Willmar tribune., 1900-01-17
ENTHUSIASM FOR The NORTHWEST.

The political meeting in Minnea po-
lis last Wednesday, while nominally
gathering of democrats, was a good
deal more than that if the word demo-
crat is used to designate merely the
party affiliations of those present. It
was a representative gathering of
democrats, populists, and true repub-
licans, drawn together by the magnet
ism OF a common cause and the p'es-
ence of the great men under whose
leadership they have in the past for
gotten party prejudices and have
made common battle against the ene-
mics of the peoples rights and lii er-
ties. The report that Gov. Lind would
not again consent to be a candidate
for governor, coupled with the pres
ence Of Bryan, the peoples Bry an,
led to an outpouring from the country
districts which otherwise would not
have occurred. But we came, we saw,
we heard, and never in the annals uf
Minnesota politics has such an en-
thusiastic state meeting before been
recorded.
Bryan, the matchless orator, was
at his best, and for nearly two hrurs
held the breathless attention of eight
thousand souls at the Exposition hall,
as he assailed the iniquities of modern
republicanism. Parties, he declared,
were nothing but means to an end.
ideas were everything. When our
clothes become worn out we throw
them away, and when a party no long
er fits our ideas we should throw it
away. II will show you,' he said,
"that the republican party OF today is
full of holes" And no one present
went away without feeling, at heart at
least, that Bryan had made good his
words. He spoke on the money ques-
tion, trusts, and Imperialism.
The police at the door declared that
at least five thousand persons were
turned away who could not crowd into
the hall. During the day and even
ing Bryan made nine speeches Oh as
many different occasions. Gov. Lind
and Charles A. Towne, the silver.
tongued MINES otan, also made st4ust
speeches at the Expo.
The banquet in the evening was an
occasion that comes to a man but sell
dom in a lifetime. We do not mean
the spread, nor the numbers present,
nor even in the galaxy OF great men
there, but in the spirit that pervaded
the occasion and in the earnest.ess
and determination that was manifest.
Gov. Lind's noble speech was the
event OF the evening. Probably not
all present realized the deep meaning
of the words wrung from the governors
soul, but tn at it was not mere sentiment
and feeting emotion was felt by all.
The address will not be forgotten. 1t
will endure and furnish history for
our state, if not for the nation, in the
events that will follow. The only dali
ly newspaper reporter who rose to the
occasion and was able to grasp to
some extent the meaning of what oc-
CURED was the representative of the
Minneapolis Journal. We therefore
reproduce on our front page that part
of his report which refers to L ind s
speech. .t....
: Charles A. Towne made masterly
speech. After hearing that talk it is
easy to realize how his manhood could
conquer when he was offered the choice
of smothering his convictions or Civ
ing up his seat in congress. He closed
his eloquent address by declaring that
he stood for Jeffsrsonian republic
anism, Lincolnian democracy, J.tck-
sonian populism. and Bryanes que
Americanism. E% a # Z ..s
Bryan made the closing speech at
the banqu uet, and as if smitten by the
spirit Of the hour, his words became,
# that were possible, even more earn