navy OF
Spain, because the Spanish navy was COM
posed of one race, and ours of many different
nationalities. The old world has yet to- learn
the potent and ennobling effect on all races of
a free government, where the rights and ob-
bo,tunitieS of all are equal in the presence
of laws they themselves have made and they
themselves enforce and obey
The victories of Manila and Santiago have
established the personnel Of our mary to be
the greatest of any mary in the zOorld.
Composite citizenship under the genius OF our
Constitution outranks, in force of character,
any unilateral nation in the world. The
shirt of free institutions ennobleS man.
hood. In this century work of re-typing man
we recognize the hand of Him who has made
of one blood all nations of the earth.
If in the pioneer period of our state we see
so much of general prosperity, happiness and
patriotism, what must the more advanced
and finished years produce? He is an un-
worthy citizen of the West, where the spirit
of progress does so abound, who does not in
public and private life give honest thought
and honest purpose to the broad questions
and issues of the day.
We enjoy the freest government in the
zVoyld by legacy Sacrifices of others gave
this to US. While we have with US many of
that generation that endured prolonged hard
ships and proffered their lives to preserve the
Union and eliminate servitude from our soil,
it was not their work that secured to us the
original blessing. Those are gone. but their
work still lives.
REPUBLICAN RECORD IN MINNESOTA.
Our duties lie IN the administration and
preservation of self7goOermment
Parties are the means through zV)stch the
public servants are selected. In minnesota
Al D.X, hoo,,
pozOer. The phenomenal grozOth and de-
-Velobnsent Of our state speaks zVeH for its
general zViSdom Of administration Of pub
Tic affairs. In 1890 the opposition gained
control of the legislative bodies and elected
the auditor of the state, who held his Office for
four years. In this Office more than any
where else. if it existed, could dereliction and
dishonesty be found. For four years the ar
gus eyes of Democracy were turned upon the
books and records of this state. which had
been continuously kept by Republicans for
thirty years. Nothing of error or 1isAon-
esty zUas discovered, nothing exposed
This OPPOSITION legislature increased the
previous tar rate Of III mills to s.s. This
rate was reduced by the next Republican
legislature to 7, and by the last Republic
an legislature again reduced to IS, thus saw
ing to the taxpayers of Minnesota, since and
below the appropriations of the opposition on
their advent 10 power, tDe sum Ol %l,Io5 ooO
1t is not expected by those who understand
human nature that any party which comes
into power only once in thirty years. and re-
mains in only one session, will practice econ
omy; but the people of Minnesota would
cheerfully excuse the $2o,832 excess spent for
the current expenses of the legislature in
1891 over 1893 in order to give fusion the
privilege aud duty of investigating the record
of party in power for thirty years. In current
expenses and taxes this privilege. however,
comes high; and our taxpayers will probably
not care to repeat it oftener than once in
thirty years, without at least more specific
charges and proof of incompetency or
fraud.
THE STATE SCHOOL FUND.
In education lies the hope of the zOorld.
1T IS the basis Of all progress and true
prosperity. In Minnesota we seek to make
it as broad as man. With a wisdom which
seems more than human. it was provided by
the ordinances of 1857 that in the Northwest
territory, then UNEMPLOYED wilderness,
schools and means of education should be
forever encouraged. To give efficiency to
this, one of the most far-reaching provisions
of any ordinance that has to do with human
happiness and human welfare, certain sec
tions of the public domain were set aside and
designated as school lands. From the sale of
these lands there has accumulated in this
state the magnificent sum of SIG, 500, 900 as
permanent school and educational fund, and
during the time of its control there has been
disbursed for current educational purposes
from the income thereof nearly $40, ooo, 900