The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-19

The reform" press bureau issued a
two-page supplement last week, which,
as pipe-dream, is a more marvellous
creation than the Arabian Nights. One
page is devoted entirely to pictures"
which are fearfully and wonderfully
made, and are supposed to typify vari-
Gus trusts" 1t argues that they are
the result of an ubiquitous tariff" In
this galaxy of art" the round cotton
bale trust of Chairman Jones' of the
Democratic national committee and
the Tammany ice trust of Dick Croker
are conspicuous by their absence.
Neither is there any record of the
united opposition of the Democratic
members of congress to the measure
introduced in that body for the control
Of the trusts. Nor does there appear,
anywhere on the sheet, any explana-
ton of Gov. Lind's failure to enforce
the antitrust law we have in Mime
sofa. A diligent perusal Of the sheet
also fails to reveal any explanation of
why free-trade England is the home
of trusts.
The author of the poster either be-
trays lamentable lack of knowledge
of the agricultural resources of Min
nesota, or else deliberately insults the
intelligence of his readers He esti-
mates the grand total valuation of all
the crops in Minnesota in the year 1899
at $4,000, 900, of which $37, 200, 600 is for
wheat, and $1,000, 900 for corn. He pos
sibly is not aware that Minnesota
farms produce such other products as
oats, rye, barley and other grains, po-
tatoes, dairy products, hay, live stock,
ETC., etc. The farmer who reads his
figures will indulge in a little joyous
mirth at the expense of the reform"
author.
One of the best jokes in this really
very humorous sheet, is it's statement
concerning binder Irvine. After stat
ing that the price of trust" sisal
Irvine, on March 4, 1900 WIS cents
(the state prison Irvine selling for 10
cents it concludes with: Under Gov.
Lind's administration G The state
Irvine plant, competition has, in part,
broken down trust prices"
The farmer who has watched the
course of the state Irvine industry
since it's inception, knows that under
past Republican administrations the
state has sold it's prison Irvine at from
8 to 10 cents a pound less than outside
Irvine was sold at. The very first year
under a Democratic management was
the first year that the outside Irvine
sold for a less price than the state
could manufacture it's product.
Which party has benefited the farm
er?
Two years ago the self constituted
''reformers" made for their. campaign
cry: Remember the twIne!" The
people are remembering the twine"
this year, but not at all to the salts
faction Of Lind and his machine.
Without a single issue to stand on,
nor single creditable achievement to
point to, the fusion leaders now seek
to distract attention from their short
comings by another manufactured
campaign slogan: Remember the
trusts!" This cry of stop thief"
raised by the fleeing criminal will not
work a second time. The pa1ple will
remember the trusts" and will also
bear in mind tha1 Gov. Limo has had
the power to remedy an abuses by
trusts or combines. He has that pow
er now, and why doesn't he use it, If
such evils exist, instead of wandering
up and down the state, asking the vot-
ers to re-elect Kim, so that he can do
It?
Gov. Beckham, of Kentucky, appeals
to the people of that state to rally and
Overcome the Republican majority of
the last year" The governor thus
acknowledges that he is fraud COVER
nor and usurper of the peoples rights.