Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1884 — A Good Starter. [ARTICLE]

A Good Starter.

A highly successful Blaine and Logan ratification meeting was held at the court house last Saturday evening. The audience filled the room far beyond its seating capacity, E.nd many were obliged to stand. In quality also as well as quantity it was a splendid audience and though boiling over with enthusiasm for the republican nominees, it was perfectly decorous and well behaved. The remarkably large number of ladies present was a very gratifying and encouraging feature of the meeting. Although the women are still denied their just rights to an equal voice in the government, still their influence is great and we are glad to note this early evidence of the interest they will take in the ensuing campaign. Capt. J. A. Burnham, a native of Maine, and an enthusiastic admit er of the old Pine Tree state’s greatest citizen, was chosen to preside at the meeting and did so with commendible dignity and efficiency. The speeches were, of course, for the most pari, short, but so great was the enthusiasm of the speakers and so fruitful and admirable was the theme of their efforts, that they were (all able and interesting. The following named gentlemen made more or less extended remarks: S. P. Thompson, W. A. Rinehart; M. C< Miner, M. B. Alter, Alfred Thompson, W. W. Watson, \V. B. Austin, F. W.' Babcock, B. F. Ferguson, Dr. Jas. i Kitchey, and H. E. James. A number of campaign songs had been printed for the occasion, and distributed among the singers present, and the music and singing was made a prominent and attractive feature of the meeting.

SMALL-TALK NOTES. W. B. Austin was a boiling fountain of enthusiasm, but W. W. Watson was a volcano in eruption. Watson spoke first and had been a Blaine man ever since he could walk. Austin “saw” Watson and went him one better. Ha was born a Blaine and Logan man. The five minute rule ought to have been enforced. The list of speakers was large, and being full of enthusiasm, many of them made quite lengthy speeches and the iesult was that the meeting lasted so late that nearly everybody became tired and especially was that the case with the ladies. There is no use to talk to people after they get tired. Even religion and republican politics are wasted upno them at such times. Gallant John Logan came in for his full share of praise and commendation, and almost all of the speakers who had not been original Blaine men, had been in favor of Logan for the first place on the ticket.

Revs. Ferguson and Miner both made good speeches, which moves us to ask, by the way, why is it that democratic preachers are of such unusual occurrence. It must be that as religion goes into a man democracy goes out. One speaker excused himself for arriving late on the grounds that he was kept at home, “in command of the infantry.” We suspect that in such a case the more correct expression would have been that “the infantry” was in command of him. One of the reverend gentlemen, above mentioned, made a fitting close to an excellent speech by expressing the hope that, the Lord would help the Republicans to elect Blaine and Logan this fall. “Oh Lord, Imlp me, and if you think you can’t afford to help me at least don’t help the bear,” is the way the old hunter worded his prayer when engaged in a personal difficulty with a bear, and in the same spirit we say amen to the preacher’s petition and add the hope that if the Lord won’t help us that at least he won’t h elp the democrats.