Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1900 — A Great Demonstration [ARTICLE]

A Great Demonstration

Theßepublican Rally a Grand Success. . .. 6 THE CROWD WAS ENORMOUS AND ENTHUSIASM UNBOUNDED. • - v - Speeches by Senator Dolliver, Ex-Senator Peffer, of Colorado, and Colonel DeHart, of Lafayette. PRIZES AWARDED, Largest Delegation, Newton. Second Largest, Barkley. Beat Floats *nd Designs, Carpenter. Finest Costumed De'egation of Ladies, Carpenter. Thursday’s Rally waa a splendid success, in spite of the unfavorable turn in the weather which kept many from attending, especially had a very damaging effect, on the organizing of delegations and the preparation of decorations and designs. Had the weather continued fine, the rally would undoubtedly have broken all previous records in the county, and even as it was it has soarcely been excelled more than once or twioe. The parade of delegations took place at 11 o’clock. It was headed by the Rensselaer Rough Riders on horse back, and along with them was Uncle Sam in full costume. The Newton township delegation came next and was of almost interminable length This delegation won and well tieserved the Ist. prize, a fine drum, for the largest delegation. Following Newton came Barkley delegation, stretohing out. also almost endlessly. This delegation reoived a large flag for ti e find. largest delegation. Carpenter township also made a splendid showing and well earned their prize, for the best display of decorations and designs. Especially noticeable was an immense and most elaborately deoorated four horse wagon, in which was the Remington Young Ladies’ McKinley Club, all in white, and singing campaign songs. The prize for the finest and best costumed delegation of ladies, a fine flag, was awarded to this club. The First Voters’ Club, of Remington, on horseback and in Rough Riders’ uniforms, was a much admired feature of the Carpenter delegation. Fisher’s Military Band, of Remington, accompanied this delegation. There were numerous banners and mottoes in the parade, and various striking and comic features, too numerous for description in detail. Immediately after the parade the people began wending their way to the depot, to see and hear W. J. Bryan, the ooming of whom on the day of the Republican rally, was purely accidental. The desire to see and hear a man of such prominence was natural and universal, and praotioally the whole orowd and the whole town was there. A stand had been erected close to the railroad and about two blocks east of the depot. Pending the arrival of the Bryan train E. P. Honan spoke from the platform. There was some other

speaker present who also wanted a chance at the big crowd, and several attempts were made 1o choke “Ed” off, but Ed wouldn’t be choked aud held the boards until the smoke of Bryan’s train was insight. The Bryan train arrived at a minute or two before one o’clock, and Mr. Bryan mounted the platform and began to speak at ju9t one and spoke for 20 minutes. It was an unusual circumstance. Imagine a great Democratic rally, prepared for, for weeks ahead. Imagine a town full of Demociats, on such an occasion, and then imagine the Republican candidate for president or vice-president coming there to make a speech, to a crowd that was four fifthDemocrate. What kind of a reception would that Republican candidate have reoeived?

Considering the countless times that Republican speakers have been mobbed at their own meetinga this year, bowled down, interrupted and interfered with in everyway, it is safe to say, that there is not a Democratic county seat in Indiana where a Republican leader, under such oircnmstances, could have made a speech at all. At the very best the yells for Bryan and the tooting of horns would have drowned every word he said. And at many plaoes he would have been mobbed. How different it was here, when the speaker was the Democratic leader, and the rally was a Republican rally, and four fifths or more of the orowd were Republicans! Mr. Bryan was treated with perfect oourtesy. There was not the least interruption and every word he said was listened to respectfully.

It was only as it should have! been, but how different it would have been had all the conditions been reversed. Personally there is nothing very remarkab 1 © in Mr. Bryan’s appear, ance, He is a consummate orator, and a j more consummate demagogue. His speech was right along in the same line as all he has been making lately through milder and less abusive than many he has recently made, as reported in the newspapers. He sneered at present prosperity as the result of “rain,” but said nothing of his prophecies of 1896, when universal ruin was to have followed the gold standard, rain or no rain. He spent many minutes talking against the war in the Philippines and the retention of the Philippines, when it was through his own direct exertions and advioe that the treaty with Spain giving us those islands was ratified. He talked about the terrible oppression of the trusts, and of the hardships and distress they are inflicting upon the people, when he knows the people were never better fed, better clothed, more generally employed and more generally prosperous than they are right now. He declared he would destroy the trusts by destroying the tariff, something which has never been done in this country without destroying the industries, the prosperity and the happiness of the people. Declaring four years ago and every year until this year, that free silver was the supreme need of the country and that he would never relax his fight for it, until he won it; he now abandons it wholly,

because he thinks some other cry will better serve his consuming ambition. His one object in life is to win the presidency, and to win it has even stooped to praise and flatter and oommend that sum of all villainies the Tammany society; to hobnob and feast and rido in the carriage with its chief, Dick Croker; and thereby stooping to a lower plane than any candidate for the presidency ever stooped before. “GREAT IS TAMMANY AND CROKER IS ITS PROPHET.” God forbid that the man who used those words should ever be President of this great and glorious and God fearing nation. The Republican speaking took place in the big tent aoross the river, and began soon after two o’clock. Neither Mr. O’Donnell nor Mr. Belford were present. But their places were filled and more than filled, by Senator Dolliver, of lowa, and Ex-Senator Peffer, of Kansas. Senator Dolliver spoke for two hours. The senator is one of the very ablest political orators in the oountry, and his speech covered the whole field. It was clear, sincere, patriotic and convincing. Senator Peffer followed Mr. Dolliver. His speech explained why, through motives of patriotism he had left the Populist party and came back to the Republicans. He dealt especially with the sham issue of and showed how the conduct of President McKinley in the Philippine question, has been exactly in line with that of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Polk, and all other presidents under whom the area of the country has been increased. The speech waea fine tribute to the

greatness, the statesmanship and the patriotism of President MoKinley. In the evening there was a great parade of Rough Riders and torchlight procession, which filled the whole of Washington street, from its east end to the river bridge. After the toroh lights parade, Col. K, P. DeHart of Lafayette, made one of his always able and patriotic speeches, also in the big tent. It was a great day and a great orowd; and it fully proved that the Republicans of Jasper county are more numerous, more united and more enthusiastic than they have ever been before. Estimates of the crowd differ widely, as always, ranging from 5,000 to over 10,000. It was even larger than 10,000, is the opinion of one very old resident, who is not a Republican, either. Victory is in the air and next Tuesday will put au end to Bryanism.