Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1908 — MAMMOTH CROWD HEARD BEVERIDGE [ARTICLE]

MAMMOTH CROWD HEARD BEVERIDGE

Senator Made Speech that Proved His Ready Wit and Masterful Grasp on Political Questions.

The big tent was crowded Thursday by something like 2,600 or 3,000 men, women and children, who congregated to hear for a few mniutes one of the greatest of America’s statesmen, a self-made man who by his own efforts rose from the ranks ! of poverty to be a United States sen- ■ ator, and who has made a name for

himself more than nation wide as an honest, vigilent law maker. In whose hands the interests of all classes of citizenship are carefully guarded; a man opposed to all national evils and whose record as a senator is for clean, government, fair dealing and an honesl application of all laws. It was Senator Beveridge himself that the people had come to see, and it was his reputation as an orator that caused them to want to hear him. Most people had made up tbeir minds on the issue, but they wanted them discussed by one of the great men of the country. Most readers of metrop 1itan newspapers had read speech s made by Senator Beveridge and liked the keen logic of them, and wan’ed to get the language first hand. The special car that Senator Beveridge was traveling on did not reach here until a little as er 2:30, more than a half hour behind thne 1 ut the big, good natured crowd patiently awaited his coming. Finally the automobile that brought him to the’ tent in Milroy park was sighted coming up Washington street and tie engine at he crusher plant whistled and tl e crowd in the tent gave a prolonged shcut and then quieted down until Senator Beveridge entered tie tent. He was accompanied by County Chairman Leopold, County Clerk Warner, Geoige Ade, and one or two others, including a reprecentative of tie Indianap lis Star, and Mr. Eeveridge’s private sjcretary. The people were In a mood for a long demonstration, but the knowledge that the speaker c >uld remain but a short time, earned them to quiet down as soon as County Chairman Leopold beckoned to them to do so and then they responded by anot er hearty but short applause as Mr. Beveridge arose after the introduction.

Seeing the school children in tie rear of the tent, Mr. Beve idge said that he wished to take them for bis subject and he asked the parents and voters to consider which paity tf’ey could best depend upon to proper# feed, cloth and school them. Senator Beveridge then discussed some of ti e issues briefly, and then asked if there were any voters in the audience who were going to vote for Bryan. Several responded affirmatvely, anid then be asked if some of them would tell him why. A Union township farmer name 1 Smith, said, “Because he is a bet'er man than Taft." "Let ns see," raid the speaker and then he reviewed Uer lives, and without severe criticism of Bryan he showed conclusively that

Taft’s record of accomplishment 1 compared to Bryan’s record of talk gave the republican candidate far the best of tbe argument. ’ “We prove what a man Is,” said ( the senator, “by what he has done. Mr. Bryan is now 50 years old, and |he has never dong anything except talk. He has run for President twice and he will probably run three times more, He has never helped conduct the .government of a town, a city, a county, a state or a nation. Ha has never sat upon the bench and interpreted the laws of the country. He did help write the Wilson-Oorman tariff bill. Do any of you want any more of that?" This statement was answered with shouts of “No! No!” Taking up Mr. Taft, tbe senator told of his work as a judge; how he had never had one of his decisions reversed; how he had served as Governor of the Philippines; how he regenerated Cuba, and of his service In the Cabinet as secretary of war. “He is now building the Panama Canal,’ - said the senator, “the greatest undertaking the world has known, and be has not had one single disturbance with the 80,000 wurklnmen employed in that undertaking. He hes been a counsellor pf three Presidents —Harrison, McKinley and Roosevelt—and he has never fatted them. Now, my friend, are you satisfied?’’ “Yes,” the man replied. “Is Taft backed by Teddy?” shouted a man In another part of the tent. “He is,” returned the senator. “1 hope he is, and he will have the in-, dorsement of the whole America s people.”

“How about the guarantee of bank deposits?” demanded another man. “My friend," said Senator Beve'idge, "if Mr. Bryan is elected do you believe you would have any bank deposits to guarantee?’’ The senator then discussed the failure of the McCoy and Good land banks and explained how he believed Mr. Bryan’s bank deposits guarantee would produce "will cat” banks if put into operation. He told how the plan had failed in New York. "Now, my friend,” said the senator, turning again to the man who had questioned him, “are you satisfied.” "Yes,” the man replied. At Monon, where the train arrived at 3:30 and where the senator wes taken to a speakers’ stand on the p»>lic square, he plunged into the injunction question. • After Senator Beveridge had concluded his speech Attorney Geo. & Clarke, of South Bend, spoke for a t hour. At night State Senator Will R. Wood addressed a large crowd at the opera house. Both of the e speeches were appreciated and were full of uneontrovertable support <f the republican policies, both state ai d national.