The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-10-14
BROTHER McCLEARY.
How He Manufactures His Facts
and Builds His Arguments on
Them.

and Builds His Arguments on
Them.
In a speech delivered in Minneapolis
lately Congressman McCleary, (soon
to be ex-Congressman McCleary) said
speaking of our humble self:
There is gentleman in the state of
Minnesota Of rotund form, OF rotund
voice, and a face like a full moon.
(Laughter.) Always pleasant to look
upon, always pleasant to listen to-.
He is an orator in the state of Mime
sofa. There are families in which you
might blaspheme, and be forgive n. but
ii you should say aught against that
man you would have committed the
objectionable sin. He edits a paper
in the state of Minnesota. Laugh
ter.) Now. I am not becoming per-
sonal, am l? daughter and ap-
plause.) l am not mentioning any
names, anyway. In that paper some
two years ago was an editorial ON sill
yer. He is one Of those friends of sill
YER. Why, he said silver has bee n
used as money for centuries. True.
Why, said he, silver was used as
money when the Savior was upon
earth. Sadly true. Naughter.) Why,
he said, silver was used as money ia
the time of the patriarchs. True.
Why, he said, it was silver that A bra
ham used when he bought for his de-
ceased wife burial place. True.
And if the man had only had the wit
to stop then he would have told moth
ing but the truth, but, carried away
by his partisan zeal, he could not help
adding, my friends, even in those
days the ratio was 10 to l. daughter
and applause.) He wanted to get the
divine sanction to that ratio of Is to
l. (Applause.) He wanted it to be
believed by those who read the paper
that the ratio came down to US hal
lowed by the memories Of 5000 years.
Now this is pretty. 1t is really nice.
But the trouble is it is lie. We
never said, in this paper, or in any
speech, or in any other way. that the
ratio between silver and gold in the
days of Abraham was sixteen to one.
We are not a born idiot. We meyer
taught Normal school.
Said the boy:
''Do you see that little girl? That
little girls father was my father and
that little girls mother was my moth
er, but that little girl is no relation
Of mine."
And thereupon the spectators
scratched their heads and raked their
brains, until one wise old gentleman
discovered the answer:
''I'he bog led"
That is the solution Of great deal
of the Professors arguments. He
simply lies:
Now we challenge him to produce
the evidence that we ever said that in
the days Of Abraham the ratio of the
two metals was sixteen to one. We
yell into his ears:
You blathering old falsifer and
constructor Of unbelievable history,
come! Up with your proofs or stand
confessed notorious liar!"
The professor reminds us wildly of
the Admiral" depicted with such
exquisite humor by Mark Twain, in
his famous book-"Roughing It." We
cannot do better than quote the pas
sage for the entertainment of our
readers. Here it is:
1.-The Admiral seldom read newspa-
pers; and when he did he never be-
lieved anything they said. He read
nothing, and believed in nothing, but
1.-THE Old Guard" a secession periodi-
cal published in New York. He car
led dozen copies OF it with him, al
ways, and referred to them for all re-
Quired information. II it was not
there, he supplied it himself, out Of a
bountiful fancy, inventing history,
names, dates, and everything else
necessary to make his point good ia
an argument. Consequently he was a
formidable antagonist in a dispute.
Whenever he swung clear of the rec
ord and began to create history, the
enemy was helpless and had to sur
render. Indeed, the enemy could not
keep from betraying some little spa TX
Of indignation at his manufactured
history-and when it came to indigna-
''best hold" He was always ready for
political argument, and il nobody
started one he would do IL himself
With his third retort his temper
would begin to rise, and within five
minutes he would be blowing . gale
and within fifteen his smoking-rOom
audience would be utterly stormcd
away and the old man left solitary
and alone, banging the table with his
list, kicking the chairs, and roaring .
hurricane Of profanity. 1t got SO, ATT
or q while, that whenever the Admiral
approached, with politics In his eye.
the passengers would drop out with
quiet accord. afraid to meet him: and
he would camp on deserted field.
But he found his match at last. and
before full company. At one time
or another, every body had entere tue
lists against him and been routed. cx-
cept tho quiet passenger, Williams.
preston Of opinion out OF him in poll
tics. But now, just as the Admiral
drew near the door and the compay
wero about to slip out, Williams said:
Admiral. are you certain about that
circumstance concerning the clergy
men YOU mentioned tho other day:"-.