Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-10-10
DR.. 9. JoHxsoM ON OCT. 10, 1900

Or. 6. JOHNSON ON OCT: o.. 1900.
EDITOR WILLMAR TRIBUNE:
you give whole page in your last is
sue to advertise me, think ought to
write an article for the TRIBUNE. I
had determined not to open my mouth
on politics this year, locally, but your
exceeding generosity towards me con.
trains me to relax. just enough to
favor you with one plain statement OF
my position, 50 that you and I, old
friends as we are, in spite Of our diff
ference on political questions may not
get into an unseem1y quarrel.
You know I have opinions of my
own on political questions, and in the
past have not been averse to express
them, and give my reasons for them.
In 1892 you and I supported Benz
Harrison and we gave our reasons
therefor. In 1896 az ain we both sup
ported Bryan and gave our reasons
for our position. 10 1900 you support
Bryan and are giving your reasons
for your views, and I am for McKin-
ley, and felt that I also ought to give
my reasons for my views, but out of
Difference to your local campaign, so
as not to appear to antagonize an old
friend in his local fight, I gave my
reasons for my views to Pioneer
Press reporter. But you newspaper
fellows here at home have made a
great ado about me lately, although,
as you say, my views are of no mo-
ment at this stage of the game, in
which opinion you are no doubt COR
rect
However, in view of your full page
notice of me I have come to the con-
clusion that you and your readers
might be interested in short and cue
cinct statement from me on the polti-
cal questions of the day from my point
of view. So I ask for space for what
follows:
am first and last and all the time
specially concerned about the welfare
and prosperity of the common people
in the community in which I live. I
would not risk the welfare OF one
struggling Industrious family in Kan
diyohi county for the whole Filipino
republic. This may be a narrow.view
to your lofty mind, but plant myself
right here as a starting poi't
Now let me apply my views to actual
life. A few miles out of town lives a
friend Of mine, farmer, a reader Of
the TRIBUNE, and all honest and H.
dustrious man with large family on
his hands. This man was fairly pros
porous and paying for his farm of 200
acres in 1892. II 1896 this same man
was practically bankrupt His debt
was So. 600, and he could not then sell
his farm for that amount. In 1898 he
got his indebtedness placed at per
cent. interest, a reduction of some p
per cent and today his equity is worth
at least $1,000, and he is reducing his
indebtedness yearly, and if present
conditions continue he will after few
years get out of debt and own home
and competence for himself in his de.
clining years, and for his family Of
children.
Now, Mr.. Editor, caniidly believe
that keeping Mckinley in the presi-
Dental chair for another term will
keep Industrial conditions as they are
and enable this man, and thousands
of others like him, to save their homes.
Now looking from my standpoint, aud
holding the reservation of one Amer
lean home as of more Importance than
the establishment of Aguinaldo's re-
public, you will concede, think, that
I ought to vote for Mckinley. My
motto is: Save the American home
and the republic is safe. Jeopardize
the American home, and you jeopar-
die the republic.
The difference between US, Mr.. Ed.
tor, is, that in this campaign your
paramount issue is the cause of Agui-
naldo, while my paramount issue is
the same as it was in 1892 and 1896, to
wit: The security. preservation and
protection of the homes OF the common
people Of this country. On this para
mount issue have fought every pre-
sidential campaign since 1876 and
shall continue so to the end of my lie.
As to Gov. Lind, w. J. B~yan and
Charles Towne, confess they were
my political idols in 1896. I did en-
terrain great expectations from their
appearance on the political arena, but
that Was before they stood as self-con
fessed political schemers. Chas. A.
Towne; when in great anxiety at Kan
sas City to get the democratic nomin-
alton for vice president, stated to the
Kansas City Times reporter, that he
was in reality a democrat in 1896, and
| intended then to announce himself as
such, but on the advice of W. J. Bry-
an and Senator Jones, he remained q
silver republican, for the avowed OBJ
ject as such to draw voters of repub-
lican antecedents to Bryan the demo
cratic presidential candidate Az
John Lind was then, and has been
ever since an intimate political col
league OF Bryan and Towne, I take