Willmar tribune., 1899-07-26


In the meantime / might inquire
why did Grue vote for the Schellbach
Bill which Governor Lind says would
have repealed the Anderson law?
Was Ire actuated by desire to re-
lieve the railroads of a quarter of
million taxes, or did he not know
any better? You, Mr.. Lawson, as
his sponsor, ought to be able to tell
US the reason.
Then you might also deliver your
self upon the expedience of being rep
resented by such a reformer (?) who
either through rascality or ignorance
would rob the people of q just and
equitable tax. 1t required years of
hard labor to get the Anderson law
and now that we have got it Senator
Grue would repeal it. And ali in the
great name IF reform!
And then, when apoligizing for
your pets, you may explain Mr.. Mel
sons vote against the bill to put the
commission men under the supervi-
sion of the railroad a:u warehouse
commission. Does NJ. Nelson ap-
prove Of the robberies that have been
perpetrated by some of these alleged
business hOnses on an indulgent pub
lie. The grossest frauds have been
perpetra ted in the past by some of
these rotten institutions, yet MIR.
Nelson would not want them inter-
fcred with. The Chamber of Com
merce (grain commission men) of
Minneapolis fought the measure viO-
lently. Was Mr.. Nelson in his mega
tive action representing these par
ties, or did he represent the producers
who might desire to avail themselves
of sfde-trnck, carload shipment if
they were assured of honest treat
mont at the terminals. The wheat
ring did it's utmost to defeat this
measure. Why? 1t would hurt their
business, and Mr.. Nelson evidently
felt that their interests We're of more
than those of his grain
producing constituents. Perhaps it
was another case of personal con-
victiOn" with my honorable success
sOr.
And again, you might tell us why
Messrs. Grue and NelsQn both voted
against the Dougherty Peddler Ii
cense Bill. Are they in. favor of the
country being flooded by horde of
irresponsible, Inherent swindlers?
Now, mind, don't say all pcddlers
are swindlers, but great many of
them are. The steel range, the jewel
ry, the watch, and not to forget the
package vendor, are swindlers of the
rankest sort. They take thousands
out of the country and never pay a
cent taxes. Thew are Il nuisance in
every sense Of the word; they rob the
people who patronize them and they
deprive the legitimate dealer of
trade that properly belongs to him.
The paugherty Bill llsought to correct
this evil, at least in part, by the exac-
ton of a fair license fee. Messrs.
Grue and Nelson dissented. They
would protect these thriving vendors
of fake merchandise and let the legiti-
mate trade suffer. The merchants of
Willmar, Atwater, Raymond and
other places must pay their taxes,
but, when it comes to demanding
protection from illegitimute and ire
sponsible competition, Messrs. Grue
and Nelson say them nay. And this
is what they call reform! Reform
with a big CRY" Think of it, ye
honest country merchants, and par
ticularly you who helped boost these
reformers (?) into representative po-
sitiOns! How do yOu like the idea
of standing idle and seeing your bust
ness 20 to d horde of transients who
take the cash out of the country
while you get the credit customers?
And how do you like the idea of pat
ronizing the advertising columns Of
so-called reform papers that willfoist
such representatives ON you and
stand sponsor aud apologize for their
acts? Now, Mr.. Lawson can tell us
whether this reform vote of his pro-
teges has his sanction, and whether
the wholesale victimizing OF an un-
suspectipg public by the crooked acts
of Inherent haWkers is one of his
cherished reforms.
Above are three more interesting
questions, Mr.. Lawson, as to Grue
#nl Nelson. 1t does not Ivy any
means complete the category as to
their reform ~ record, but it will
suffice for this time, and in course Qf
time will have afew more to pro-
pound. will try to keep you and
them busy tn explain theirreforms ~.
Mr.. Lawson asserts that Messrs.
Grue and Nelson "exercised great
care" and used ':good judgment'' in
the legislature when called upon to
vote in tile hundred aof instances.
Well, Mr.. Editor, have cited Q. few
Instances Qf their great care'' and
"good Judgement" Grne would give
away fifty or sixty thousand dollars
Of the State funds; he would parole
the biggest murderers in the State
n,.iun1,. l,a voted both for q nd against