The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-10-23

L
When Mr.. McCleary opened the de-
bate last night some fellow just out
side the north side entrance to the
| theatre made some reference to the
prohibition party. His purpose was to
interrupt Mr.. McCleary. He was quite
obnoxious until Mr.. McCleary said:
at is quite evident that you are not
prohibitionist" No more was heard
from the man to whom liquor is the
most potent political argument.
Minister Butts In.
| Then there was the minister from
ST. James, who made himself conspic'
uous by trying to disturb the meeting
Mr.. McCleary had called attention to
the fact that Mr.. Hammond had an.
swered only one of his questions and
! that was the one relative to the
I speakership eff the house were demo
cratic, would you vote for the demo
cratic nominee?" asked the minister
from st. James.
NO." responded Mr.. McCleary, 81
would not vote for the democratic or
ganization."
''Well, you are Ain the same fix as
he isl replied the interrupter.
'You do my friend Hammond an in
justice" replied Mr.. McCleary with sar'
casm. 81 had supposed he was able te
care for himself"
"Wish I had the same opinion OF
you," was the ugly reply and the gen
tleman of the cloth assumed the sell
important air of one who had made
himself believe that he had said some
thing.
The debate was interesting and hello
the large audience until the close. Mr.
McCleary was interrupted two or three
times during his speech, but the inter
rupters were finally squelched. Judge
Lorin Cray presided.
Judge Cray as Chairman.
Judge Ioin Cray was chairman of the
meeting Before introducing the speak
err Mr.. Cray said: Ladies aud Gentle
men: Since the War of the Rebellion
when has the great masses or people
the common people of the country, ever
taken such deep and profound interest
in the vital questions before the people
to be solved for the betterment or 9TH
i erwise of the nation? Conclusive proof
of this fact is shown here tonight when
we look upon this audience of about
1000 people. You have come here as
you have gone elsewhere, to listen, t.
ponder and to think: The destiny OF
this country is in the hands OF ine
gent, the more honest and the more
| candidly our vote is cast, the better
it argues for the good Of the nation
There are here tonight, two gentle
in the gift Of the people, an office
worthy of effort of any man; an office
that it is well that we see to 1T is
well and properly filled. They are here re
the issues of the day. They come mere
dispassionately, in a kindly and in
gentlemanly manner. The first speaker ax
will open with the discussion of not tc
exceed one hour. He will be followed
| by Mr.. Hammond who will discuss the
questions of the day. not to exceed one
| followed by Mr. McCleary who will dis
cuss the issues for not to exceed fif-
! teen minutes, no new matter to be
brought into the discussion in the clos
memory of many of us when an au-
dience like this would become so over
powered by the arguments or the logic
! of the speaker, that 1t became an ex-
.
able That day is passed. We have
with us tonight, personal friends ant
gentlemen, both of them who WI
hear this discussion before you with
out malice, the issues of this country
as they see them today, and they Jor
with me in asking you, each of them
| to treat his adversary as you wouic
wish to be treated. I need not speai
before an audience of southwestern
Minnesota and suggest to them the
propriety of courtesy before people
as 1 have never seen or heard any,
thing else; but l. merely suggest thai
while legitimate applause is proper al
all times, there should be no inter
ruption and there should be nothing
said while either speaker is speaking
THAT you cannot meet him the next day
and greet him as you would greet your
neighbor and your friend. While, as
said, legitimate applause is perfectly
an hour that is allotted to a speaker
does not mean sixty-one minutes. ane
every moment that you bother it by
Applause, is taken from the, speaker
that you refrain from in any mannel
|interrupting the speaker. will intro
duce to you, Mr.. McCleary who will adj
dress you for one hour.
/ Speech of Mr.. McCleary.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen
This splendid audience argues profound
ly the interest which. the people arr
taking in the issues of the hour Thi:
a
in all parts OF, the United States. 1
signifies that the people rule. 1t sig.
nifies that the people are thoughtful
il that they are determined to consider al
sides of the questions cast out, ant
to hold fast to that which is true
! This is, in the language of the best
beloved American; "A government O.
and by the people, The people exer..
else their authority by and through
responsible political parties This i:
the only country in the world where
that splendid fundamental idea is full!
worked out Take, for example, {
little country in the northern part o
Europe; small in area, not exceedins
the area of Minnesota south of st
7 Paul, and never had population ex
ceeding that of the state of Minnesot;
to-day, and yet. it has impressed itsel
upon the world. 1 refer to the littl
lcountry that bears the name of Den
mark So into the house of represen
tatives, of the legislative body of tina
country, and you will find the mem
tbers seated in six groups, the larges
of these groups contains thirty three
men. In view of the fact that thu
house contains one hundred and fiv'
: men, manifestly, the thirty-three can
not control. If the largest group hai
mot a sufficient number to afford con
troll, of course the smaller group can