Vol. 2.
SPuAZIc 0 fovnuyH
AKERS 4 GREEN, Proprietors.
'ls published on Tuesday of each week at De
borah, Wlnueshelk county, lowa. Publica
tion office at 211 West Water Street, over
-McCauley 4 Carolan's grocery store.
Subscription Price, 51.50 per year.
■Offers Advertisers a good means of reaching
the people of Wlnnesheik and Howard coun
ties. Rates given on application.
Business Cards $5 per year.
Legal advertising at legal rates.
Business Curbs.
W. H. TILLSON,
Attorney at Law,
Ckesco, lowa.
Collections Promptly Attended to.
JOHN McCOOK,
Attorney at Law.
Office over Cresco Savings Bank,
Cresco, lowa.
E. R. Acers. E. W. Cutting.
ACE IIS A CUTTING
Attorneys at Law.
Office, Rooms 4 and 5, Ben Bear Block.
Decorah. lowa.
E. P. JOHNSON,
“County Attorney,
Winnesheik County.
Dkcorah. lowa.
M. A. HARMON,
Attorney at Law,
•iKCORAH, lowa, First National Bank
Building, up-stairs.
O. K. WILLETT. N. WILMCTT. W. WILI.KTT.
WILLETT & WILLETT,
Attorneys at Law.
Office over First National Bank, Water Street,
Deoorah, lowa.
J. J. (’AMEPON,
Attorney at Law.
Hteyer Opera House, DECORAH, lowa.
Practices In all Courts.
Wm. loverino,
Insurance Agent.
Fire, Lightning, Tornado, Life and Accident
Insurance. Send your age and P. O. Address
and get rates on guaranteed polices. Office
over.l. Finn’s hardware store, Decorah lowa.
aCiEO. M. STEVENS, M. D.
(Successor to Dr. E. H. Williams.)
Office and residence, (’adwell building,
Winnebago St., Decorah. lowa.
H. C. BULIB,
Physician and Surgeon,
Office over Welser’s Drug Store.
DECORAH lowa.
F. W. DAUBNEY, M. D.,
Decorah, lowa.
Residence corner Main and Court streets.
Office 202 Water street.
J. W. DAUBNEY,
Caterer,
DECORAH, lowa. 128 West Water street.
rST. CLOUD HOTEL and LI VERY,
Accommodations First (’lass. Good Livery
Attached. Prices Reasonable
(Buss will call at your home for all trains when
ordered. Telephone call No. 20.
JJEO. M. and E. A. CLARK, Pkockietokh.
WEMETT BROTHERS.
Mail Staoe Lines.
Persons wishing to go north to Burr Oak,
Prosper. Hesper, Locust, Mable and Mpring
Water, leave an order at the Stiles House.
STAR
REPAIR Co.
Repairers of and Dealers in
Organs, Sewing flachines and Bicycles.
Supplies of all kinds kept in stock
HI!
AT TRZCINSKPS
Shave,
for a Hair Cut
or Bath.
Razors Sharpened
Shoes Shined.
HAIR CHAINS and SWITCHES
made to order at
TRZCINBKI’ S,
Near Pirat Nat l Bank.
iUccorol) public ©pinion.
RAILROAD TIME CARD.
Chicago, Milwaukee 4 Si. Paul Railway—
Decorah Branch.
Passenger depot comer Water and Day
streets. Telephone 58a.
Depart. Arrive.
Ot. Paul, Mplis, Sioux)
City. Kansas City > +10:15 a. m. +4:25 p. m.
ana 81. Lo ui s)
Omaha, Sioux City,)
Cedar Rapids, Chi- >*2:25 p. m. t12:45 p. m.
cago 4 Milwaukee.)
s ubu a, 1
* Dally. + Dally Except Sunday.
Burlington, Cedar Rapids 4 Northern
Train No. 52 (passenger) leaves Decorah at
3:35 p. sr. and No. 54 (Freight at 6:30 A. m.
No. 51 (Passenger) arrives at 2:10 p. M.,and
No 53 (Freight) at 5:00 p. m.
The 3:35 passeuger makes close connection at
Cedar Rapids with through trains to Chicago,
St. Louis. Kansas City, Omaha, St. Paul and
points beyond. All trains daily except Sun
day. C. S. RICE, Agent
J. MORTON, Gen. Ticket 4 Pass. Ag’t.
Insurance.
EDWARD LARSON,
Fire, Life and Accident
ASSURANCE.
REPRESENTS
The Hawkeye, of Des Moines.
Security, of Davenport.
DubuoueFire and Marine, of Dubuque.
Westchester, of New’ York.
The Manchester, Manchester, Eng.
Northwestern Mutual Life, Milwaukee.
Office in Steyer’s Block, Room 1,
Water street, DECORAH, lowa.
Bank.
Winnesheik County
BANK,
Capital, 5i00,000.00.
Individual Responsibility, 5300,000.00.
Strongest Bank in tiie
County
C. J. WEIBER, Pres.
MRS. L. A. WEISER, V. P.
E. W. HOLWAY, Cashier.
OLE P. ODE, Ass’t Cash ier.
DECORAH
Steam Laundry.
MILLER 8c SON,
Proprietor®.
All Classes of Laundry Work,
Also Cleaning and Dyeing.
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED.
Our Wagon will call for and Deliver Work.
WANTED!
WANTED!
5000 BU. CLOVER SEED.
30,000 BU. TIMOTHY SEED.
Send samples by mail,
and I will make bids on
your seed.
DON’T—Don’t sell un
til I have made you a
bid.
GO TO THE TELE
PHONE for prices, and
you won’t have to wait
a minute to hear from me.
HIDES, KIP, CALFSKINS
wanted, and at prices
away above what you
can sell at in your mar
ket at home.
Bring them along-it
will pay you.
N. H. ADAMS,
Decorah, lowa.
DECORAH, WINNESHEIK COUNTY, IOWA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1896.
SPuM* 0 fyiriiiyyi
PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY.
By AKERS 4 GREEN.
Official Paper of the City of Decorah.
OFFICE—an WEST WATER STREET, UPSTAIRS
TELEPHONE NO. 15.
THE CAUSE OF THE RESULT.
Last week’s Public Opinion con
tained a signed article headed “From
a Democratic View.” It was received
by us too late to be answered, and as
we had accepted articles from the de
mocratic standpoint before election this
one was published without a careful
reading. It contained, under the guise
of reasons for the defeat of the
free silver party, an exhaustive
resume of many of the ar
guments used by those of that persua
sion to infiuence men to exercise their
right of franchise in aiding to elect the
candidate of that party. But those ar
guments failed. A majority of the peo
ple decided that Ohio’s honored sou
should occupy the chief position that
tiie nation could confer upon any per
son, and should he the one to lead the
people to victory and prosperity.
The first opinion presented as one
reason for the defeat of the free silver
party was the enormous amount of
money used by the campaign mana
gers. This, as are the others, is the
same employed by most of them, and
has lieen repeatedly rehearsed through
out the campaign. True, a large
amount of money was used, but by
both parties. While the “great cor
porations and banking institutions of
the country poured their millions into
the committee treasury” the silver
mine owners and western corporations
were placing every cent that could be
raised at the disposal of the democratic
committee. The constaut cry was
poverty, and from the lips of the Neb
raskan apostle we ourselves heard the
appeal reiterated. Almost every city
in which he spoke was compelled to
give a large sum of money for the great
honor of having him address their peo
ple. Large donations from all over the
country were showered upon him, and
we believe that could it be known the
money used by republicans would not
very greatly exceed that used by demo
crats.
The next reason was that stale one of
coercion. We do not think that the
employers of the nation “exercised con
trol over thousands of voters who
would have cast their votes for Bryan”
to so great an extent as he would have
our readers believe. The idea that
“such a proceeding was never sur
passed in tiie very throes of monarchy
itself.” For one to assert that “the
stars and stripes was no protection to
the citizen in the exercise of his right
to vote according to the dictates of his
own conscience” seems to us to tend
toward a lowering of estimation of that
proud banner, the sight of which causes
the heart of every loyal American to
swell with pride, and to thank Clod
that ids is a free country, peacefully
resting under the folds of a tlag, the
signitlcunce of which causes tlie nations
of tiie world to pause and do it honor.
The American citizen is intellectual
enough, American enough, to decide
for himself for which candidate he
shall vote, and we cannot believe but
tiiut he is patriotic enough to exercise
that judgement in detiauce of any at
tempt at coercion, should it have oc
curred. We have investigated several
of these so-called coercions claimed dur
ing tiie campaign, and foil nd them
without foundation.
Thirdly, the reason given is “the ac
tion of the so-called democrats who
voted for McKinley.” We attempt no
denial of the statement that “there
were thousands of them who voted the
republican ticket because they were op
posed to the free coinage of silver.” It
is to the honor of these men that they
had the courage of their convictions
and stood by the principles which their
consciences declared were right. We
too voted tlie republican ticket for that
very reason. We too are opposed to
the free coinage of silver and believe
that in this country of freedom we have
a perfect right to vote as we please and
to endeavor to convince others that
our’s is the best policy to be adopted by
the government. He says they have
no right to “foist the theories of repub
licanism upon the platform of demo
cracy.” If they have no right to hind
themselves together and adopt a plat
form conforming to their belief in gov
ernmental policies this is not a free
country.
As a fourth reason tie contradicts the
argument that the cause of the finan
cial panic was the defeat of Harrison
in 1892, and says “they themselves
knew the real cause to lie lack of money
in the world.” It is certainly to lie
deplored that the millions of voters of
America who cast their ballots for Mc-
Kinley were so dishonest. That they
voted in direct defiance of what they
knew would bring them greater hard
times, lower wages and less employ
ment. My friend, lam convinced that
it was not a lack of money at all that
caused the panic, but the uncertainty of
the course to be adopted, should the
democrats continue in power, that
drove the money out of circulation.
And it was the fear of a depreciation of
silver that kept the gold from circulat
ing. We had not seen a piece of gold
coin for months, when, not five hours
after the result became known in De
corah, we were the proud possessor of
two of those precious little yellow
pieces of money, and since it has be
come a common circulating medium.
With McKinley’s election contidence
in the nation and the administration
of its duties to its citizens was restored
and factories and shops all over the
country are speedily opening up, fur
nishing employment for thousands of
laboring men.
Tiie fifth and last reason, that many
republicans who would have voted
for bimetallism, (we presume
he means free silver) but who
feared that the financial stringen
cy would he longer prolonged if we
were to wait for the passage of a free
silver bill voted for the republican can
didates, is, in our opinion, the most
fallacious of all. Their real fear was
that the tinaneial stringency would be
indefinitely prolonged in that case,
and their integrity of principle im
pelled them to vote for a party which
hail always been the synonym of
prosperity good wages and plenty of
work; the party whose candidates for
the nation’s greatest honor are chron
icled upon tiie highest pinuacles of
fame, and under wiiose leadership
America lias constantly advanced,
until now she stands at the head of all
nations in intelligence, in the patri
otism of her citizens, and in her com
mercial relations witlx foreign peoples.
He says, “they, however, can be
counted upon to cast their votes and
influence for bimetallism at future
elections,” which we do not think will
be the case. We have too much con
fidence in tiie American people to be
lieve that they will vote against their
convictions, and we feel assured that
they can be relied upon to rally again
to avert a great danger, if need be, as
they did in ’6l and ’96.
The above is written simply to assure
our readers that the thoughts of the
gentleman were not our’s, and that we
cannot agree with him in reference to
the causes of democratic defeat. We
believe it to be due to the fact that the
question was carefully studied by all
classes, and while there seemed to be
an overwhelming majority of silver
men at the outset, more sober thought
and judgement convinced tiie people
that this was not the time for an ex
periment; that they wanted a hundred
cent dollar, and that they believed tiie
policy of republicanism to tie based up
on the experience and better judge
ment of the framers of its platform;
and lastly, that with Wm. McKinley,
sound mouey, protection and recipro
city at the helm, an era of unprece
dented prosperity would he inaugu
rated, to tiie supreme satisfaction of
every citizen of our great country.
Governor Drake has issued a call
for a special session of the state legisla
ture, to meet January 10th. Its busi
ness will be the codification of the
laws of lowa, and to make provision
for the Ananiosa penitentiary and
Clarinda usylum, which have been
damaged by tires.
♦
The gall of certain editors who are
advising President-elect McKinley to
abandon protection, lest the feelings
of some of the free traders who sup
ported him be hurt, is great, but their
judgment is bad.
♦
Ex-Chief Justice Wm. E. Miller
died suddenly at the Christian sanitar
ium iu Des Moines on the Bth inst.
He was for many years a very promi
nent figure in tiie affairs of this state.
• -
Wk haveu’t heard a word lately
about tiiut Bryan “B” which was on
cornstalks before election. Guess it
must have been “N,” meaning “nit
next November.”
•
Congress convenes December 17th.
CLOSED ITS DOORS.
The First National Bank Taken
in Custody by Examiner
Stone.
Seldom has tiie news of an unusual
occurrence permeated our homes and
places of business as did the announce
ment on last Tuesday that the First
National Bank of this city had been
closed. It spread from house to house
in a remarkably short time, and the
report was unlielieved by many until
they went to the bank for themselves
and found affixed to the door a notice
stating that it had been closed by the
bank examiner. The stability of the
bank was far from suspicion, and no
one expected such a crisis would oc
cur, as for the past thirty-four yea refit
has held the contidence of our people,
and its tinaneial strength has been be
yond question.
We are able to give no cause for this
unexpected result, save that invest
ments were made when it appeared
that there was money to be made out
of them, but the panic of ’9B and other
causes rendered them unsuccessful, and
the hard times of the past few years
have placed these investments in such
shape that full value cannot be realized
from them. Mr. J. H. Easton, the pre
sident, has put forth every endeavor to
realize upon them, but has failed, and
notwithstanding this, he expected un
til just prior to the closing of the hank,
assistance from eastern parties that
would have bridged over these diffi
culties, hut when the National Bank
Examiner arrived, it was found that
the inevitable result must follow.
No statement of its condition has as
yet been ottered, but we have authority
in stating that after paying the time
deposits due the bank closed witli cash
on haud amounting to $24,000, this be
ing about forty per cent of the demand
deposits. We hope that a final exami
nation of the l>ooks will show assets
enough to pay all depositors, which
examination, however, may cause some
delay, thus being considerable incon
iuvenience to depositors. Though
nothing Jean be definitely stated at
present, yet it is thought by many that
a reorganization will be perfected,
which we hope will prove to be the
case.
Fire Department at Waukoa.
Hose Company No. 1 and the drum
corps went to Waukon Thursday to
participate in the formal dedication of
the city waterworks of thi ) place.
During the afternoon they joined in
forming a large parade, after which a
very tine drill was given by No 1, which
elicited very tiattering compliments. A
dance was held in theeveniug, and all
the boys say they had a tine time, an l
that Waukon entertained them loyally,
while Waukon is full of praise for the
service rendered them by our excellent
company.
•
A Great Book Free!
When Dr. R. V. Pierce, of Buffalo,
N. Y., published the first edition of his
great work. The People’s Common
Sense Medical Adviser, he announced
that after 680,000 copies had lieen sold
at the regular price, $1.50 per copy, the
profit on which would repay him for
tiie great amount of labor and money
expended in producing it, lie would dis
tribute the next halt million free. As
this number of copies has already been
sold, lie is now giving away absolutely
free, 500,000 copies of this most com
plete, interesting and valuablecounnon
sense medical work ever published—
the recipient only being required to
mail him, at above address, twenty
one (l!l) oue-cent stamps, to cover cost
of mailing only , and the book will be
sent post-paid. It is a veritable medi
cal library, complete in one volume.
Contains 1008 pages, profusely illustrat
ed. The Free Edition is precisely the
same as that sold at $1.50 except only
that the books are in strong mauilla
pa|H‘r covers instead of cloth. Send now
before all are given away.
Decency was probably the most po
tent factor in the defeat of Brecken
ridge for a seat in the House, and we
feel sure that the same influence will
be sufficient to prevent any consider
able number of republican memiiers of
the Kentucky legislature takiug part
in the schemes to send him to tiie sen
ate.
- •
No man is better qualified, by ac
quaintance with republicans iu every
section, to select a eabiuet of com indent
men than is Maj. McKinley. He
knows them so well that he will nmke
no mistake.
•
Jerry Simpson again sees $5,000 a
year ahead of him, for the two years
beginning March 4th next.
Gilman Bergeson.
Mr. Gilman Bergeson was born in
Tillamarken, Norway, October 17, 1819,
aud died at the home of his sou, Thos.
Gilman, in C'anoe township, Monday,
November 9, 1896, at the age of 77 years.
Mr. Bergeson moved to America in
1862, settling in Winneshiek county,
where lie resided for six years
after which, in 1868, he moved
to Ottertail county, Minn., be
ing one of the first to take a homestead
there. After selling his claim he
moved from there to Houston county,
where lie resided one year, when he
came back to Winneshiek county, lo
cating in Bluffton township, where the
rest of his life up to seven
weeks ago, was spent. He was not
well and went to live with his son, but
was considered to be gaining in health,
until on Monday evening he went out
of tiie house and soon came back in
and said “well, it’s just what I ex
pected it would come to,” and expired
immediately. He had buried his wife
Aug. 28, 1895, and a daughter about a
year ago, thus having only one son,
Thos. Gilman, to survive him. He
was well known in this county, and
has always been respected as an up
right, honest man, whose death will be
mourned by many. The funeral
was held last Thursday after
noon at two o’clock, at tiie
Orleans township Lutheran church,
the pastor officiating.
Mr. Thos. Gilman and family wish to
express their thanks for the many cour
tesies and kindnesses shown to the old
couple by friends in all parts of the
county.
McKinley, Protection and Prosperity..
Just at this time there is great mean
ing and a future conveyed to the peo
ple of the United States and I hope to
their mutual advantage and their fu
ture welfare. The future is what we
must look to uot the past. To our best
business interest aud our families’ pro
tection. The Banker, Merchant,
Farmer aud laborer cannot protect his
family in any better way than to secure
a policy in the old original
Life of Des Moines. This *
conceded to be the best and cheapest"*
mutual company in the world. Just
think of it. A man forty years old
can carry a $2,000 policy payable at
death for the average low cost of 64c
a day, but duriug the past ten years
the cost has been even less than this.
We claim solid protection at the low
est minimum cost, uot investment.
Protect your family interests uow.
Don’t wait until tomorrow or next
week for then you may not pass the
medical examination. Will be pleased
to furnish all information and rates.
Yours for Protection,
Herbert D. Paine,
Resident Agent,
Decorah, lowa.
just Remember That
We do job printing, and do it right.
When we tell you that stock is of a
certain quality you may depend upon
it to be true. Our press is running al
most constantly, part of the time day
and night. We have been busy ever
since we received our job outfit. That
shows that tne people know the quality
of our work and appreciate it. When
you want any thing iu this line come
to us and we will guarantee you satis
faction. Remeuilier our entire outfit
is brand new, and you can get the l>en
etit of tiie latest styles. We are here to
please our customers. One price to all,
the year round, and that is as cheap as
we can possibly make it. Try us.
♦
Sal/er Seed Car.
The John A. Salzer Seed Car made
its appearance upon the Milwaukee
track Saturday, and was inspected by
a large number of our citizens. it is a
beautifully equipped car, advertising
South Dakotu us an agricultural state
ami especially tiie Salzer Seed Com
pany, of La Crosse, Wis. The artistic
novelty of arrangement made tiie car
esjiecially attractive. It is almost com
pletely covered with novel and beauti
ful designs made from grains and
arranged in almost every conceivable
shape. The car is indeed an excellent
advertising medium for this seed com
pany and will doubtless prove of con
siderable lienetit to its owners.
•
Decorub Girls Slighted.
News was received yesterday of the
marriage of Fred L. Driggs and Ad
die E. Baldwin, at Grand Rapids,
Mich., on Wednesday, Nov. 4th.
Why it was tiiut he ever ran away
without letting his many friends here
know it we cannot imagine. But Fred
is a right good fellow, and we all wish
for himself und bride a long life of hap
piness and prosperity.
No. 39.