The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-11-02
A SINGING LETTER.
l.. G. Long Roasts the Man of Many
Parties to Rich Brown.
Shows Him Up the True Demagogue
He Really Is.

The following open letter. under the
date of Oct. 30, from L. c. Long, the
Populist candidate for congress from
this district, has been addressed to
Gen. J. H. Baker, in reply to his letter
published few days ago. asking him
Long to withdraw from the field:
Gen. j. II. Bdker:-MY DEAR SIR
My attention has been called to YOUR
open letter to me in the DAILY ReUieaC.
In reply will say: | consider your
proposition an insult, not only to me.
but to every true Populist in the dis
trict. The egotism displayed in your
letter would be laughable if it were
not so sad to note how the mighty
have fallen. You say you are fighting
McKinleyism, and was first to advo-
cate Populism in this district. In
this you claim too much.
Long years ago, when you were
holding fat Office under Repub-
lican administration, preaching Nc
Kinleyism and abusing the Demo-
Gratis, on good salary, / was advo-
eating the one great fundamental
principle of the Populist party, VIZ:
the adjustment of the national bank
currency and the substitution of
United States legal tender green
backs.
My dear general, let me call your
attention to few facts in regard to
our past political relations. Nearly
30 years ago, in the city of St. Louis,
you nearly caused my death by com
polling me, one bleak, cold night, to
tramp my beat in front of your head
quarters at leading hotel, and
threatened to send me to the guard
house when L stepped IN the hall a
moment to keep from freezing Four
years ago, when you were nominated
! by the Alliance land at your own re-
| quest, as we can prOve), received the
| Endorsement of the Democratic ma
the principles which | had so long
cherished, forgot my resentment tow
ards you and did all within my power
for your election.
During that campaign you made a
speech at Adrian, in which you said:
Il made you a speech here two years
ago in favor of the Mckinley bill. |
was paid for that speech. Now, l am
going to tell you what | actually be-
| lieve about the tariff" You then
proceeded to show up the fallacies of
your former speech, and, although
you stood there confessed hireling
| of plutOcracy, |, to my shame and
disgrace be it said, stood by you.
Two years ago, when, against my
wishes and protestations, | was nomi-
mated, you could have laid the foun-
datiOn for future fame and power for
yourself by supporting me for l
would have been defeated, and in 94
you would have received the nOmina-
tion and electiOn). But, instead, you
denounced the convention, and,
through the daily papers, informed
the people that my nomination was d
calamity and that the Democrats
were highly indignant; you were then
nominated by few men in ST. Paul
| for governor, which nomination you
threw up and ran for the legislature
on the Democratic ticket.
And now you ask me to turn over
the patriotic vote of the Peoples
party to your plutocratic, mugwump-
ian machine. No, sir. The universal
opinion among POpuliStS is that you
are running in the interest of Nc
Cleary; that your expenses are paid
by the Republicans, and your open
letter is the last card in the game
The impudence of your request equals
the cowardice of Mr.. McCleary in re-
fusing to meet me in public discus
sion, as per agreement signed by the
chairmen Of the Republican and
Peoples party committees.
General, 80 years ago you rode at
the head OF the procession, while l
trudged in the rear guard. Conditions
have changed. Now the little school
master" and the ''old farmer" are
neck and neck in the lead, while the
| general" is not even in the rear
guard, but mere straggler in the
rear of the mighty forces which are
struggling for supremacy.
No, general, cannot entertain your
proposals. | want my monument to
be in the memory of my countrymen
that | never strayed near the dismal
swamp of political corruption and
pollution, where plutocracy matches
and breeds traders, tricksters, fusion
lists and schemers; where chicanery
and deviltry are born and liberty
slaughtered; where plutocratic tyrants
train hirelings to block the wheels of
progress on the great highway of po-
litical destiny. Yours respectfully,
but not obediently,