The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-11-02
LIVELY DEBATE is PREVENTED
Lack of Time Prevents Joint Talk Be-
tween Congressional Candidates,
KnutsOn and DOnOhue.

"Watchful waiting on tho part Of
the Democratic candidate for con-
gress in this district has prevented
the citizens of st. Cloud and two other
cities in the district from hearing .
debate that would have been interest
Ing to say the least.
Though the candidates of the two
parties have been known since the
June primaries, 1t was not until this
morning that Harold Knutson, of this
city, the Republican nominee for con-
gress, received the following telegram
from w: +. Donahue, the Democratic
nominee:
81 hereby challenge you to meet me
In three, or more, If you desire, joint
debates to debate the issues of this
campaign, one of said meetings to be
held in ST. Cloud, the other meeting
to be held in such other cities in this
congressional district as you may SCI.
lect, each of us to pay one-nalf of the
expenses of said meetings. If you ac-
cept this challenge l will cancel all
my other dates which might conflict
with said meetings. You will kindly
answer at once"-William F. Donahue,
Democratic candidate for congress,
Melrose, MINI.
Mr.. Knutson wired back as follows:
you have known since the June
primaries that / was the Republican
nominee for congress, and had you
really wanted a joint debate there
would have been plenty of time to
have made the offer weeks ago, before
plans for the final campaign had
been completed. Had you made the
offer earlier 1 should have been de-
lighted to have accepted it. l have
made arrangements to visit many OF
the towns in the district, and with
election only two weeks away there
Is not time to change my plans, as Of
course, you very well know. Your
"watchful waiting" has alone prevent
ed any joint meetings, much to my re-
greet. Harold Knutson, Republican
candidate for congress, St. Cloud,
Mimi.
In an interview Mr.. Knutson said:
II have made definite plans for the
not very well alter at this late date.
Election is but two weeks away and I
have a number of places that I have
promised to visit, also a number of
speaking dates, and it does not seem
feasible nor necessary to change the
entire, program merely to please one
man. Mr.. Donahue should have taken
this matter up six weeks ago. He has
known since June 20 that l was the
Republican nominee for congress. and
had he made his proposition earlier I
would have been glad to have gone to
the mat with him in every city, ham,
let and school house in the district.
Time is too precious at this late date
to lose three entire days in visiting
three places. / usually make that
many places in half a day If Mr..
Donahue really desires to present his
candidacy to the people Of the Sixth
district, let him come out on definite
platform and tell the nnecr.e how he
stands on the many important Ques-
tions now before the American people
and my advice to him is that he come
out openly and take the voters into his
confidence. Before the campaign is
over every voter in the district will
have read in the press just where
stand"
Mr.. Knutson leaves this evening for
points north, to be gone the balance
of the week.-St Cloud Journal-Presa