The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-09-28
WIS. Hammond Accepts the
McCIeary Challenge.
THE QUESTION.
St. lanes Man Signifies His willing
ness to Meet His Opponent and
Discuss Tariff Revision.

Hon. w. S. Hammond of st. James
accepts the challenge issued by his OPP
ponent, Mr.. McCleary, and agrees to
hold four joint debates. The letter of
Mr.. Hammond follows: ,
st. James, Mimi, Sept. %, 1906
Hon. James T. McCleary, Mankato, Mimi.
Ny Dear Sir: In this congressional
campaign [ believe nothing will occur
to destroy the friendly relations which
have always prevailed between us, and.
as is stated in your letter of Sept. 2lst.
| believe the respect each of us has
for the other will continue.
Before your letter was received or
published, | wrote you that inasmuch
as there has been suggestions of joint
debates between us, / was willing. if it
were agreeable to you. to arrange for
four Joint debates in different parts of
the district, upon the question, "Should
the protective tariff schedules be revised
?"-stating that / would take the
affirmative of the question if you would
take the negative. In that letter I also
said that if, for any reason, you did not
wish to engage in joint debates upon
that question, / would be pleased to
hold four joint meetings with you, an
impartial moderator to be selected. and
the time to be equally divided between
us.
So far no arrangements for my cam
paign have been made that will inter
fere with the joint debates OF meetings.
if you desiree to have them.
You, of course, know better than |
what your action will be in the next
congress, if you are elected; but you
will admit that | am better qualified
than you to state what my course will
be if | am elected. | shall act in tariff
legislation, with such democrats as
Clark of Missouri and Rainey of Hi
nois, and such republicans as Mccall of
Massachusetts, and Babcock of Wiscon-
sin. and with the representatives from
this state believing in the tariff revis-
plank of the Duluth or of the Min
neapolis platform, and in other matters
| shall act, to the best of my Judgment,
for the best interests of the second
congressional district of Minnesota.
From your published speeches. / am
led to believe that you do not favor
an Immediately revision of the tariff.
Hence, my proposal to discuss the ques-
ton above stated with you. That ques-
ton, and that alone, | am willing to
debate with YOU. But. if it is not agree
able to you, | am willing to hold with
you four joint meetings, the time to be
equally divided between us. YOU to
speak upon any subject you may desire,
and | to address myself to what | deem
the issues of the campaign.
| am writing you frankly concerning
the llatlcG. SO tnaU Ulefe VIII DE 10
need of a long drawn out public CORE
spondence about joint debates or Joint
meetings. If you think best to accept
of the suggestions L have made.
| will either meet you personally or by
a representative to arrange for the
times and places for the meetings. / re-
main, very truly yours,
w. S. HAMMOND.
The republican nominees will hold a
meeting at the Board of Trade rooms
tomorrow afternoon for the purpose of
selecting Il county committee and to
arrange for the coming campaign.
Hon. j. FIacobson will deliver a re-
publican speech in this city on Oct. A.
Hon. A.. L. Cole and Hon. A. O. Eber-
hart will speak at Fairmont on the
evening of Oct. Sd.