Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-11-06
CLOSING SPEECH.
Gen. Moses e. Clapp Closes
the Campaign Here With a
. Rousing Speech.

49,. housing speech. ..sY5S
Despite the fact that our streets
and W .Iks were covered with sllsi'
and danpness and snow and rain
was falling, every scat in the opera
house was occupied and Il large
number stood up to hearex-Attorney
General Moses E. Clapp, vi st. Paul,
make the closing speech Of this great
political battle, which Will be decided
today. M. Clapp has been on the
stump for six weeks. speaking as
often as two and thr.e times Il day,
aud though nearly exhausted ana
his voice shipwrecked he made a
rOusing speech, which was greeted
with such tremendous applause that
the building was, shaken from the
founda ton to the roof. 90:
Before the speaker was introduced
Chairman Blanchard announced
that the Glee club would favor the
audience w.t., some music. and the
sever al cam paign songs which they
sang were greeted with hearty
encOres.
In taking the floor Gen. Clapp
asked the audience to bear with him
ON account of his voice l'eing In poor
condition. He explained That he
was there not rs candidate Tor
office, but simply us citizen, t"
present the issues Of this campaign
as he saw them.
He thought this political fight was
the most important one that the
American people were ever called
upon to decide. On one side was the
Republican party allied with loyal
Dem crats, the latter loyal to every
principle Of Democracy. On the
other side was the P"pulists, under
the lead, rship ct such fanatics as
Mary Ellen Lease, aud those calling
themselves Democrats under the
lea dership and direction OF men like
Altyeld and 1illmnn, the whole ag-
gregation standing on the chicago
pla torn. which contained nune Of
the fundamental principles of Democ-
racy, but instead was anarchistic,
/ infiammatOrv and on attack upon
American institutions ana American
citizenship.
The speaker gave a clear cNplann-
ton of the conditions that now
confront the American people. The
large army OF unemployed IL
largely due as everyone knows, to
the invention of lnhOr-sn wing ma.
cMnery, and the destruction OF con
"a fidence and credit upon which the
FEgrea ter part Uf orr business is done
through the calamity bowling "l
i Mary Ellen and the "bOy orator.
This condition could he rcnledied tn
a by neutrality-suspicious.
and protecting American Industries,
and not by the free coinage or silver,
which he Thought was but delusion
to dctruct the attention of the
American people from the attacks
upuu American institutions by the
discounted and discontinued ele-
ments.
Mr.. Clapp discussed the financial
question ut length. giving statistics
to prove the fallacy Of the arguments
of it's advocates. He scored Mary
Ellen Lease, and cited the condition
of Kansas to demonstrate the
blighting effects of Populism.
The speakers voice became SO
hoarse that 1t failed him entirely,
and he closed with an eloquent nE-
peal to all American citizens to stand
shoulder to shoulder in this fight
and cast their votes against those
who were attacking the honor and
integrity OF this great nation.
The audien.e fuilly went wild and
called for Mr.. Clapp to continue, but
Chairman Blanchard announced
that 1t was utterly impossible for
MIR. Clapp to continue, as his voice
was entirely gone, He then an
Inounced that the Glee club would
give some more music, and their
campaign songs. especially the one
referring to local candidates. created
great applause. The audience then
called for Hon. e. Il. Buchanan, who
was in the audience.
| Mr.. Bnckman gave Il short ad-
dress. which was received with great
enthusiasm. -. f.. ..