MINNESOTA. 



567 



It has in all the States protected the rights of every 

 citizen, both the black man and the white, and has, 

 after many years of effort against the obstacles of in- 

 veterate prejudice, sectional hate, and bitter opposi- 

 tion by the Democratic party, consummated and re- 

 stored a Union rastinor upon the acquiescence and 

 free will of a reconciled people, and no longer en- 

 forced by the sword. 



It has been demonstrated by Legislatures and in 

 courts that the constitutional right inheres in the 

 Government to protect the people against monopo- 

 lies, grown powerful, arbitrary, and rapacious. 



As a declaration of principles the Eepublicans of 

 the State of Minnesota in Convention assembled 



Resolved 1. That in these efforts to restore har- 

 mony at the South, in administering the various ex- 

 ecutive departments so that no taint of corruption 

 rests upon them, in emancipating the primary coun- 

 cils of the people from the domination of officehold- 

 ers, in its redemption of the pledges of civil service 

 reform, and in its financial measures and policy, the 

 Administration of President Hayes merits the con- 

 fidence and hearty cooperation of the people ; and we 

 feel no disposition to censure that Administration for 

 embarrassments caused by incidents and collateral 

 difficulties which are necessarily inherent in the sit- 

 uation. 



2. We believe that the faith of the nation is 

 pledged to pay its debts in coin. We urge persis- 

 tence in the policy of speedy specie resumption, be- 

 cause we believe it to be the policy of common hon- 

 esty, wise economy, and prudent statesmanship. We 

 warn the people against the doctrine of an unlimited 

 and irredeemable paper currency issued by the Unit- 

 ed States, as a pernicious delusion, because it is un- 

 constitutional under the decision of the Supreme 

 Court of the United States; because it will unsettle 

 and betray the resources of the country into demor- 

 alizing speculation ; because it will bear with disas- 

 trous force upon the laboring man by putting into 

 operation the well-known law that under such a 

 currency the prices of the necessaries of life rise first, 

 while the wages of labor rise last, and then never 

 to an equality of purchasing power ; because under 

 such a policy the price of agricultural products is 

 fixed at and by the gold price of the foreign mar- 

 kets, by which the farmer sells at a gold standard, 

 but is compelled to pay currency prices for all he 

 buys ; because such a policy is practical confiscation, 

 and is the ally of communism; is dishonest, and has 

 brought disaster to all nations who have persisted 

 in it. 



3. We demand greater economy in State expenses, 

 and particularly those incident to the charitable in- 

 stitutions, and, if necessary, such legislation as will 

 cause to cease all combinations by which inordi- 

 nate sums are sought to be secured for those pur- 

 poses. 



4. We condemn as revolutionary the effort being 

 made by the Democratic party to usurp the Presi- 

 dency against the vote of the people, and against 

 the decision of the tribunal by which all electoral 

 questions in that behalf have been definitely settled. 



5. We declare it to be the sense of this party 

 that the Democratic party, under a false pretense of 

 economy and reform, has unnecessarily impaired the 

 efficiency of the army. 



6. That we commend the present State adminis- 

 tration ; and, submitting these reasons to the judg- 

 ment of this State, we confidently ask the continu- 

 ance of their confidence. 



The election resulted in the success of the 

 Republican candidates. The vote was as fol- 

 lows: Associate Judge of Supreme Court John 

 M. Berry, 63,341; William Mitchell, 29,745 ; 

 majority for Berry, 33,596. Clerk of Supreme 

 Court Samuel H. Nichols, 58,851; Dillon 

 O'Brien, 39,511 ; majority for Nichols, 19,340. 



Auditor 0. P. Whitcomb, 58,755 ; Mahlon M. 

 Black, 39,721 ; majority for Whitcomb, 19,034. 



The vote for Congressmen was as follows : 

 First District Mark H. Dunnell, Republican, 

 18,729; Meighen, Democrat, 12,840 ; Dunnell's 

 majority, 5,861. Second District Horace B. 

 Strait, Republican, 13,743 ; Poehler, Democrat, 

 14,467 ; Poehler's majority, 724. Third District 

 William D. Washburn, Republican, 21,036 ; 

 Ignatius Donnelly, Democrat, 18,024; Wash- 

 burn's majority, 3,012. 



The political classification of the Legislature, 

 which met in January, 1879, was as follows: 

 Senate, 21 Republicans, 17 Democrats, 2 Green- 

 backers, and 1 Prohibitionist; House, 67 Re- 

 publicans, 33 Democrats, 4 Greenbackers, and 

 1 Independent. 



The report of the State Prison Inspectors 

 shows an increased number in confinement 

 during the year. The current expenses were 

 $46,238.74, and the earnings $23,482.36, being 

 a net cost for maintenance of $22,482.36, or 

 $100.36 for each convict, which is a decrease 

 from the cost of the preceding year, and ex- 

 hibits a continuance of the economical man- 

 agement which has heretofore characterized 

 the institution. The improvements for which 

 an appropriation was made by the last Legis- 

 lature have been completed, and there are now 

 accommodations for 296 convicts, an excess of 

 78 over the number in actual confinement at 

 the close of the year. The current expenses 

 for the next two years are estimated at $105,- 

 000 ; in addition to which more than $45,000 

 is asked for various purposes specified. The 

 importance of building another prison is urged, 

 and a site near the granite quarries at Sauk 

 Rapids is recommended. Since its opening in 

 1868 the Reform School has received 384 boys, 

 of whom 143 were inmates during the past year. 

 It is estimated that 95 per cent, of those who 

 go out from the institution are saved from 

 criminal lives. The total attendance during 

 the year in the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb, 

 and Blind was 129, of whom 108 were in the 

 department for deaf mutes and 21 in that for 

 the blind. The new pupils admitted into both 

 departments during the year numbered 18. 

 The general health has been excellent, and no 

 death occurred during the year. The school 

 is divided into six intellectual and five indus- 

 trial classes. In the Asylum for the Insane 660 

 patients were under treatment at the close of 

 the year, being an increase over the preceding 

 year of 81. Of the whole number of inmates, 

 100 remained in the temporary buildings, leav- 

 ing in the permanent hospital 560 patients, 

 which is 60 more than it can comfortably ac- 

 commodate. The average cost of maintenance 

 has been $3.25 per week for each patient, which 

 is 50 cents per capita less than the cost of the 

 preceding year. The Soldiers' Orphans' Home 

 at Winona was closed on the 10th of May, the 

 number of inmates having been so reduced by 

 discharge as to render its continuance unneces- 

 sary. 



