The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-11-03
TOVTNE TALKED TOO.
The Ex-c Congressman Discussed Some
Dead Issues at the Opera House
Last Tuesday Evening.


mer's opera house Tuesday evening to
hear Mr.. Towne but the speech was
disappointing to those who, knowing
the orators ability, expected to hear
something new. His speech, however,
was d good one. even though the sub
ject was thread bare and audience gave
him respectful attention for upwards
of two hours.
Mr.. ToWne said he was in favor of a
merchant marine which would carry
our products to every port. The
breezes of every cline should kiss our
flag displayed from masts of American
merchantmen. In order to do this it
would be necessary to have coaling
stations and naval stations where our
boats would be protected by American
guns in time of danger. He was OPP
posed to annexation sof islands and
archipelagoes in distant waters for the
reason thatit would be practically a
step toward building up a colonial
empire. -
49, -
He explained his separation from the
Repnbl ican party by stating that the
party and not he had changed and
quoted the platforms of 1894 and 1898.
Then he branched into the money
question and for an hour or more pro-
ceeded to thresh over. old straw Eng
land came IN for scoring and the re-
lation of commodities and money were
frequently mentioned. The McCleary
bill furnished him text for consider
able free coinage talk and he ar
raigned the Republican party for ssus-
ing the power you gave them by your
votes in 1895 to establish sound
money!
He, started to talk on trusts and
monopolies and told how the Standard
Oil company and the sugar trust al
lowed the dealers to handle their
products simply as factors. There
was not a merchant in Princeton, he
said, who really bought and sold
sugar. Even the butchers were instrns
ments of the Armour, the Swift or
some other meat combine and for a
time it seemed that all our business
men were unholy.
There was very little prosperity, he
said, but anyone who said there was
none was foolish. But there were 9TH
ers just as foolish those who said the
full dawn had come because a little
arrow of light had struch the Devil
dering darkness.
He attacked Mr.. Morris record in
the the house and explained how much
better he could work for the interests
of the district because the members of
the house would slap him on the back
and call him by his first name. He
had passed dozens of bills and accom-
plished much. He had done more af-
ter he was defeated than Morris had
in his whole term. He mentioned one
bill, that which gave an appropriation
to the Duluth harbor, but afterwards
acknowledged that it was not an in
dividnal bill but one which affected
hundreds of rivers and harbors and
therefore had the earnest support of
many men of influence besides himself.
He apologized to Mile Laos county
for not being able to secure relief for
her settlers on the reservation. Com
missioner Smith was against him and
he could not overcome the opposition.
He probably did not know that the
Icommissi oner also opposed Mr.. Morris
but the latter overcome the opposition
and by his energetic and faithful work
secured for the settlers the relief
sought. He did not show the same
magnanimity towards his opponent
that Mr.. Morris did toward him and
was very bitter at times.
Evidently he has. become tired OF
explaining his position as a lobbyist
against lumber interests for during his
whole speech he never had word to
say on the lumber schedule.