The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-13
McCLEARY's VIEW
Picks Bowling for the Winner in
the Seventh District.
HE DIFFERS FROM MR.. EDDY
Some Plausible Reasons for His
Faith in "The Frozen Son
OF Minnesota" "a

city to-day and, on the way to Congress
man Fletchers headquarters, INDUCED IN
some discussion Of the situation in the
seventh district, which is made up IN
part OF his old second district. Mr.. Nc
Cleary regards Mr.. Bowling as the prob
able winner Of the lively contest now in
progress in the seventh district, and has
some things to say about Mr.. Dowling's
candidacy wherein he disagrees quite
radically with Mr.. Eddy, whose prediction
of success for Mr.. Young appeared in this
paper few days ago. This is the way
Mr.. Mccleary expressed himself on the
situation in the seventh district: t4s.-l
''In my Judgment M. J. Bowling will
be the next congressman from the sew
enth Minnesota district The district IS
overwhelmingly republican, so that the
republican nominee will, beyond ques-
tion, be elected. And Mr.. Dowling Will
be nominated by the, republicans, because
Of the three candidates for the nomina-
tion he is by far the best fitted for the
position. say this with all due respect
for Mr.. Young and Mr.. Volstead, both OF
whom I know we'll and both of whom l
hold. in high regard. ..'..
my judgment that the best man will
win is based on my knowledge Of the
people of that district, large percent
age Of whom in every county know per-
sonally having gone in and out among
them for nearly a quarter Of a century,
meeting them in their homes, their places
Of business and elsewhere, and having
had for many years very large corre-
spondence with them. They are excep-
tionally intelligent people. They are not
to be carried away by prejudice Or other
unworthy motive. They are good think
ers and calm reasoners. They are public
spirited and are going to do in such an
important matter what in their deliberate
judgment is the right and wise thing Tor
themselves, their families and their
country. And the more they think about
the matter the more certain will they be-
come that the right and wise thing is to
nominate and elect M. J. Bowling as their
representative in congress.
Fitness for the position OF representa-
tive in congress is made up chiefly OF -hve
elements: First, character; second, abil-
| ity; third, knowledge of the country and
| its history, it's present condition and
it's future possibilities; fourth, familiar
| ity with and experience in the principles
and practices of legislative procedure;
| and fifth, personal acquaintance and
| friendly relations with public men in all
! parts of the country, especially with
| those who will be ones associates In con-
gress, and with the chief executive off1-
GERS of the government.
In the first and second of these ele-
ments the three candidates are probably
| of nearly equal merit. All three are gen.
| tlemen of excellent character and supe-
| rior ability. In these respects all are
worthy of the position to which they
aspire. 1t is in-the special qualifications
under the third, fourth and fifth heads
that the difference in their merits ap-
pears.
During practically all of his manhood s
years, Mr.. Volstead has practiced law
in and near Granite Falls. He has for
several terms been county attorney OF
Yellow Medicine county. His repeated
! elections to that position show that the
people of that county believe that he has
attended faithfully ito his duties and dis
| charged them WE'LL. But his personal
knowledge Of this country covers only
| few counties. Mr.. eYoung's duties as
lawyer and legislator have required and
| secured for him good knowledge of the
entire state. But Mr.. Dowling's work in
different lines has called him to all parts
of the United States and has given him,
| in addition to such knowledge as the
| other gentlemen have, unusual familiari-
i ty with the entire country, Of whose his
! tory and policies he has been a lifelong
| student. So that in knowledge of the
country and it's people, it's industries and
it's institutions, Mr.. Bowling is by far the
! best equipped.
'To the novice the details Of legisla-
| tive practice are a beWildering maze. 1t
takes long and careful study to under
stand the principles Of parliamentary pro-
cedure, and this theoretical knowledge
must be ripened by experience before one
can feel safe in undertaking to accom-
plish anything in the committee-room or
on the floor Of the house. OF legislative
experience, Mr.. Volstead has had not one
| day. Mr.. Young has had experience as
member of the state senate. Mr.. Dowl-
| ing, also, has been member Of the legis-
lature. But further and better, he has
been the speaker Of the house and has
| thereby acquired a theoretical and prac-
tical knowledge Of parliamentary practice
! far superior to that ! acquired through
mere membership of the legislature.
Moreover. before becoming a member Of
the house, Mr.. Bowling served with great
acceptability as an officer of. the Mime
sofa legislature, having had extended ex-
| perience as assistant clerk and afterwards
as chief clerk of~the house of represen-
| tatives. So he is exceptionally well ac-
quainted with. the processes and ma
| chinery of legislation, his preparation
along this line being far more exact and
| valuable than that Of either of the other
gentlemen. -.~ i. = y, = - >ss.4
when we come, to consider the fifth
element Of qualification, last but not
|least, that of personal acquaintance with
the leaders Of political thought all over
the country, Mr.. Bowling is SO far ahead
of the other two gentlemen as to COM
| pletely outclass them. He was for
several years secretary of the National
League of Republican clubs, resigning
| after repeated reflections. His period
of service covered, among other things,
the never-to- be-forgotten campaign of
1896. During his service as secretary of
= the National League, 8 Mr. sDowling trav-
eled all. over the United States and had
l personal and confidential relations with
the leaders of the party in every state
| in the union. MANY of those whose con-
fidence and Friendship he then secured
are; now members Of the United States
senate and house of representative, gov
ernors of states and members Of the
I cabinet of the president of the United
States. Our late lamenked President Nc
Kinley knew Mr.. Bowling we'll, and was
SO. impressed with his character, capacity
and courage, that in 1899 he sent him. on
a special and confidential mission to the
Philippines. -*S '~'s : "
/ MANY illustrations of the benefits to
the people of the seventh district which
would come from having as their repre-
sentative a man of Mr.. Bowling S wide
1 and valuable acquaintance could easily
be given. Let one example suffice. The
people Of that great agricultural district
are deeply interested in the extension
! among them Of the service for the rural
: free delivery Of mail. There is great
j difference in the success of representa-
4 tives in securing this service for their re-
\ spectiye districts. Some members Sc
4 cure twice or three times as many deliv-