Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-08-21
THORPE REPLIES
TO MANAHAN.
Claims de Has Been in Good
Company and is Not a
Reacti0nary.

Editor Willmar Tribune:
The Minneapolis Tribune printed
an account Of Mr.. Manahan's speech
at Willmar in which is given my vote
on three propositions. TO this I re-
piled as follows:
I'm the Tribune for today find a
part Of Mr.. Manahan's speech at
Whlmar in which he Classics me as
a reactionary because I voted for S.
+. No. 1862. Perhaps I should not
object to this, as a candidate for Of
flee can not be very sensitive in such
matters, particularly when handled
by an expert opponent, but it may be
that your readers would like to know
a little more about this and the other
bills referred to.
ITO get a. satisfactory primary
election bill has been for years and
is yet problem that many wise and
good men are trying to solve. Sen
ator Garfield has given this matter
considerable study and he cannot
very well be classed a reactionary.
lie introduced No. 1862 and while we
realized that no bill could be agreed
on at that session the Garfield and
Moonan bills on that subject were
discussed and amended and voted on,
and among those that stood by Sen
ator Garfield were such men as Sen
ators Dale, Putnam, Withelstine and
Wright, and on the Moonan bill No.
! SO the record shows that Senators
Bedford, Clague, Durment, Gunder-
Son, Nelson, Wilson and others are
in my class.
"On the third delinquency with
which I am charged, my vote on the
Mccall bill S. F. No. 374, the records
show this at Senators Canestorp,
Clague, Dale, Durment, Gunderson,
Hackney, Nelson, Peterson, White,
Wilson were on the same side as your
humble servant.
II have no quarrel with Mr.. Man.
ahan or any Of my other opponents,
we all have the same right to appeal
to the voter. It may be we'll how
ever for the voters and candidates to
remember that no man or set of men
have as yet secured a patent on the
best form or system for election
laws. I think we are still in the ex-
perimental stage, but we are gaining
in knowledge and experience, for
which we all should be thankful. It
seems to me that come Of our citi-
zens are not as thankful as others
think they should be for our new pri-
mary law, but it may yet be improved
on
The reporter of the Willmar Trib-
une added two more counts against
me in his report Of that speech: S..
F. No. 248, Session Of 1907-to ex-
tend primaries to state offices,
Thorpe voted mo" and so did Sen
ators Canestorp, Dale, Durment, Ell
well, Fitzpatrick, Gunderson, Hack
ney, Peterson, Putnam, White, Will
son, Witherstine and Wright. In
these and other matters it may be
we'll to remember that during the
years since these bills were acted on,
considerable information and expert
ence has been gained. The second
choice provision had not been invent
ed at that time. To be perfectly
frank about the matter, no one was
able to prepare a satisfactory bill.
paid an attorney out Of my own
pocket to work out a plan, but this
also failed.
S. F. No. 111-Session of 1907
to repeal part Of the Corrupt Prac-
tees Act, limiting amount that might
be spent by candidate, Thorpe voted
eyes" and SO did Mr.. Manahan's
committee chairman. Senator Sun
berg and 81 other Senators, only z
voted against. This bill is No. 412
not Ill.
And lastly comes the Distance Tar
if Bill. If this bill could be made so
that it would not, in practical oper-
alton, destroy many villages and de-
prive the farmers Of home market,
all should vote for it. It is sufficient
here to say that such a good and true
reformer as Senator Sundberg voted
against this bill at the last session.
AS the Senator is chairman Of his
committee, it would seem that Mr..
Manahan's criticism Of my vote on
this bill is not well founded, because
he cannot wish to attack his own
chairman.
In fact Senator Sundberg and
were almost invariably found on the
same side, supporting reform meas
ures.
l am sorry that my opponent has
found it necessary to resort to irres-
ponsible newspapers and publish such
stuff as this: II have been informed
that Senator Thorpe voted against
the two cent passenger rate bill, but
have not had time to personally
verify this from the records"
The fact is well known and the rec
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