The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-02-24
DBMOCRATS Hold
BIG BANQUET
Last Tuesday Evening At Fargo
When Many Notable Speak,
erS Woro Present
IBETING Was HARMONIOUS
And Wac Largely Attended And
Messages From Prominent
Democrats Read

Messages From Prominent
Democrats Read
"A small-sized bomb was drop
ped into the Democratic Achieve
ment banquet at the Fargo Audi
torium last evening when I. j..
Dunn of Nebraska, the principal
speaker of the evening, opened up
an attack on the preparedness
propaganda. The remarks of the
speaker called forth an Interrupt
ton from United States Marshal
Doyle, who took exception to some
of Mr.. Dunn's statements and ask
ed if the speaker did not think he
was overstepping the grounds Of
propriety in coming to a meeting
of this kind and making cri-
ticism Of the president.
"Why this violent attack on
Wilson'S program if you agree
with him that we need prepared
ness for defense?" was one ques-
ton Mr.. Doyle asked.
Mr.. Dunn replied that he was
entirely within his rights, as he
had notified the committee be-
fore coming to Fargo as to what
the nature of his speech would
be. He stated further that he did
not allow any man to do his think
ing for him and he was not going
to let any man do his speaking
for him.
The first part of Mr.. Dunn's
speech was in perfect harmony
with the addresses of the other
speakers on the program, Sena-
tor Purcell, J. T. O'Connor and
Mrs. Keough.
Mr.. Dunn made a particularly
able defense of the presidents
Mexican policy, of the admins
tration's foreign policy and of the
tariff law, the banking law, and
other constructive measures that
have been put into force under
democratic rule. He had talked for
about an hour on these subjects
when he suddenly launched into
the preparedness part of his
speech.
He stated that he belived in pre-
paredness> against any probable
attack but did not believe in a
program such as has been pro-
posed. He took exception to some
of the statements that had been
made by Senator Purcell.
I'VE are told that we need to
prepare for war;" said Mr.. Dunn.
what kind OF a war are we
going to prepare for, war of ag-
gression or a war of defense?
I'VE are told that we are in dan
ger of attack.
"Who is going to attack us and
why?
There is something more than
sentiment in war. War means
seas of gore. 1t is an easy matter
to talk about war, but Go the pao-
pie of America realize what they
are engandering when they plan a
great militaristic propaganda :?
They are planning to send their
young men out to be food for
powder.
Why?
IF there is any need for pre-
pairing for war for Grfense | am
willing to prepare, but where is
this war coming from?
Senator Purcell Interrupts
After he had made some state
ments that seemed to reflect Oh
Wilson's preparedness program,
Senator Purcell, who was ON the
platform, interrupted. to ask f
the president did not believe i'll Il
program for defense only and not
for aggression.
The speaker paused to take a
drink Of water.
Il don't KNOW lie replied
Neither does Senator Purcell
know" Mr.. Dunn remarked, turn
ing to the audience.
Neither does ony Democrat in
this room know.
II thought the president was
against preparedness for aggres- :
sion and aggrandizement but
since his recent western trip
hardly know what to think. I Ger
tainly will never support any pro-
gram for a navy incomparably the
greatest in the world" which Mr..
Wilson advocated in his St. Louis
speech.
I'VE are told that we should
have navy that would protect
our commerce anywhere in the
world. If that means that we
must have navy large enough to
send warships to protect every
vessel Of the steel trust or the Oil
trust, then l am opposed to it.
Il am going 10 oppose any plan,
no matter if it is sponsored by ev-
en- such a great man as the pres
ident, that is for aggression or ag
grandizement.