The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-26
MADISON LAKE RALLY.
Democratic Legislative Spell Binders
Fail to Enthuse Their Hearers.

Gratis had rally Monday night, the
speakers for the evening being their
three candidates for the legislature.
They had the Elysian brass band, and
a procession half a block or so in
length, but the crowd focked into the
hall before the parade cantc--,ong, SO
they had to march before empty side
walks. The people turned out IN large
numbers, and the hall was packed,
but almost every Republican in town
was there and good many voters
from LIE Sueur county were In the
house, so the number of Democratic
voters was not as large as one might
think. T. B. Murtaugh presided.
E. T. Champlin was the first one in
troduced He attacked Bob Dunn S
speech, saying he was member of the
legislature in 1891, and knew some
thing about those affairs, In explana-
ton of the greatly increased appro-
priations of that session he made the
plea that they appropriated large sums
to repair and construct state buildings
at Fergus Falls, the soldiers home at
Faribault but he didn't say word
about the large sums for similar pur-
poses appropriated by the Republican
legislatures which Mr.. Dunn was COM
pairing the fusion body of 81. Former
legislatures had always given large
sums to the same or similar institu-
tions, so this explanation did not ex-
plain. Then he took a turn at the
binding Irvine subject, and tried to
prove how well that plant had been
managed, and said he was great
friend of the institution. He said he
paid II and ~ cents for Irvine, while
the prison Irvine had not sold for more
than 1917. Well, if he is such warm
friend of the prison Irvine why didn' t
he use their twine? Mr.. Champlin is
a nice man, but he reminds one of a
foot ball captain who thinks the left
guard or right tackle on the other
team is weak and directs his attack to
luOSS UWO JULIE 11O SC1lC1 AAAANO
that he is up against the whole team,
and that he cannot defeat the whole
team by attacking one or two places
but must defeat it in hot fight along
the whole line. So. Mr.. Dunn's
speech stands unpunctured by the
feeble jolts Mr.. Champlin administer
ed to couple of spots in its lineup.
Then came Charles O'Connor, of st.
Clair, who had nicely written speech,
we'll committed, and made fellow
think he was attending the commence
ment of the high school He got one
foot in the declaration of independence,
and proceeded to find resting place
for the other pedal extremity, but had
not got it located when he quit. He
had a few "Think you's'', one or
two Needless were it for mes, -
and 'great convexity of our broad
domains. - Charles is dignified and
graceful speaker, but somewhat de-
liberate; fellow could light cigar
between the syllables of his words,
and if he got few of the front syl-
tables of one he could, if he walked
fast, go up town and get drink and
get back in time to hear enough of the
tail-end portion of the next word so
he could keep the sense. He didn't
talk issues at all, but devoted himself
to reeling off the names of candidates,
from Bryan down to. himself. He said
the Democratic convention put Cham
plin on the ticket for craftsmanship,
Comstock for legal ability, and him
self for good looks. Mr.. O'Connor is
a-good man, but will be allowed to
remain at his cozy home Preside all
next winter.
Then was introduced W. L. Com
stock, who was supposed to furnish the
fireworks for the evening, but the
trouble in China must have made inn
portation difficult, for his supply was
short. He said he hoped people
wouldn't listen to slogans and cam
paign cries, for by them has more
wrong been done than by all other
things in politics combined He
didn't want people to be misled by
such cries as "When the fagsis once
run up it shall never be taken down, y
or Prosperity But he didn't find
any fault with the Crown of thorns, .
which the glee club had just sung, mol
with "Trusts, nor imperialism, MOI
did he omit to use little slogan of his
own, "Peace and prosperity. he
said prosperity always follows peace,
and one felt like asking him what
country we were at war with in 1893
&c. Willard referred feelingly to those
present who had wrapped their COM
rades in the folds of their country
flag and laid them deep in mother
earth. y And an outsider couldn'
help unfeelingly saying, eyes those
old boys have been voting the Repub-
lican ticket ever since and will unit
they die. !" He had few words tx
say about trusts, deplored war, shiv,
cred at the thought of the standing
army. wept with the Filipinos, AND
adjured his hearers 60 vote for the
man who will stop all these things
But a good many present thought tina
if this man stopped all those things h
would stop business and prosperity
and will hardly vote to change tn
present order of things Mr.. Com