The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-09-20
Benton Challenges, johnson Accepts
and the First Contest is to
be at Wahpet0n.
johnson Made the Best Argument
and Scored More Points Than
His Opponent.
A Demented Father Shoots His Three
Daughters, a Merchant nnd
Himself.
Joint Debate.
MIR. BENTON.

FARGO, N. D., Sept. 12.-I1On. M. N.
johnson, Lakota, N. D.-Dear Sir: l be-
| lieve that the issues involved in the pres
| ent campaign are of vital importance to
the people of North Dakota, and the issue
| that is of the greatest interest to every cit
izen, especially to every agriculturist, is
the tariff. In the Republican OF August
10Th you are reported as having said:
II stand squarely on the platform"
This platform reaffirms the tariff declar-
alton of the republican national convention
of 1883. It also endorses the action of the
republican members of both houses of con-
gress in the revision of the tariff, which
means an endorsement Of the Mckinley
bill, since the only definite action in regard
to the tariff up to the date of your conven-
ton was the passage of that bill by the
house Of representatives. l take issue
with these views, and claim that the tariff
is mainly chargeable with the exOrbitantly
high price of nearly everything North Da-
kOta has to buy, while it does not increase
the price of our chief product at all.
In the Grand Forks Plaindealer you are
reported as having said:
"He (Benton) has only to intimate that
he wants to meet me in joint discussion
and [ shall be ready to accommodate him
in any wny he likes, and he may name all
the conditions, too"
If you are still of that opinion l will ask
our committee to appoint meetings at
Grand Forks, Fargo, Casselton, Valley
City, jamestown, Bismarck, Mandan, Dick
inson, Lisbon, Wahpeton, Glendale. Hills.
boro. Grafton and Larimore; or l will meet
you at Grand Forks at any early date You
may fix and arrange for such meetings at
times that may be agreeable; and at those
meetings will discuss with you THE Tariff
Question and How to Remedy It"-you to
have II hour and allow me to follow with
the same time; or L open with twenty min
utes, you to then have an hour, and l close
with forty minutes.
1 understand you are invited by the agri-
cultural society to be at WahpetOn on the
18th of this month. l shall also be there.
Ii you accept my proposition, l will meet
you on the evening Of that day and have
the discussion for Wahpeton at that time
Please reply at your earliest conven'
fence. I am, sir, very respectfully yours,
JOHN d. BENTON.
MIR. JoHNsoN's REPLY.
FARGO, N. d. Sept. 16.-Hon. John D.
Benton, Fargo, N. D.-Dear sir: Your ia
vor of the 18th inst, challenging me to a
Joint discussion of the issues involved in
the present campaign is just received. In
reply permit me to say that 1 accept with
pleasure, and fully agree with you as to
the propriety of that method Of meeting
the public issues which now divide the
parties. l shall be at Wahpeton t0-mor.
row evening as suggested in your letter.
and will speak first or otherwise at your
option. The meetings at the other thir.
teen cities named by you can be arranged
tees, or you may name the dates and con-
ditions as you prefer. Very respectfully
yours, NJ. N. JOHNSON.