The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-10-02
Four Joint Debates Between This
Districts Nominees.
M'CLEARY WRITES HAMMOND
Having Failed to Secure Series Of
twenty Discussions, Does
the Next Best THING.


forwarded the following communicate
10 Hon. w. S. Hammond, the democra
C nominee.
Mankato, Mimi, Sept. 2s, 1905
Hon. w. s. Hammond, st. James,
MINI. Ny Dear Sir: On my return
home some days ago I found your
letter of the 2lst. Further absence
since then has prevented an earlier
answer. You say that your letter
need not be considered reply
to mine of the 2lst. No one would
think of so considering it. 1t am
glad that even you yourself are
conscious that it is entirely made
quate as a reply to my letter.
Tn my letter 7 urged you, in de-
ference to the wishes of the peo-
pie, to Join me in debating face to
face in their presence the impor-
tant issues of the national campaign
Eof which our contest is a part.
Seemingly afraid of wholesome pub
licity and evidently angry at my
insisting on having everything in
writing for future reference, you
curtly say that you will hold no
further correspondence with me on
this subject. Permit me to re-
mind You that truth courts pub
licity. WHY should YOU try to
avoid it?
You eagerly sought and have
obtained the nomination of the
democratic party for congress. You
clearly owe it to the party that
has thus signally honored you to
stand up like a man for its prin-
ciples or else like manly man
resign its commission. In my judg.
ment no amount of rudcness on
your part will wipe that very
proper idea from the minds of the
people. In the minds of all right
thinking men there is sense of
political morality that will not ap-
prove your lodging the issues. Al
parently you would like to get
Bryan votes without standing for
Bryan. You are seeking republi-
can votes though you know that
in congress you always vote as
a democrat. You seem to think
that you are sure of the democrat
ic votes no matter how You
spit upon democratic principles.
You act like one who wants, any
body's vote without standing for
anything. If you cannot see the
inherent wrongfulness of this course
YOU are afflicted with a moral
blindness that is almost Incredible.
Prompted by my pride in this
district and by my long-standing
friendship for you, I have invited
YOU to help me to restore to this
district the former high standard
of campaigning. I have urged you
to Join me in a campaign on great
issues and to get away from all
campaigning on petty personalities.
The kind of campaign that / pro-
pose is uplifting. 1t is worthy of
our great American system of popu-
lar government. The other plan
of campaigning is degrading to all
concerned, and if it is persisted in
must result in national deteriora-
ton. Why not permit your better
self to dominate, and join me in
raising the standard of campaign
ing in this district? Isn't it better
to be defeated fighting for a great
principle than to win otherwise?
Tn order that there may be no
ground for misunderstanding now
or later, ] again accept your coun-
ter proposition for four Joint meet
tings Though l prefer joint debates
and more of them and designate
Luverne and Mankato as the two
places to be named by me. l would
like to nave the Luverne meeting
soon and the Mankato meeting on
the evening of Nov. 2. To comply
with all your requirements, how
ever arbitrary, ] shall on mailing
this call you up on the telephone
and advise you of its contents.
Very truly yours, J. T. McCleary,
Having failed to secure from NJ
hammond series of twenty-five JOIN
ebatcs, something that would pleas
Ir. Hammond's "neighbors," Mr.. Nj
,leary valves everything and wi