The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-10-09
QUESTIONS AND AN ANSWER.

ials and otherwise l note you are
this time quite strongly supporting
McCleary for congress from this dis
trict. As l believe it is the duty
of every citizen to take certain interest
in politics, and whereas some things
have recently developed, that on their
face seem quite strange; | shall deem
it a special favor if you or McCleary
will answer the following questions.
First. As you have until recently
been very strongly opposed to McCleary
and his principles advocated and es-
pecially the methods he used to gain
votes in the last three primaries can
you give good and sufficient reason
why you are now supporting him
Second. McCleary during the cam
paign of two years ago and previously
has always very strongly advocated
high tariff and he has continually
tried to prove to the voters that when
ever the tariff has been revised down.
ward either by republican or democra-
tic party hard times have always fol-
lowed, these are matters of public
record and cannot be denied. How is
McCleary going to revise the tariff
downward now and be consistent with
his previous honest and conscientious
statements?
Third. Do you approve of the
methods McCleary used before the pri-
maries this year? More particularly the
commissions he sent out through the
district appointing Congressional Com
mitteemen and his confidential letters
sent out with the appointments bear
ing date August 20, 1908 of which I
enclose you a copy herewith.
Fourth.-Do you approve of the
method used before the primaries this
year by McCleary more particularly
in the editorial or letter which was
published in The Northwestern Agri-
culture paper and copied in the dis
trict by some of the local papers
wherein Edward X. Shaker; dairy and
food commissioner name was signed to,
said letter or editorial stating among
other things that Mr.. Shaker favored
McCleary for the nomination of Con-
gress from this district. While whereas
this letter or editorial in fact was a
forgery as Mr.. Shaker never authorized
it to be written nor had he any knowl-
edge of such an article with his name
signed to it being in existence.
As you are publishing daily news
paper in this district, and as 7
believe your good intentions are that
your subscribers and still more parti-
cular the voters of this district should
see to it that every man who seeks a
public office is morally honest, and
that his methods used to gain votes are
reasonably fair and in no case should
he be deceitful. Therefore I believe
if you can give good and sufficient an
You or myself shall be at liberty to
publish this letter with your answers
as either of us may see fit.
Expecting an, early and courteous
reply I shall remain, Very truly
yours, Adolph Sucker.
did not stand with Mr.. McCleary on
the tariff two years ago. But it ap-
proves the views he expresses now, and
believes that he is entirely sincere in
what he says. Mr.. McCleary is stand
ing squarely on the republican national
platform adopted in Chicago last June,
for tariff revision along protective lines
at an extra session of congress- to be
called Immediately after the Inaugural
ton of the next president. The Free
Press is more willing to entrust that
revision to firm believer in the
protective tariff system like Mr.. Nc
Cleary than in the hands of a man like
Mr.. Hammond who helped to make the
democratic national platform at Dem
yer last July, which platform declares
in favor of revision so as to bring
about a tariff for revenue only. The
Free Press cannot see how any man
who processes to be republican and
who believes in protective tariff can
hesitate a moment. In 1892 Mr.. Ham
mond ran for congress in this dis
trict as a believer in the Cleveland
idea of tariff revision, and so far as
the Free Press can learn he has the
same views now, the views expressed
in the national democratic platform OF
this year, which he helped to frame.
As to Mr.. McCleary's campaign meth.
DDS, it may be said that in any hea.
ted campaign something may be done
that one would not wholly approve of
But in the main throughout his entire
public career Mr.. McCleary's campaign
methods have been singularly free from
valid criticism. He has almost never
INDUCED in personalities, his speeche:
being devoted to the discussion of the
issues of the campaign. And with rare
courage he has expressed his honest
convictions. This he did in his great
campaign for sound money, when The
views he expressed were far from be
ing popular. But they were right anc
are now approved by all.
As to the sending out of the com
missions before the primaries, there il
y room for two opinions about that
There is no doubt that MIR. McClear!
IL q r;obfs 4 n on1ict in his 4rehalf all O