Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-10-07
James Gray, Democratic Nominee
for Governor Delivers Keynote
Speech at Fergus Falls.
PLEDGES HIMSELF TO FOLLOW
LEAD OF LIND AND JOHNSON
Commends Governor Johnson's Administration and
Declares His Appointments to Office Best in
History of State-Promises to Redeem
Every Pledge of State Platform.

A glance at the history of Mime
sofa politics shows that most OF the
state administrations have been merely
episodes in the life of the State. Men
rose to power through the grades,
became governors and disappeared.
Few of them made mark on the his
:ory of the State. In the pioneer days
Of Minnesota this was to be expected.
The State was new, the population
sparse, the struggle for existence hard.
The theory of politics was personal,
social, and it sank no deeper than the
personality of the men who rose to
positions of power. There were not
able exceptions to be sure. John S.
Pillsbury was the idol of the State and
did a great work for the University.
knute Nelson had, l believe, a real
call from the people. His administra-
ton was able, conscientious and in
some ways fearless. His promotion to
the office of senator before he had
completed his work thrust the admin
lstration back into the soggy condition
from which it had arisen. Governor
Van SAINT was elected on no definite
theory of reform. He had, by party
activity and party service, at least
earned the nomination and got it. But
Governor Van SAINT had an opportunity
and rose to it. He denounced the mer-
ger of the parallel lines of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific and
by his stand smashed the Northern
Securities Company. It was flash Of
light upon the railroad problem but
it was after all but fame caught from
the spark struck off by the previous
administration of John Lind, who put
a stop to an attempted similar merger
of the St. Paul & Duluth and East.
ern Minnesota. With these exceptions,
[ claim that broad, constructive work
for the people began with the admin
istration of John Lind, who was elected
in 1898, and has been continued to this
day, nearly all of the time under Dem
ocratic executives, and must continue
if Minnesota is to have a place along
side of Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and
Nebraska, where the rights of the peo-
pie have been restored rather than
to fall back in the class of New Hamp-
shire, Vermont and other states which
have never awakened to the problems
at their doors.
Six years ago, in pursuance of this
forward policy, the people of Mime
sofa chose John A. Johnson governor.
Two years later they reelected him
as an endorsement of his administra-
ton. Two years later still, though
Governor Johnson protested against
the third term idea, they fairly drove
him into Office to continue the work
which he had so we'll begun. No such
contingency as the death of the
Governor in office was contemplated
by the people nor provided against in
their votes. 1t seldom happens that
the people do so provide. In our
national politics there have been re-
peated efforts to obtain symmet-
rical ticket, to name for vice-president
a man who could take the reins in
case of the presidents removal and
carry forward his work. They usually
have failed and some man has been
nominated for vice-president who could
carry his state. There have been ex-
ceptions Of course The Democratic
standard bearers in 1888 were Cleve-
land and Thurman, a ticket big at
both ends The Republicans had in
1884, Blaine and Logan, a balanced
ticket; in 1900, Mckinley and Roose-
welt, a remarkable conjunction of cool
sagacity and fiery impetuosity, tick
ct, the election of which and the de.
mise of Mckinley was fraught with
the most momentous results. Without
disparagement of Mr.. Mckinley, it
must be said that the succession of
Roosevelt was pr0vidential. 1t marked
the definite breaking away from the
old time politics of government of the
trusts, by the trusts, and for the
trusts, back to government of the peo-
pie. Roosevelt restored the rights OF
the people. The revolution which he
began has gone SO far that l am per-
suaded that neither height nor depth
nor any other creature" shall ever
again separate the people of America
from those rights.
The line Of bosses which threatened
to stretch out like Banquos descen-
dants ito the crack of DOOM" has
been broken. The men who substitute
ed the previous questions for the open
debate, the back Office for the free as
sembly, the corridor. whisper for the
open appeal, who in short pulled down
the blinds on the peoples business,
have received their notice to quit.
They have been routed out Of their
stalls, scourged from the temple, their
money boxes overturned, their jeer Of
triumph turned to gasping dismay
Before them the people Of America