The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-10-02
OLD SOLDIERS TRADUCED BY ].
n. BOWLER SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Demo-Pop Candidate for Lieu
tenant Governor Makes Vicious
Filings at Gems. Sickels and Mil
holland and Corporal Tanner-CaIIs
Certain of the Old Soldiers Political
Jumping Jacks = The Audience
Trims Out Rapidly.

j. M. Bowler, candidate for lieuten-
ant governor on the Demo-Pop ticket,
made political speech at Union
hall Saturday night, and in the
course of his remarks showed the
style of man which he is by very
uncomplimentary reference to
generals of the Union army and
casting opprobium upon "a large por-
tion of the old soldiers who partici-
pated in the Grand Army parade at
st. Paul. He had fairly large audi
ence to start with, about half filling
the hall, but as his speech progressed.
his hearers got up and went out in
large numbers. At times the aisles
were nearly filled with people leav-
ing, and before he concluded, not one
chair in ten had an occupant. His
remarks were too rank for those who
believed in decency in politics.
Bowler is sleepy talker, speaks ON
at neutrality-suspicious. seeming to have
much idea what he is going to say,
and wanders off into forgetfulness be-
fore concluding a sentence, having to
recall his mind to the subject with an
apparent effort. What recommends
tiOns he had for the nomination to
the second highest office in the state
nobody present was able to tell, but
the fusionists did not require much
of a recommendation from any of
their candidates.
Bowler went back on his party re-
cord by stating that no party ever
wanted free trade in this country. He
claimed that the Democrats came the
nearest to it in 1892 but that htey
only wanted tariff for revenue only,
which was far from free trade. He
went on with long and pointless
free silver talk, and predicted that
prices of articles to be bought would
go up under free silver but the far
mers' produce would not be doubled.
He said that the Republicans, being
in favor of protecting American in
tereSts, ought to fall in line for the
benefit of the silver mine owners, but
he was unable to explain why. He
admitted that with stacks of silver
dollars as high as the eternal skies, to
use Senator Thurston's expression, the
people would still have to work and
earn their money.
Bowler then took another tack
and seemed to wake up little when
he referred to the visit of the Alger
combination to the city. He said that
the major generals who came wanted
the people of Mankato to vote for the
honor of the country. He said that
he knew something of these major
generals, and if he were to select any
set of men as custodians of the ma
tional honor he would not select these
generals. Applause and hisses.)
The speaker then referred to the
ST. Paul encampment and the efforts
of Gems. Sickles and Mulholland and
Corporal Tanner to effect a political
organization for sound money among
the old soldiers. He took each of
these gentlemen up separately and
treated him to round of abuse. He
said that Gen. Mulholland told stale
stories. He paid most attention to
the Democratic Gen. Sickles, men,
Der of Tammany hall. He said
that Gen. Sickles had shot the
man who was charged with
the same offense of which he had
forgiven his wife. He said that Gen.
Sickles had received his commission
as major-general not as a reward for
services rendered but as bride to pre-
vent his going against his country at
a most 'critical time. At ST. Paul the
marks of dissipation were on the gen.
erals face-and the lowest order of
dissipation. His speech there had
consisted of filings at Bryan. "God
save the country" said Bowler, "when
such men as that appeal for the ma
tional honor" He called Corporal
Tanner coarse fellow, amusing to
listen 70.
Bowler said that the Grand Army
parade at ST Paul had every evidence
of prrc0acerted action to make it ap-
pear shat the Grand Army was united
for Mckinley's election. He said that
when he saw the men stepping out of
the ranks and jumping as though they
were wild at the mention of McK1n-
ley's name, when he saw them be-
coming jumping jacks in the interest
of political party-he had turned
away with a feeling of chagrin.
Bowler then relapsed into partial
insomnia and tried in his weak way to
refute a Pioneer Press editorial on
the Lind McCleary joint debate He
talked on and on, and when he stop
ped is still debateable question for
few were left to witness the finale.