Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 233, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1916 — SHOW RAINPROOF SPIRIT IN TENTH [ARTICLE]

SHOW RAINPROOF SPIRIT IN TENTH

Republicans, 1,500 Strong, Retain Enthusiasm in AH-Day Downpour at Rally in McCray Woods.

Kentland, Ind., Sept. 27.—1 t takes more than an all-day driving rain to route the enthusiasm of republicans of the tenth congressional district, as they showed today when they gathered more than 1,500 strong at a rally at Warren T. McCray’s Cabin Woods, five miles northeast of Kentland, and listened to three hours of speechmaking by U. S. Senator Warren G. Harding, of Ohio, James E. Watson, Harry S. New, Representative Will R. Wood of the Tenth district, Edward C. Toner, of Anderson, and Mr. McCray. Republicans came from every county in the district and brought their water-proof enthusiasm along. Delegations were present from Gary and Crown Point, in Lake county, and from numerous points in Jasper and Porter counties, while White, Benton, Tippecanoe, Warren and Newton counties' were represented by large parties. Attendance from outside the district gave the air of a state gathering tc the rally. There were representatives from eight of the thirteen districts in the state. Charles G. Sefrit, editor of the Washington Herald, came up from the Second district to lend his presence and earnest advocacy of republican doctrine to what, except fep -the «tm, Avoulti-have been the largest gathering of the year in Newton countyT A party headed by Uz McMurtrie, nominee for treasurer of state, motored from Marion and there were two carloads in charge of E. C. Toner and James M. Lari-more-from Anderson. Indianapolis and the republican state committee were rperesented by Webb Woodfill, Oscar Hadley, Claude Gardner, Lucius 0.-Hamilton, M. E. Noblet, Elam H. Neal and Franklin McCray, nominee for the state senate from Marion eounty, who is a relative of Warren T. McCray. It began to rain before daylight, with every indication of ,a steady downpour for the day, and the large attendance, especially from a distance, in face of the untoward weather, was surprisingly large. Mr. McCray did not give up his arrangements even when the advancing forenoon hours showed no sign of a cessation of rain. His expectations were measurably realized when the noon hours brought a constant train of automobiles across the field that separates the rally ground from the highway.

“Such a gathering under such weather conditions evidences the determination of the American people to rid themselves of the vacillating and incompetent government with which they have been affiliated for the last three years and a half,” said James E. Watson in his speech. The crowd shouted its approval. ~MrT McCray had made arrangements to~ entertaifi a crowd of from 7,000 to 10,000 and there was every indication that, if it had not rained; fully that number would have attended. A large canvas top was erected, with a speakers’ platform mainly decorated with American colors from which were flung the pictures of national and state candidates of the party. Tables had been provided on which to spread basket dinners, but the 1,500 or more persons were driven to the large shelter tent, to a smaller tent or to curtained automobiles to take their meals. The seams of the big canvas top began to leak early and by the time the meeting was called to order at 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the tent supplied little shelter. Umbrellas were hoisted and for a time, in the hardest downpour, the audience stood on the temporary seats to keep out of puddles of water. Once, while Warren McCray was making his introduc--tory remarks,-the tattoo of-ramdrops on the roof became so deafening that he had to desist. Then the band struck up a succession of rousing airs and the crowd cheered. A combined band from Kentland, Brook and Fowler supplied music and the Quartette of Kentland, composed of J. C. Sell, Ray Cummings, Clyde Hurt and the Rev. C. W. Wharton, bade farewell to Woodrow Wilson and the democratic party’s aspirations for a new lease of office, in a series of glees that caught the fancy of the crowd. Mr. McCray spoke briefly and then introduced John Bennett Lyons, of Brook as permanent chairman, but after a short time Mr. Lyons gave way to Representative Will R. Wood. Edward C. Toner, progressive state chairman in 1914, told the ralHers that members of the old progressive party, practically to a man, were back in the republican party and were united behind Charles E. Hughes and the republican congressional and State tickets. * .

Unless your name is on the registration books in your voting precinct you cannot vote at the November election. Registration day comes on October 9th. Make sure that you are properly registered by visiting the registration place in your precinct early in the morning of October 9th.