The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-09-14
Badly Ratified Indeed.

With defeat staring him in the face
McCleary now desperately seeks to avoid
public discussion of his official record
and seeks cover under a belated and en-
tirely useless attempt to make the vot-
ers of this district believe that this pa.
per and others have attacked his char
acter.
If McCleary will bring in line or a
word wherein The Free Press, either in
its editorial or news columns has print
ed "detraction and villification" we
promise here and now to withdraw our
support from Mr.. Guttersen, even though
it would not affect the result, for he is
certain to receive the congressional
nomination, by big majority.
This paper has discussed McCleary's
public record as we should do, as we
have a right to do, and as it is our duty
to do.
We have shown that Mr. McCleary is
the most over-cstimated public man in
this state.
We have shown that his record in
congress and his methods of managing
public affairs in the city of Washington
is open to the most serious criticism
We have shown by the official con-
gressional records that McCleary made
a most abject and humiliating failure
during his service as a member of the
committee on banking and currency.
We have shown that McCleary failed
committee on appropriations, through
his inability and incapacity to perform
the functions of that position, notwith,
standing the fact that two years age
he solemnly assured the voters of this
district that he was SLATED" for the po-
sition.
We have shown that he spent several
months in Europe, purporting to be look
ing up a statue. for Lincoln, when the
United States can furnish suitable de-
sign for her greatest president.
McCleary talks wildly about the
''home market" and home loyalty. The
first chance he got to do a little public
business he hiked off to Europe accom-
panied by his son and had a summer
of real enjoyment, while every Other
member of the Minnesota delegation
We're looking after the interests of theil
respective districts.
We have shown that McClcary is out
of touch with the republican party Of
this state on live issues.
He is out of touch with the national
administration and we desire to call es
pecial attention to the speech of William
HI. Taft, the great secretary of war, and
personal adviser of President Roosevelt
In fact we have shown, and submit
ted absolute proof that McCleary is il
our judgment not the man for this dis
trict. Heretofore, many of the real facts
concerning McCleary and his RECORD
have been kept from the voters OF
this district. We deemed it duty tt
state these facts.
And now McCleary with a portion o.
his public record laid bare, seeks cover
and pleads sympathy by wildly and woe
fully crying that he is being attacked
by "detraction," etc.
1t is no detraction to tell the truth
And everything, every item printed by
this paper in regard to McCleary's pub
lie record have been taken from the
records which are open to all. We have
said no word or expressed no thought
detrimental to his personal character
But we propose to give the truth re
garding his public career even though
he is not the man to meet it and defend
it like a man should, but seeks to evadt
the issue and plead the baby act.