Morris tribune., 1900-10-20
Van SAINT ON STH'TE ISSUES

liable and desirable quality for a mar
IN public life to possess 2" / would an
swer: Honesty And by that
mean not only that the politician ant
/ statesman shall avoid violating tht
penal code, but that he should be
i scrupulously honest in his convictions
4 in his Intentions in his speech and in
his acts. The commandment, Thou
4 shalt not steal is directed as much
1 against the larceny of the thoughts
/ and ideas of another as against the
larceny OF a horse. Literary larceny
is termed plagiarism or piracy, ac-
cording to it's degree, one being petty
4 and the other grand larceny. A mans
ideas and thoughts are as much his
property as his horses and cattle.
The literary thief when discovery
overtakes him. is not sent to JAIL be-
cause the penal code does not extend
/ to his offense; but he finds that he is
d held in public odium and has ruined
his career. So when politician or
statesman steals the thoughts or ideas
1 OF another and, without giving credit
!, to the original owner, converting
/ them to his own use his offense is not
one which makes him amenable to the
law, but the penlty is as sure and Sc
/ we're as that of the literary pirate. His
/ offense is against public morals, and
public opinion inficts the punishment.
Must Keep His Promises.
| When a candidate for public Office
makes promises to the people, he must
keep them. If he gives his pledge that
certain reforms shall be made if the
people elect him, three things are re-
quisite. The candidate must honestly
believe that reforms are needed, there
must be something to reform, and, il
elected he must fulfill his pledge and
effect the reforms
/ And when candidate for public Of.
fee comes before the people he must
appear in no borrowed garments. His
plumage must be all his own, for II
not, just as soon as the people detect
his disguise his experience will be sim
liar to the ass that paraded in the
lions skin. The men of to-day are
very keen-sighted, and there never
was a period in the history Of the
world when shame and false pretenses
had such a hard time. I think, in fact.
I know, that the people of Minnesota
have weighed the claims and merits OF
the different political parties and their
respective candidates presented at this
election. . They see, on the one hand,
the Republican party, tried by forty
years in the management of the affairs
of the state, and it's candidates sup
ported by the splendid record of their
party and pledged to carry out it's
great and lofty aims, to protect and
advance the interests of the common
wealth, and to uphold the principles
which have lent luster to twenty-five
Republican administrations. Conserv-
alive where the peoples interests are
concerned; progressive in aiding the
states development; aiming at the
highest and greatest good, the Repub-
lican party has been a safe and a wise
counselor, in whom the people have
learned that implicit confidence may
be placed.
Dennocracy's ss0iled Garments.
On the other hand. they see the DEM |
ocratic party and its candidates, with
no record except a few inconsiderable
soiled garments which Democracy
would gladly hide beneath its own
tattered raiment-with no principles
except an imitation set constructed of
negations of everything Republican.
And to-day Minnesota Democracy and |
it's candidates stand before the voters
arrayed in plumage sirreptitiously |
that the people are not sufficiently |
keen-sigl1ted to detect the disguise,
staggering around in attire "a world |
too wide for their shrunken shanks."
The plain fact is, my friendssk that
our political opponents have made a
desperate attempt to steal our thun-
der, and are trying to persuade the
people that the ideas and plans they
advance for the carrying on and i'm
proving our state government are their
Jwn, while, as a matter of fact, every
thing they possess or pre-
sent they have purloined from the Rel
publican cupboard. Consider the Dem
,cratic state platform. It points with.
1ride'' to our system of
Grain Inspection.
Which the Republicans gave to this
grain growers and shippers of the
tate fifteen years ago. It points with
more pride to the state laws for the
control of railroads and railroad rates.
md to work the present state railroad
md warehouse commission is doing.
they imagine the people are credulous
nougI to believe that they have
Slaced the railroads of Minnesota UNI
Ter state control But the people.
now that the state laws forsthe SUI I
ervision and control of railroads were.
he work of Republican legislatures;
hat on March 6, 1871, a Republican .
legislature passed an act entitled, An
ct to regulate the carrying of freight
nd passengers in this state, where
Y the state asserted it's power to ex-
rcise control OF railroads in the in-a !
arests Of the people. That act pre-
crIbed a maximum rate for freight
nd passengers, and provisions suff1-
ient to prevent prohibitory rates and
determinations, and the man who was !
laIn1y instrumental in winning the
CHIT for the right of the state to as :
art such control, was that great man :,
{ the people, Cushman K. Davis. II ).
as a Republican legislature that
assed the laws creating the state :,
oard of railroad and warehouse com :
lissioners and which gave them the
overs which they now exercise
Taxing Railroads.
It was a Republican legislature that =
rovfded for the taxation of the I'M
sed railroad lands. The first sugges- q
~, ~ qacfsIa finy, for. tho sY1Snocfioy1 IF Il