Willmar tribune., 1900-09-12
ONE CASE AMONG MANY.

ONE CASE AMONG MANY.
The Rev. L. G.. Almen, a pastor at
New London of this county for a long
period of years and prominent men,
ber of the Minnesota Conference of the
Swedish Lutheran church, was at Will
mar between trains Saturday. In con-
versation with the editor Mr.. Almen
made the statement that while he would
not subscribe to everything in the peo-
Piles and democratic platform, he was
unalterably opposed to President Nc
Kinley present policy. Mr.. Almen is
an earnest worker in the cause of
temperance and is greatly pleased to
see the growth of the sentiment in
county which he claimed as home for
eleven years. While Mr.. Almen did
not make the statement of his political
views for publication, we feel that so
many of his old friends in this county
will be interested to hear of it that the
good pastor will forgive US for the
liberty We have taken. But after all,
Mr.. Almen is only one of a great many.
There are hundreds of old Swedish
Americans and Norwegian-Americans
in this county who have always hereto
fore affiliated with the republican party
who stand at the parting of the ways.
Some of them voted for Abraham Lin
colin when he was nominated by the
fusion party made up from abolition
lists, free-soilers and wings. The great
slave holding money aristocracy then
controlled the democratic party and
what was more natural than the liberty
loving immigrants should be attracted
to the banner of the great common
er. During forty years they have
voted with the party that bears the
names of Lincoln party. They have
noticed that the influences which used
the old democratic party have flocked
to the party in power.
The money aristocracy which made
so long and persistent fight for chattle
slavery did not die when shorn of pol
itical power by the fusion party under
Lincoln. It began to make itself felt
in the dominant party at once. In late
years the party has surrendered it's old
principles to the dictation of the big
corporations and fnanciers. In 1896
when it became more apparent that the
grand old party had surrendered its
old traditions at the behest of Wall
street, thousands of old republican s
left the party, among them Gov. John
Lind. The great number however
still clung to the old party name. This
year, when they see these moneyed in
luences, with a boldness that is appall-
ing, trying to establish the doctrine
of force and conquest, as we said be-
fore, hundreds of our good old citizens
are thinking seriously. Already men
in nearly every township in Kandiyohi
county who voted for Mckinley in 1896
have declared that they will cast their
ballots this year for the noble cham
pion of the peoples rights, William
Jennings Bryan. Old scheming pol.
iticians, who have made fortunes by
their political manipulations, are max.
ing a desperate effort to rally their
old lines and to secure their old power
but some of them already see the hand
writing on the wall. The revolution
that has been going on in Kandiyoh
county during the last six or eigh
years is advancing slowly but surely.
Towns that Harrison carried heav.
lily in '92 will this year give major.
ity for Bryan.
AS we said before there are hundreds
of our old republican voters who stanc
at the parting of the ways and are un
decided what to do. Their old love
of party and cherished party associa'
tions stand upon one hand and theil
love for consistency and an homes
purpose on the other. What will they
do? Many will assert their independ
ence and manfully take a stand, others
will lag and hope for the BEST Al
far as this county is concerned the
revolution is accomplished, apparent
ly beyond the power of any of the ole
party bosses to stop. DR.. Swenson
DR.. Enander, Knute Nelson and other
great and honored men will be en-
gagged to come and speak to our peo
pie to plead with them to overlook the
shortcomings of their party, but they
have been here before. Our people
have listened to their pleadings only
to be disappointed again and again
They will be glad to listen to then
again, but four years of complete re-
publican rule without any attempt tt
check capitalistic aggression and th'
bringing of new evils upon the people
will speak louder than mere words.