Year: 1874

1t is now plain that Major Strait
will be the Republican candidate for
Congress in the Second District. The
opposition to his nomination will be
very feeble, if indeed there be any at all
in the Convention. All things con-
sidered, it is very doubtful if the Re-
publican party can do any better than
to nominate him. We hear no fault
found about what he has done while in
Congress, although it is freqeently
claimed that he has not done enough
of it.


But however unobjectionable Major
Strait may be, still, in view of the fact
that last fall Mr.. Barton, Anti-Monop-
olist, carried this district by over 5000
majority over Governor Davis, Repub-
lican, in the gubernatorial contest, it is
very probable indeed that the Anti
Monopolists will name and elect the
next member of Congress from the Sec
ond District. This probability renders
it all the more necessary that they
should nominate the very best man in
the District. Let us have two good
men for candidates and then
it will make less difference which
will be elected. TIE GRANGE
ADVANCE will support the man whom it
believes to be the best, irrespective of
| which party gives him the nomination.
Our action in the matter will be gov
erned by the following principles.
First-We will under no circumstan-
ces support log-rolling, pot-house pol
itician. 1t is time the days of these
gentry were ended, and we propose to
do what little we can to hasten the
funeral.


Second--We will not support any
man whose ability, integrity, and honor,
are not established beyond all question
whatever.
Third-We don't care to support any
man who has been the first to discover
his own peculiar qualifications for this
Office. This system has been tried and
We arc heartily sick and tired of it.
Henceforth the office mast seek the man.
We want no more wire-pulling and log
rolling for Office.


Fourth--We shall never attempt to
elect one candidate by unjustly decry-
ing the other. If a candidate cannot
stand upon his own merits he is un-
worthy the support Of The GRANGE
| ADVANCE. q


The name Of one gentleman has been
mentioned in connection with the O p
position nomination whom we could
support with heart and soul. We refer
to Judge E. T. Wilder. In him We find
a man Of great learning, large expe1i-
ence, rare ability, and the most scrupu-
lous integrity. A man who would no
more stoop to the trick Of q politician
than he would to take his own life. A
man who would take the office with un-
stained hands, and deliver back his
trust to the people unsullied by q single
spot of dishonor.


There is not a man in the State of
Minnesota who would quicker and more
Earnestly scorn the use of the means or
dinarily employed by the ofice-seekers
of the day in foisting themselves upon
the people than would Judge Wilder.
His absolute disgust of the corrupt,
wire-puling, demagoguery Of the day has
led him for many years to avoid politics
as he would the leprosy. All things
considered-ability, integrity, and hon.
or, we do not now think of man who
would 50 completely fill the bill. :


We know that it is not easy to say
complimentary words, and that it is
very frequently done at the expense Of
the truth; but we appeal to those who
know Judge Wilder,-who have known
him for fifteen years, if every word we
have said in regard to him is not the
naked truth. Is there any man who
knows him, who would not freely and
confidently trust every dollar he has
lgot in the world, in the hands of Judge
Wilder, if there was any occasion to do
so! Is there any man who knows him
who will not say that he is man of pre-:
eminent ability, Of the highest honor,
and the most scrupulous integrity?
! While . practicing lawyer, Judge
Wilder was invaribly found on the side
Of the citizen as against the railroads.
We do not believe he ever conducted, =
case il his life for ., railroad 5 corpora
ton. Tho great suit brought to- re-