Morris Tribune

KELLOGG AND BEDE RALLY HEADLINERS

Monster Gathering Hears them at Armory and Gets Tip on Campaign Issues

The spacious Morris armory was filled to capacity Tuesday evening when the Republican campaign in this city was formally opened. The speakers of the evening were Hon. Frank B. Kellogg, of St. Paul, Hon. J. Adam Bede, of Pine City and Ex-Congressman Stevens, of St. Paul. Kellogg made a plea for preparedness, a merchant marine, protective tariff and the election of Charles Evans Hughes to succeed President Wilson. Stevens told about the establishment of the Morris university farm school for which he gave much credit to Congressman Volstead. Mr. Bede closed the program with raps for Wilson's Mexican policies and administration in general which he said had been a wasteful, extravagant and vacillating experiment. He kept the audience in a cheerful state of mind and hammered home his points with telling effect.

County Attorney Cherry presided as chairman at the rally and occupied a seat with the speakers on the stage. Mr. Kellogg, who is candidate for election to the United States senate, was the first speaker. He proved to be a logical and forceful speaker who substantiated his arguments by quoting democratic and governmental figures. He showed that the present statesmen at Washington are mostly southern democrats who had succeeded in running the expenses of the last congress into a list of figures never before known in the history of the country. He recommended that governmental affairs be placed in the hands of men who come from the northern sections where two-thirds of the manufacturing and agricultural interests of the country are represented. Mr. Stevens spoke briefly. He told of his own experience in congress and of his associations with Congressman Volstead who, he said, was looked upon as a most able man by his colleagues. He stated Mr. Volstead was now the ranking member of the judiciary committee and if returned at this time would become chairman of the committee, a distinction creditable and of tremendous advantage to Minnesota and to the friends of prohibition inasmuch as Mr. Volstead would have the handling of temperance measures.

Mr. Bede furnished the amusement as well as real food for thought to those who had come with a searching mind. "I have not come to abuse the Democrats," began Mr. Bede. "They are necessary and I favor two strong parties, one to be in power and the other to be almost in power, one to watch the other. I vote the Republican ticket because I think the Democrats are the best watchers. They have had plenty of experience and are quite proficient. During the 16 years of Republican administration under McKinley, Roosevelt and Taft this country prospered. We got so used to prosperity that the old Republican party got gay and thought it could elect two presidents at one time. Everybody knows what happened. Everybody knows, too, that we now have a false prosperity and if it were not for the European war half a million men in this country would be looking for jobs instead of making munitions in eastern factories. Thirty million men in the trenches and five million men in their graves have helped President Wilson and his administration keep away hard times. Wilson didn't keep us out of war. He started a war of his own with Mexico. He ordered a few hundred men to Vera Cruz to get a salute from Victoriano Huerta. Nineteen or twenty Americans were shot, about a hundred Mexicans bit the dust but Friend Wilson didn't get the salute yet. It must have been the Kaiser who kept us out of war. The Kaiser refused to become insulted. Then again it was a German lieutenant and his sixteen marines at Tampico who saved the day and averted war for us in Mexico. The fighting nations are interfering with our commerce, rifling our mails, jeopardizing our lives but the Wilson administration is only writing notes."

Mr. Bede advocated a merchant marine and a military training in the public schools, a firm policy in foreign affairs and an adequate protection for American industries which, he thought, were facing a critical stage at the close of the world war.