Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1908 — REPUBLICAN MEETING WAS A HUGE SUCCESS [ARTICLE]

REPUBLICAN MEETING WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

Posey Made Great Speech and Gowdj Met Hundreds of Old Neighbors —A Good Time Generally.

Col. Frank B. Posey delivered the main address for the republicans at the big Thursday meeting and he had for his audience a largp crowd of interested men and women, and they gave him tne most rapt attention. He assailed the efforts of the latter day democrats to stir up class differences and praised the republican party for its constructive legislation throughout its history. He defended the tariff, gave the republican party credit for the effort to regulate the trusts and great corporations, and he was familiar with the affairs of the country since before the war and told how the tariff had resulted in the lessening of the price of steel rails, of silk, and of other things, because it gave employment to American labor and resulted In the discovery and use of labor saving machinery. At one time Mr. Posey Summoned all the power of voice he had and called out, “Never, never, never, my democratic friend, no matter what you .wish to do or to believe, permit yourself to be guilty of stirring up the hatred of the poor for the more fortunate." He showed that the poor have not bear getting poorer, but that they are now in better circumstances than they ever were before. Opportunity has always been afforded to the man of brains and bravpa under the republican administrations of this government, and it has always been a government of, for ‘and by the people, and their voice rules, and they have endorsed the management of the government’s affairs by refusing to be carried away by frivllous issues and uncertain promises. Mr. Posey’s speech was regarded as one of the best campaign speeches ever made here.

After he had finished Capt. Gowdy was Introduced and he spoke but briefly, telling of the time’ he used to live in this county and mentioning the names of some of the residents of this city some fifty years ago. He then made a few remarks of a political nature and concluded his speech by speaking of the veterans of the civil war and singing “Marching Through Georgia,” the audience joining in in the chorus. After he was seated Morris Jones, of Newton county, was called to the platform, and sang the verses and chorus of “From Mexico to Maine.” Just as he finished the last verse Captain Gowdy stepped up to his side and together they sang another verse and the chorus of “Marching Through Georgia,” and there was many a wet eye in the large audience. When the singing was over and County Chairman Leopold was giving out some campaign literature John E. Alter, "Bill Bat,” of Union township, pleasantly surprised** the audience by reading a Dutch dialect composition of his own, that was so brim full of wit and recalled so pleasantly the days of long ago that the audience was kept in a constant uproar. It was like an old time rally and patriotism and happiness were hand in hand. . Then Captain Gowdy received the old friends of his early boyhood in Jasper county, giving each a hearty hand shake as they passed by and uttered their names to him. It was a grand reunion and was worth all the effort that home coming cost. This Friday morning, Mr. and Mrs. Gowdy, accompanied b? Geo. Pumphrey, went over to h’is old home farm, in the west side of Newton township, and to the grave yard where his father was buried.