The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-12-05
HON. RICHARD p. BLAND.
What Gen. f. Y. Mitchell Sl3s Gf
His SOn-in-LaW.

His SOn-in-LaW.
Among the many good things tnll
on Silver Dick Bland, Gen. i Y.
Mitchell, of Rolla, furnishes the follow
ing budget: +1H
'sThe second time Bland ran fir
congress [ didn't have a cifance lo
knock him out down in my Bald Kuolf
countless" said the General, because
he had married into the family, and [
had TO go down there and turn them
for him.
To show the obslinacy and perth
nacity of Bland, Gen. Mitchell told
this story:
"Bland and Vest are great friends.
On a certain bill before congress ] was
convinced that Bland was on the
wrong side, and as 1 dIdn't dare ask
him to change his views myself,
rote to Vest and asked him 10 see
Bland and persuade him TO change.
I cot letter from Nss It Iha FerIless
possible mail IN Wl't|| 57 .A.1 '.ti.
while he knew Bland Va HfotN y + |s
no use to ask him to change; De Wis
'sot in his ways and as stubborn as a
mule.
"Charlie Bland, of Rolla, Dick g
younger brother and district judge,
has no more influence with Dick than
anybody else, although the brothers
are exceedingly fond of one another.
| had tried to get something out OF
Dick for long time, but couldn't do
it, then 1 got Charley to go and talk
with him. When he came back said
to him, ssWhat did he sayP'' "Not a
thing, |" answered Charley. .
"Take that Pertle Springs conveu-
ton where the gold bugs had control
OF the state organization When il
came to that 16 to l plank in the plat
form Bland knew it must go in or nee
silver was gone. The politicians, Vest
and Cockrell and all were ready TO
give down to TO the gold fellows, but
Bland just sat up with them all night
with that quiet undemonsiratiVe way
of his, and they saw he would never
give in. So they threw up the sponge.
And that was the egg from which the
present silver movement was Matched
and spread all over the country. II ii
hadn't been for BANDS stand at
Pertle Springs and the way Illinois
jumped into the ring at the Chicago
convention 1t would have died a.
bornin'.
ssBland is the poorest canvasser
ever saw" General Mitchell says. "HC
never gets out among 'em. During
his twenty-five years in congress the
politicians in this district laid awake
nights to beat him, but he went righ
along getting elected to congress every
time until the last time, when hi:
friends, knowing the utter weakness o
his opponent, felt so sure Bland woulC
be elected that they stayed away from
the polls, and that together with tn
number of Bland votes counted out
sent his opponent to congress. Ever.
one wanted Bland to contest the seat
knowing that evidence of enough
counted out votes could be gathered Il
beat Hubbard aud put Bland in. Blu
Bland, he Just wouldn't do anything
about it, because no one could convine,
him he wasn't fairly beaten, he's 81
darned honest. His strength with tn,
people was mysteriously great. Th'
politicians wonld combine to dowI
him, but when the convention wa
called the delegates would stampede Il
him. recall the convention at Hart
vile. Bland had only one-third of tn
delegates and the other candidates ha'
affected an alliance. Things went al
right with the comebine until tn
second ballot, when it broke and Blanc
was nominated. Every one. of tn
candidates was there except Bland
who was at home and hadn't eyel
canyassed the district. He neve
seemed to care whether he was return
ed 10 congress or not, and his yer
indifference seemed to make his re
election certain. When he was beate
at the last election by seventy votes hi
friends wrote to him disclosing cvi
dence to warrant contest. Il Wi
not contest he wrote me, would no
contest if 1 had only been beaten b
one vote instead of seventy
"How do you account for his dc
feat pn the General was asked.
"Why, the very obscurity of the ma
who ran against him beat him. ii
was as forcibly feeble as l ever saw
man. Didn't even know the differene
between the state and national govern
ments. The democrats just knew b
couldn't be elected Why, over 90
democratic voters in Galloway count
didn't go near the polls, and l cam
near staying at home myself; woul
have if my boy hadn't come and chase
me out. In Cole county they thre'
out a whole township, and in the cor
test of a candidate down there it trans
pired that fifty of Bland's votes wer
thrown out. Phelps county gave hJE
twelve more votes than were cou9sed
and so it went.
sSince | have been down here
/ have only made one suggestion I
Dick" said the Generak wh0- chewe
cigar almost out Of I>sightc 4Ssand tbs
was | told him tc send an open telt
gram to the 'conrention. that be had n
superstitious~ fears about being nom
mated on Friday. And what do yo
suppose he repliedP 'ROt!' %