The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-10-21
CAMPAIGN KEYNOTES
YOUNG Mr.. BAILEY is BUSY STRIK-
ING THEM.

Many Strange Things - Surprised
That Others Are Not So Wise-The
Democratic Oracle.
Young Mr. Bailey of Texas seems to
be making speciality this year of strik-
ing campaign keynotes.
When, by reason of his personal pop
ularity with the voters of his district,
he obtained denomination to congress,
he struck the keynote of antiexpansion,
although the Texas Democracy in con-
vention assembled had rejected the doc
trine of national isolation and specific
ally declared in favor of the acquisition
of new territory.
In speech delivered at Chatham,
Va, the other night Mr.. Bailey struck
new keynote. War revenue and war
mismanagement were its burden. The
administration party was to be attacked
for having passed war revenue bill
which provided for the issuance of in
terest bearing bonds. He said:
"We opposed the passage Of that bill
because we believed it authorized an
unnecessary sale of interest bearing
bonds, and the condition of the treasury
proves conclusively that we were right.
When congress convenes in December
next. it will find the surplus in the
treasury, above the 800, 600, 900 gold
reserve, will exceed the amount received
from the sale of bonds, thus demon
strating that there was no necessity for
the government to sell its bonds"
1t is simple and easy matter for
young Mr.. Bailey to predict the amount
of surplus which will be in the treasury
next December, because he is an oracle.
Gifted also with marvellous hind sight.
he can see plainly that all of the money
derived from the war revenue bill
would not be needed to prosecute the
war. Mr.. Bailey can now look back
and see just when the war was going to
end and how much it was going to cost,
and he is surprised that the men who
voted for the war revenue bill did not
know all about it.
But suppose events had been differ
emit. Suppose, for instance, that vio-
lent storm had arisen and driven Samp-
sons ships from their station at the en-
trance to Santiago harbor, thus permit
ting Cervera's escape to the open sea.
Let us suppose that General Toral had
held out but little longer against Gen
eral Shafter' army, which the best mil
itary authorities admit he might have
done, and the site of American occupa-
tion had been converted into great
hospital camp, which would have been
an inevitable result, would the war
have been ended yet? Would not the
surplus, of which Mr. Bailey COM
plains, be much less?
The supporters of the administration
could not foresee all the events so plain
to the retrospective view of young Mr..
Bailey; hence they provided the govern.
ment with sufficient means to prosecute
the war to a successful conclusion,
whether it should last two months or
two years, and young Mr.. Bailey, who
boasts that his party brought on the
war, stood with his party in opposition
to the legislation necessary to secure
revenue to carry on that war.
And now Mr.. Bailey has that particu-
lar sort of temerity which in Texas is
known as immaculate gall" to desig-
nate the war revenue bill as an issue in
the congressional campaigns.
Having attempted to make an issue
Of the administration S expansion policy
and failed, he has CROPPED blindly and
frantically for something to substitute
for it and has finally hit upon the war
revenue bill It is doubtful if young Mr..
Bailey's party will accept this as an
issue. While it's leaders may have as
much courage as the young Texas states
man they are not all equally foolish.
Mr.. Bailey had better begin practicing
on new keynote. Times
Herald.
Declaration of Independence.
my son, said the indignant father,
"I've stood your impudence just as
long as I'm going to stand it. You
haven't had whipping for good
while, but you re going to get one now.
Take off your coat.
"It won't be necessary, dad" replied