The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-10-04
LIND AND FLETCHER COMPARED.


Minnesota district, which comprises
the county of Hennepin and the city
of Minneapolis. His Republican Op-
ponent Loren Fletcher opened the
campaign last Saturday night, not in
this city, but in the township of Cor
cOlan, where Democrats usually pre-
dominate. He realizes the fact that
without the aid Of Democrats he can
not be elected, and consequently he is
bidding for their votes. In past cam
paigns the Democrats voted for him
i'm large numbers owing to the fact
that the Democratic candidates for
Congress We're but little known in the
district, and some of them, like Erick-
son, advocated theories which Demo-
crafts regarded as economic vagaries
and heresies.
In 1885, Fletcher received 1887
votes more than Sydney NJ. Owen; in
1898, $50 votes more than Professor
Cation; and in 1900, when Mckinley
carried the district by 1854 over
Bryan, he defeated Stockwell by 1O,-
455, thus running more than 1000
votes behind Mckinley in a district
where he had resided for As years.
On all these occasions Loren Fletcher
received many Democratic votes when
will go to John Lind next November
TO show that Mr.. Fletcher has cause
to dread defeat at the hands of John
Lind in the campaign Of 1902, few
interesting figures may be given: In
1896, 1898 and 1900 John Lind ran for
governor of Minnesota. The first time
he carried this district in prasiden-
tial year against Clough by plural
ity of 3,2O5; the next time he carried
it against Eusts by a plurality OF
5,1SS, and the last time he was de-
feated by Van SAINT, with the aid or
Tom Lucas as Socialist-Democrat, by
only 557 votes. In 1896, when McEin-
ley carried the county by 6,271 over
Bryan, Fletcher received only 13l
votes more for Congress than Lind re-
ceived for governor. In 1898 Lind re-
ceived S97 votes more for governor
than Fletcher for Congress, and in
1900, with McKinley's sweeping ma
jority of $1,000, Fletcher ran only
1000 ahead OF Lind. That was pres
idential year when the gold Demo
Gratis in large numbers voted the Re-
publican ticket.
These figures contain food for re-
Election, and Mr.. Fletcher has been
masticating it. He knows that in 1900,
the worst year for Democrats in the
history OF the country, John Lind
came within 2,254 votes of being elect
ed governor of Minnesota when Nc
Kinley carried the state by plural
ity of $4,000 votes. With an honest
ballot and fair count Lind was I'M
doubtedly elected.
We have no fault with Mr.. Fletcher
for seeking Democratic support, pro-
vided he goes about it in a legitimate
and honorable manner; but we con-
denim his contemplate tactics in Sc
ducing from their allegiance officers
who are placed in responsible positions
by the Democratic party in this coun-
ty. The case of Pratt and Wiley re-
fleets no credit upon his methods, ana
we believe every honorable man will
agree with us. There ought to be
honor among politicians, and the nun
who encourages trea cherry in the oppo-
site camp is deserving of defeat. We
call upon all Democrats of principle
to stand firmly by their party candi-
dates in this campaign. They have the
first opportunity in many years to elect
a member of Congress who will not
only honor them, but the great dis
trict he is to represent
We shall draw no invidious compar-
isons between John Lind and Loren
Fletcher. Both are we'll known in this
community. One is n giant and the
other is pigmy. Lind was in Con-
gress for several terms and estab-
lished IL national reputation as states
man of unimpeachable integrity. His
opponent has been in Congress ten
years and what is his record? We
shall tell all about it during the pres
ent campaign with absolute truthful
ness, and shall nothing extenuate nor
aught set down in malice"
You might as we'll have cipher in
Congress as Loren Fletcher, so far as
the district at large is concerned. He
has been the special representative of
corporate interests. Being engaged in
the lumber business, he has favored a
tariff of 50 per 1000 on lumber at the
expense Of his constituents and the
citizens Of the United States. He OPP
posed the sale of timber by scaled pro-
posals on the Chippewa reservation in
the interest of himself and the other
lumber barons of Minnesota and got
Congressman Eddy to oppose it for
him, though that gentleman had pre-
viously spoken against selling the In
dian timber by open auction to the
highest bidder. The reservation con-
sists of 25O.OOO acres and has millions
of feet of timber on it. Congressman
Eddy, though first against public