Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1890 — HON. W. D. OWEN, [ARTICLE]

HON. W. D. OWEN,

Renominated at Rensselaer last Thursday* A Harmonious and Enthusiastic Convention. The Selection Made Unanimous Amid * Cheers. The Resotntions Passed Indorsing the Administration.

Hon. William D. Owen was nominated for Congress at Rensselaer last Thursday. The Repfbucan has worked for and predicted that result. It has predicted it because it believed that despite the efforts of Democratic papers to create dissensions the people would recognize in Mr. Owen’s ability and loyalty to his coustituents merit worthy of commendation. It has predicted it because it felt that much Republican opposition came from many who would edme to see that a Congressman who recognized elements of his party to the exclusion of other elements must sorely fail in his dqty and that he who treated his party as a whole did that which was most for the party’s good; that to make mistakes in appointments 'if they should be made was not wholly unpardonable where everything else deserved praise. The convention was an enthusiastic

one, the most enthusiastic one ever held in the Tenth district and the audience cheered everything, the resolutions by paragraphs, the nomination of Mr. Owen, the soconding by counties, the result of the ballot, the motion to make unanimous by Mr. Bozarth’s friend, the playing of “Marching through Georgia” by the band and last but not least the happy allusions or forcible arguments in Mr. Owen’s speech. At one o’clock the convention was called to order by Hon. E. D. Crumbacker Chairman.

Hon. Truman F. Palmer was chosen permanent chairman and C. B. Landis editor of the Delphi Journal, was made secretary, with the Republican editors of the district assistants. The following resolutions were then introduced and adopted: We the Republicans of the Tenth Indiana Congressional District in Convention assembled endorse the National and State Republican administration, and heartily approve of the course of the Hon. W. D. Owen our able representative in Congress. The Hon. Thos. B. Reed, speaker of the National House of Representatives has our unqualified approval and support in the fearless and corageous stand he has taken and maintained against the filibustering tactics of the Bourbon minority in Congress. The safety and perpetuity of our institutions rests upon a free and (honest ballot in every state in the Union, and it is our honest conviction that the. federal election bill passed by the House and now pending before the Senate is calculated to preserve this grand, underlying principle.

We refer with pride to the prompt action taken by Congress in passing the original package bill, and with boldly taking by the throat the Louisiana Lottery octopus, completing the work so admirably begun by Post-master-general Gresham. We reaffirm our faith in the industrial policy of the Republican Party and would urge upon Congress the wisdom and value of Commercial Reciprocity with South American Countries. We congratulate the Country on the passage of the disability Pension BUI for relief of Union Soldiers, their widows and orphans, and would urge the enactment at an early date of the additional legislation tending to secure higher and more equitable rewards to Our soldier citizens; and we especially commend the earnest efforts of our Representive in Congress in behalf of the service pension and the repeal of the limitation of arrears.

A motion was made that the counties be called for nominations which wa» carried and the call read. Cass county by W. T. Wilson, who made a forcible speech presented the name of Hon. W. D. Owen. Carrol county seconded and as each succeeding county was called and the nomination was seconded in epigrammatic speeches, cheer after cheer rent the air. When Porter county was called, Col. Mark L. DeMotte said he voiced the sentiments of Porter county in seconding

the nomination of Mr. Owen. Mr. L. P. Scbtt placed in nomination Hon. Nelson J. Bozartb. of Porter county. The ballot was-as follows u,' Owen. Bozattiu Carroll 13 Ca-is It; 8-9 , ' 2 13 Pulton .... . 3 J * Jasper 7 •' 1 l.ake 13 / »wton~ ft Porter . * s 4 Pulaski ii White ...... «Sf \X i .< Totjß tfpptp 8 11-18

Fulton county voted one blank, Mr. L. E .Scott who had nominated Mr. Bozarth, in liis behalf moved to make the nomination unanimous, and it was adopted with cheers. Col. MarkL. DeMolte, of Porter; .Judge E. P. Hammond, of Jasper; Judge D. H. Chase, of Cass, and Hon, Henry Van Voris, of White, were appointed a committee to hotify ML Owen of his nomination. While the men were absept the band struck up -.Marching Through Georgia,” and was greeted with clieer after cheer. When Mr, Owen came upon the stage he was greeted with enthusiastic applause. He spoke for over an hour, and made one of the best speeches of his life.

The speech was listened to with unabated interest by as large an audience as could crowd ’into the seats of the Opera House, lira in floor and galleries, and by several hundred others who were content with standing room. Hundreds of others who wished to hear the speech were turned away for want of room. The nura-. her inside the building was probably at least 1,000. And this is the estimate of Mr, Eger, owner of the building, and he being a faithful Democrat, our other democaatic friends will please to note that at least in this one case the estimate of the size of the audience of a Republican meeting is not a Republican Jie.

The delegates and interested observers began to arrive Wednesday afternoon, and Messrs. Owen and Bozarth, the opposing candidates, both arrived on that day. The most notable feature of the occasion, so far as the coming of the delegates and spectators was concerned, was the arrival about 11 oclock Thursday of the special train from Logansport, loaded with about a couple of hundred solid citizens, 99 per cent, of whom were enthusiastic supporters of Mr. Owen. The train was decorated with flags and mottoes, and was accompanied by the splendid Mascot Band, of Logansport, with 20 pieces.

Our citizens generally showed a proper appreciation of the event by decorating the .business bouses so that the street presented a holiday appearance, and elicited the commendations of our visitors. The stage of the Opera House was also tastefully decorated with flags and pictures, The seats in the front half of the hall were reserved for tlic delegates, the various counties being assigned their places beforehand, and printed placards being posted to mark each delegation’s place. Following Mr. Owen,’ Patrick O’Donnell, well called the “Eloquent young Irish orator, -of Carroll county” then responded to the enthusiastic demands of the audience, with a short but powerful address. Hon. L. T. Michener, the attorney general, had been expected, but could not leave Indianapolis. The fact ot his being more than a 100 miles away, did not deter the veracious Delphi Times from saying-that “Boss Michener” was here and abased the Democrats in a long speech, and that all the other speakers took their cues from him. Evidently “everything goes” with the Tiines and other Democratic papers of that ilk. Mr. Owen remained in town until Friday morning and then Went to Remington to visit the fair-