The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-09-07
RANKIN, THE IRON MoULbER

RANKIN, THE IRON MOULDER.
He Makes Administration Excuses
and Garbles Historical Facts.
Rankin, the iron moulder,'' op-
ened the republican campaign at
Library hall Monday night, talking
to IS or 100 men and about twice
that number of women and children.
Rankin is poor talker, and his
style spoils what little gift of ora
tory the man might have. Rapid
City has dozen citizens more capa-
ble than this Sulu disciple from
Pennsylvania.
A. X. Gardner introduced the
speaker and Rankin took up the flu.
tile task of adding to the republican
vote in Rapid City. He told how he
came by the name of the '.moulder
orator. and reviewed goodiy por-
tion of his past career. He was fair
enough to admit the honesty Of his
opponents, but they were wrong, Of
course. Rankin then referred to
''how graDdly South Dakota had
elected two republican congressman
in 1898, but failed to cite anything
these congressman had done besides
drawing their salaries There was
nothing to cite. Rankin's story of
of how hostilities began between
the Americans and Filipinos at Ma
nila was in some respects wonder
full. 1t was humorous. The UNION
has three authentic histories of the
affair ana not one substan tiates the
theory Of Sulu Rankin. Not one
of Company Ms boys give Rankin's
version of the affair. But perhaps
the histories are all wrcng and the
boys who served on the firing line
don't know what they are talking
about. Rankin stated that 'after
Dewey's victory Aguinaldo began
plotting to set ups a government of
his own. not one reference to the
three years rebellion of the natives
against Spain and the fact that they
at that time had the Spanish army
driven from the interior, whipped
.|
into Manila, panned up there and
had . government established and
in operation. Then the speaker fell
back on the old destiny" chestnut,
stating that the islands fell to us as
result of the war-we could not
help ourselves. He stated. that
prior to the commencement OF hos.
tilities the natives insulted and kept
hurling epithets at the American
soldiers until the practice became
unbearable. This defense is Ger
tainly unique. 1t is of Rankin man.
ufacture and a five.minute talk with
any company M boy will establish
its falsity. Then this Suln advo
cate referred to ''the old flag" ant
the republicans cheered in half
hearted manner, as il the flag va.
the property of'the g. o. p. instead
of the American people. At tn,
d end of his more or less thrilling ant
badly garbled account Of the com
mencement Of hostilities Ranki1
shouted that eve moved 'em dowr
like grasshoppers and would keel
on doing it. Then this Sulu orato
re-hashed the time worn fake abou
Aguinaldo sellinglout his people t,
Spain for $400, 900 and referred t,
him as q traitor and assassin.
@ This sounded SO much like Roose
velt that all Rankin lacked Of bein,
Il the ranting tax-dodger from Nes
York was The goggles and set o
false teeth. He tossed a few posie
at s'our Teddy's soldier record" an,
then the republicans cheered som
more. He admitted that the Span
ish title to the Philippines was de
fective, but failed to make plai
why America paid $40, 900, 900 for
defective title, or if the island
we're ours as 9 result of the wal
Why it was necessary to pay any
thing for them at all.
Rankin referred to ssthe stand Z
Bryan and his crowd that govern
ments derive their just powersfrol
the consent Of the governed, sal
ing that the trainers Of the declar,
tion Of Independence never realize
how far.reaching such declaratio
vas, implying that the theory VI
q mistaken one. The speaker the
referred to the Louisiana purchas
the acquisition of Texas and othe
territory in an effort to Justify Il
bayonet expansion OF McKiple,