MATE is a gnome 2.0 derivative, so none of the solutions I've read that involve running a shell-extension such as "dash-to-dock" will work on MATE. MATE Tweaks has but one checkbox "Enable dock" under panel. How to make it pop up when I move mouse cursor to bottom of screen? Looks like its only two behaviors are: 1) hidden when an app is full-screen in foreground; and 2) displayed otherwise. I have used docks in other desktops (gnome 3) and the "popup" behavior is one I'd like to see in MATE, which I overall prefer to the gnome 3 and KDE approaches.
Okay, belay that chatter, mate-y! Turns out I need to move the mouse to the top of the panel, not bottom of the screen, to display the dock. Still would be nice if dragging to bottom of screen would bring the dock back to life!
Oh, and it is a bit of a tricky gesture. You have to be within 10 or so pixels of dead center of the panel, at least with "redmond" theme.
There are various ways to get the Plank dock to come up. On the Ubuntu MATE Welcome app that starts for the first time using UM, there is a Desktop Layout selector that allows you to choose your screen layouts. There are a few that have the dock enabled automatically. This is also reflected in the Tweaks control settings area. So there are several ways to get there. The Ubuntu Mate guide has some information on it here => Ubuntu MATE Guide
I suggest going to the Desktop Layout selector first and to learn your way around and learn the other ways to enable the Plank application to come up automatically to show the dock.
Best regards... 
Thanks @HJV for the reply. I may have mentioned selecting Redmond Theme (from the Welcome App/Desktop Layout). Then off to Mate Tweaks to enable the Dock. Maybe I'm gilding the lily a bit (overall I love MATE's gnome2 simplicity and elegance), but all the various DEs that sport a dock, including the dash-to-dock extension for gnome3, offer some configurability in how that dock is hidden/auto-hidden/summoned. gnome2/Mate is likely not going to have the Javascript interface or extension enablement that makes gnome3 IMO a tangled mess. That said, doubt it would take much more than a suggestion to the Mate devs, as it is seemingly under active development. Any ideas how to do so?
If using Redmon layout, then you will need to go to the autostart section and add the Plank app so it starts too during startup. For the Elementary layout and the Mac layout (don't remember specific name) then it's already pre-configured. Basically, the layouts tell the system when to start the Plank application. Redmond by default does not start the Plank app (dock). So, add it to the startup apps.
Looks to me as though ticking the box in MATE Tweaks does just that.
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If you click on the icon at the far left of the dock, with the anchor symbol, go to the behavior tab it offers several different options for hiding the dock, hope that helps
yeah plank is configurable to be missing the icon right click on the dock part at the very edge (it can be tricky to click at the very right place) and select preferences that will give you the same options
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Found it thank you for being patient! I turned off all hiding, which forces (most) apps to recognize a "full screen" that is a bit short of the top of dock, when placed at the bottom. Also, found plank support site where I can carp some more about the deficiencies of freeware! Thanks again, @Bernie !
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