The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-10-19
REPUBLICAN RALLY.
Hon. r. q. Minnahan's Address to a
Large and Enthusiastic Audi
enCe.

Notwithstanding the fact that few mo-
ments before So'clock Wednesday even
ing found an unexpected rain falling, the
Opera House was filed with thorough
ly representative Mankato audience
which had come out despite the unfa-
vorable weather, TO hear Omaha orator
Hon. L. b. Minnahan, address the Re-
publicans. Several hundred ladies were
in the audience, as well as great many
Democrats, who, disappointed at the re-
peated failures OF their own political
meetings, had come to hear some
real eloquence and some modern ideas
advanced. There were also many Irish
Americans present and many working
men. IL did not require many minutes
to fill the hall and the efforts of the Ger
mania band, though pleasing, were not
needed to attract a crowd. The audience
was enthusiastic and orderly, except for
few irrepressible boys in the gallery,
to whom admittance should be refused
tonight.
At promptly eight O'Clock DIR. Jacoby
introduced the speaker OF the evening,
Hon. I. b. Minnahan, who was received
with enthusiasm. He is distinct, clear,
concise. logical speaker. from whose lips
real oratory flows as naturally and grace
fully as crystal stream from fountain.
He was far from being partisan and no
Democrat could have been offended by
his remarks. He spoke for an hour and
half. In opening, he said that he pro-
posed to give few earnest, honest rea-
sons why he should vote the Republican
ticket. Men who will traffic Al votes
are as nnpatriotic as Arnold or Judas
and should go back to Russia where the
quicksilver mines of Siberia are paving
the way to free ballot. A party which
upholds this traffic is unworthy TO gov
ern.
The politician cannot vote against his
party ties, but il is the workingman who
can exercise American independence
with his ballot and for his own benefit.
Workingmen have II in their power,
have always had in their power, to shape
the policy of the government of the
country. No wrong against the work.
ingman will be abolished until the great
power of the American workmen, di-
rected by the master spirit of q great
leader, overwhelms II with an avalanch
of votes, cast according to conviction and
self-interest Party ties in this matter
can count for nothing.
The Democratic idea of tariff is TO tax
those articles which are not produced III
this country and to tax not at all or as
little as possible those articles which are
produced in this country as well as in
Europe. This idea is carried out by the
Mills bill. The Democrats want the
most revenue with the least tax. The
Republican idea is Just the opposite. Ii
is the American system, as commonly
distinguished from the English system
We say make those articles which for.
eigners produce in common with our
own people bear the brunt OF taxation
and put on the free list as much as posi-.
BILE those articles which do not compete
with American goods. If, as the Demo.
Gratis say, the European laborer is paid
as highly, comparatively, as the Ameri.
can, why, as Gen. Harrison says, do the
doors of Castle Garden always swing IN
and never out? Labor can do far better
| in this country than in Europe. This il
condition, a fact, that confronts your
theory, my Democratic friend. This be
| ing the case, American workmen should
| hesitate before allowing themselves tC
come into competition with their Euro
pean brethren. Under protection the
internal competitor will bring down pri
ces of goods manufactured in this coun
try. The claim that the tariff is added
| to the price of goods is a fallacy. The
speaker gave several apt examples Of
this, including blankets, BessImer stee
and other articles.
Democracy says the West is paying
too much tribute to the East. This 1.
false. The integrity of the country
must be maintained and no sectiona
legislation must be permitted. The
Democrats say that you are not protect
ed out here. Look down the tariff lis
and you will see how false this statement
is. With their argument they ask yor
to give up the home market. How are
you to open the gates to the markets
of foreign countries? You cannot send
a navy to open them up. If you give
up your market YOU must take your
chances about the foreign markets
most of which are protected by our sys
| tenn of tariff.
| The Democrats say that the Mills bill
only cuts the tariff down seven per cent
In the first place that reduction is moi
honest. II, as the Democrats claim, the
tariff is great robbery, why did they
propose to reduce il only sever
per cent? In the second place the Mills
| bill proposed to cut down the American
system of protection and to start the
free trade or English system. This rev.
enue tariff of the Democrats is too Eng.
lish, you know, to suit Americans. The
Democrats have for years sent greater
quantities of Golden Club literature over
the country than the most of YOU know
/ happen to know that England is in.
terested in this matter of the tariff.
arr not here to make an appeal tc
any class. Let the Irish American turn
to the page of his own country's history
and he will need no other argument
against the English-Democratic revenue
system. Itspeaks more eloquently than
an orators tongue. The Irish-Ameri-
can needs no appeal to vote intelligent.
ly. The stern page of his country's his
tory will guarantee that. He owes abso
lutely nothing to Democracy. Had the
time ! could show where Democracy
has more than once given your national
ity the Judas kiss of rascality. Your
vote has been the back bone of Democ
racy and without it it would be hard tc
find the pieces of Democracy. There
would be no cause for lockouts, strikes
and red flags if the laborlng men would
vote according to their interest and con
victions.
The speaker closed by urging the Re.
publisans not to be over confident in
regard to the coming election but to