THE OMAHA DAILY HEE: SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER 27. 190.1.
HARMONY THE WATCHWORD AMONG DOUGLAS COUNTY REPUBLICANS
I
16
Full Text of the Speeches Delivered at
' the Mass Meeting Held at Wash
ington Hall Friday Evening.
Following Is the full stenographic report
of the upwchti delivered at the republican
mill meeting at Washington hall on Fri
day evening. In the order of the apeakera:
H. A. Foster.
Fellow Republicans and Gentlemen: Tou
all know what we are called together for.
Thla la a harmony meeting, a aort of a
love feest In the republican party. Thla
movement wa started by the McKlnley
club aome montha ago, and we have worked
along that line, and thla la the flrat general
meeting we have had. I now call thla meet
ing to order and aak Senator Millard to
take charge of It and act aa chairman.
Senator Millard.- N
Oentlemen and Fellow Republicans: I
sajme that you have all read the call that
ha been published two or three days, and
aa we are all anxious to come together, I
take It that the gentlemen who are pres
ent are Inclined to stand with us and try
and see If we cannot bring ourselves to
gether so that at the coming election there
will bo no difference among republicans.
(Applauae.)
I have been a republican for many years
and voted a great many tlmea for men who
"were on the ticket that were really not ac
ceptable to me, but I have made up my
Wind after many years that the only thing
for a republican to do Is to vote the ticket
from beginning to end, and I hop the gen
tlemen In this meeting will all feel the
necessity of coming together and seeing If
we cannot make a success at the coming
lection. "We all know how easy It Is to
pull apart and sometimes how hard It la to
get together, but this Is one time when we
should combine and try and carry the elec
tion at the coming November. We should
try and get together so that at the coming
election we can get together, not only In
county and city, but In the state and na
tion, and that next year we will not only
elect the president and vice president, but ,
also the congressman, our governor and all
the state officers, a'.so the legislative ticket,
as we expect to elect a United States sen
ator at that time. I feel the necessity and
Importance, and hope you feel that we can
get together and make success sure, not
only at this coming election, but all future
lections. (Applause.)
Itobert Cowell.
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Republicans:
It altorda me great pleasure to stand be
fore this audience tonight, because I feel
It augur well for the success of our party,
both for this year and next. I am in no
aense a speaker and least of all a public
speaker. I take It that I have been called
upon to say a few words tonight because
I have attended every meeting, I believe,
that has been held In this city In the In
terest of harmony. These meetings were
first held In the Millard hotel In this dry.
There wer a few gentlemen from both fac
tions In th party. I hate to use that word
and hop after tonight w will never again
hear of two faction' la the. republican
party. (Applause.)
At tb Instance of the McKlnley club a
number of gentlemen were asked to meet
In the Millard hotel with a view, If pos
sible, to wiping out differences, real or
Imaginary, which seemed to exist In the
party. We labored week after week and
seemed to accomplish little. I began to
feel It was love' labor lost, but, I say It to
the credit of th McKlnley club, which Is
composed of young men, that they did not
feel as I felt, and they still kept up the
good work. Sine that time we have had a
number of meetings, on an average of two
a week. These meetings have been at
tended actively by those who were sup
posedto be affiliated with what waa known
during th laat election a the machine
wing of the party.
At first blush, th average man who Is
not In sympathy with the "machine" wlould
be liable to conclude that these gentlemen
wer getting together t these meetings
for th purpose of putting up a job on
th party. Fortunately for us, at a number
of our meeting certain gentlemen attended
who wer associated with the other wing
of th party. I waa also glad to see them
there, because they, better than we, could
Impress their friends with th purpose
and objects of these meetings. These
people wer called together with a view to
first harmonising themselves. For, I want
to say to you, gentlemen, that soma differ
rices had apparently arisen in our own
wing. W first wanted to And out whether
ther was an earnest deslr on the part of
our people for harmony, whether they were
desirous to hold out th olive branch to
the other side or to go It alone. I have
never attended meetings where ther
eemed to bo fuller and freer expression.
X never attended meetings where there
eemed to be fairer or more kindly disposed
sentiments apparently felt and expressed
and I want to say to you, gentlemen, that
If any of these prominent men associated
with th "machine" faction have something
hid up their sleeve I have bee a unable to
dlsoover It
We have arrived, among ourselves, at
what I think Is a fair conclusion. There
Is a disposition on our side to meet the
other side -more than half way. To give
them liberal and fair representation on the
ticket. In the hope that they will join with
us and that we will present a united party
when we go to th polls and get for the
republicans such offices as w think they
are rightfully entitled to have. Th meet
ings that I have attended remind ma a
great deal of th experience meetings that
X was In the habit nf ttAndlnv wh.n -
boy. When I first went Into trade I waa
........ .
l"u,"l"u "" " """,uu"1 persuasion
and w wer In th habit of holding ex-
patience meetings, so as to prepare for
revivals. To night I hope ws will have a
genuine old-fashioned Methodist revival.
(A voice: "Amen." Cheers and laughter).
I do hop that If ther have been any
differences In the past, and there must
have been some differences, that they will
be forgotten and that w will go from this
hall aa republicans and not as republicans
of the . "machine" or "anti-machine." X
thank you. (Applauae.)
Byron K. Bsrkssk,
Fellow Republicans and Fellow Citizens:
Had I chosen th Urn and th occasion
when this meeting could have assembled
for thla purpose, I would have .selected the
time Immediately following th coming
convention. However, being one of Ihs
numerous republicans In this community, I
could not well refrain from signing ths
catl that waa presented to m for the pur
pose of assembling here this evening In
order that we might bring about. If pos
sible, a better condition of harmony In th
rank and file of th republican party of
this cfty and county. Ws are all sattefled
with each and every nomination and en
dorsement that ha been made for the fill
ing of oiBc ta be ailed In this county. In
this legislative district, .In th state and
In th nation. W do not believe It can be
safely aald by any republican In either wing
of the republican party In this county that
the Judicial ticket will not receive the
unanimous support of all republicans In
this judicial district (Applause.)
I believe that I speak with full assurance
and with fidelity to the republican party
when I say that each and every republican
In thla city does honor to the man
and honor to hia vote when he caats his
vote for Judge Barnes for Judge of the su
preme court of this state, lie Is a dis
tinguished gentleman, a learned lawyer,
and honest, and these three things put him
In the best possible condition for the work
ing out of the destinies of the people
through our tribunals. It cannot be said
by anyone who Is acquainted with the Ju
dicial ticket nominated for this Fourth Ju
dicial district that these men are not emi
nently qualified fer the positions to which
they have been nominated, or that they do
not possess In remarkable degree integrity
In themselves and the confidence of the
people. And this, further, that they have
a state pride, and that state pride has been
expressed in our choice of a candidate for
vice president of the United States Hon.
John L. Webster (great applause) our man.
As we have associated with him from day
to day, from year to year, and he has gone
In among us, we have aomewhat forgotten
the colossal standing of thla, our friend and
citizen and neighbor. Those who have been
viewing him from a distance are better
able to aee and to measure his status as
an American cltlsen, aa a lawyer and as a
jurist, than any of u who have been closely
connected with him. And we shall take
this opportunity of rallying to him and
doing everything that we can that he may
attain thla last distinguished honor which
the state has so kindly given him.
So much for the work of the conventions
that have already assembled. We are now
on the eve of the primary election. A set
of rules has been put in force by the so-
called anti-machine wing of th republican
party In this county which are eminently
fair and which give to every republican In
this county a free and untrammeled choice.
(Applause.) I for one stand for those rules.
I stand for the fair and legitimate Interpre
tation of them, and the carrying Into full
force and effect according to their spirit
and effect. I do not stand here to defend
for on moment any system by which that
choice will be eliminated and the purposes
of the rules defeated. What Is the natural
result, then, of the present situation? All
the candidates who can be voted for In the
coming primary election are now before
the people. While I have my own political
and personal friends among those people,
no matter whether my men are nominated
by th coming convention, or those who
have affiliated with the opposite wing to
the one with which I have been connected,
I shall support that ticket from top to
botton. (Applauae.)
I believe that political parties are, best
controlled by majority rule. I believe that
the foundation upon which th soclal.com'
pact Is built Is mad from the very best of
our republican form of government the
right of th majority to rule Is best worked
out by the action of the majority of our
people In republican conventions assembled,
Bo that when the convention has adjourned
I am willing to take those nominees, make
them my personal and political friends, and
do everything In my power to elect them
at the coming election. (Applause.)
This call, I take It, was made In good
faith. We so understood It when we came
here and joined In this meeting; yet this
evening, after having taken thla In the best
possible good faith, I opened th columns
of The Omaha Bee and read from the
editorial page an editorial, wrliten, I
presume, by the 'manager, editor and
proprietor of th Omaha Dally News
(Laughter) one who signed this call with
me and with others who signed this call
on which ther must be placed a peculiar
construction, whatever may be the occasion
of this.
When I waa a boy we , used to hunt
rabbits. Frequently some of us used to
tart to , congregate together and build
fences, and they used to start In a V shape,
and at the end we had a trap, and w used
to get rabbits aa well as we could run
them Into that V shaped trap, and get
sometimes a good many, sometimes not
many; and as I read this article In The
Evening Bee I wondered If this was a rab
bit trap. (Applause) And I want to read
It now to you for your consideration, and
whatever I have to say her thla evening
Is said In perfect good faith and with per
fect fairness, and with the desire that our
republican ticket shall be elected. (Ap
plause. From th audience: "This Is to
catch votes, and not rabbits" Loud ap
plause.) This editorial you will bear' with
me, as It Is short:
THB LINE OF DEMARKATION.
The rank and file of the republicans of
Douglas county earnestly desire the ob
literation of faotlonal difficulties that have
for many years divided the party In this
country and enabled the democratic
minority to occupy nearly all the Im
portant political positions within th virt
and harmony the party must, however,
I n't aacrlilce the public Interest or
Jeopardise the success of Its nominees In
the impending campaign by Ignoring the
two essential prerequisite competency
and honesty as passports to public and
favor and public office.
I en dose
trouble:
that sentence. Here la the
Harmony does not necessarily mean that
every member of the party stands plodaed
to the support of men disqualified for the
positions honor and trust by Indefensible
' r"rds or disqualified for the duties that
ecoroa or aisq
tould devolve
l wouiu aevoive upon them liy lack of ca.
, pacify. Here la the line of demarkatlon
o solidify and unify the irtv in iikm.ri
of an uiiacratched ticket the candidates on
the ticket must be clean, honest and capa
ble. Hackneyed pledges of supporting yel
low dors that are tagged with a conven
tion label will not Insure their election.
Nominations of unfit candidate tend to
drag down the whole ticket and cause the
defeat of candidates who otherwise would
be sure of election.
Now, I would like to ask at this time of
th distinguished editor of The Omaha Bee,
who carries the conscience of his paper with
him, whether or ot that editorial, written
upon the eve of thla meeting, participated
In, I believe, by the men who are here
present In the beat of good faith, waa In
tended, or does not. or purports to mean, or
can be construed to mean, that after our
republican county convention has adjourned
If he aee fit to scratch any man on that
ticket he feels at perfect liberty to do so.
And I shall expect when he comes on he
will say something In regard to th mean
ing of those words In the editorial which I
have just read. (Applause. Vole from
audience: "Good.")
Irrespective, however, of any position
which he may take In the columns of his
paper, or personally irrespective of the
position which, any republican may tike,
either for or against any set of candidates.
I myself stand for the candldatea that are
omlaatcd and shall stand for and support
the ticket that Is nominated In the coming
election. It la not right to say that with a
full 1,000 majority we should leave the best
offices In the gift of the people In the
charge and control of the democratic p:rty.
There Is nothing in the whole history of
the democratic party which warrants them
In assuming charire of the discharge of
a single trust which the people have to
give and Which can be given to the re
publican party. We do not quarrel with
the personnel or the Individuals, but th
republican party Is fairly In th majority.
With Its vote solidly and honestly cast
every office) In the gift of th people In this
community will find a safe officer In th
ranks of the republican party. (Applauae.)
The republican party has had too long
and too honorable a career to be side
tracked In a metropolitan city like Omaha
for the feeling of any one or any dosen or
any hundred republicans that stay In our
eommunlty. This so-called factional feel
ing In this city, that, when the convention
has adjourned, leaves th nominees of the
convention open to be stricken down is
despicable In every respect and can not be
justified from any standpoint. (Applause.)
So that here In this meeting of republicans,
having for Its fundamental purpose the
harmonizing of the different elements In
the party, If every man will carry Into full
force and effect that which I presume he
will pledge himself to do this evening, and
use his Influence to that end, the republican
ticket will be elected in this city. In this
county and in thla state by a very large
majority.
So, I thank fou, gentlemen, for your con
sideration. (Applauae.)
Mayor Moorea.
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Republicans:
Tou must not expect me to make any ex
tended remarks tonight, because I am not
physically able to do so, but I want to con
fine myself to that great and glorious word
harmony, with a big II. Brother Burbank
said that If he had a choice of when har
mony would take effect It would be after
the next convention. If I had any choice
when harmony should' take effect It would
have been about last April, right In this
hall. (Applause and laughter.) I have al
ways been for the republican ticket after
the nominations. In '95 I was foolish
enough to run for a third term as clerk of
the district court and I got It In the neck!
I didn't sulk, but I went out and did what
I could tq help my opponent, Albyn Frank,
and I went out of politics. I supposed that
I was out of politics. A year went by and
the boys remembered my republicanism and
that I was always for the ticket after the
nomination, and they gave me th nomi
nation for mayor. I was elected. Three
years rolled around, and I waa nominated
again, and I was elected. Three years roll
along, and without harmony I was nomi
nated and elected. (Applause.) Now I am
ready to bury the hatchet. I am ready to
accept any republican nominated at the
coming convention, no matter how much
sugar I have got to put In the pill to get It
down, I will swallow It (applause), I pre
lum. What Is the use of our throwing away all
of the best offices In the county Just because
we do not want the other fellow to play In
our back yard? It is all foolishness. Let
us get together, and, as It Is said, "beat the
common enemy." I hav got to b very
careful In what I say about the common
enemy, because It has been a mighty good
enemy to me. (Applause.) But, as Grant
said, "Let us have peace. If w have got
to fight for It." (Applause.) Gentlemen, I
can't talk any more., I feel feeble, but I
will tell you one thing: Tou will always
know where Frank Is he ls'always with
th ticket, after It Is nominated, and don't
forget It. I will be with you this time.
Thank you. (Much applause.)
The Chairman: There Is no question
where the mayor Is. He certainly Is going
to be with us. (Applause.)
A. W. Jeweri.-
Fellow Citizens: I for one love and
revere the history of the republlean party.
I for one owe allegiance and believe In
th great principles of our party. I lov
to think that back In the years of ' '60
the backwoodsmen cam forth In Illinois
and took up the cause of republicanism.
Abraham Lincoln loved bis fellow men. Ue
believed In a government of the people,
by the people and for the people. He
voiced th sentiments of the men of that
period and they rallied around him and he
became the1 first great leader of the repub
lican party. From his day to this th
republican party has been a great agency
In the freedom of government that has
affected not, drily this nation, but ' all
nations of the world. Abraham Lincoln
and the republican party believed In human
lights and In human liberty, and under
their leadership the shackles of 4,000,000 of
slaves were broken and the ballot was
handed to them. The republican party has
at all tlmea kept In touch with the thought
and the sentiment of the people and for
that reason It has been the great party of
progress. Th republican party has been a
great factor In . the dissemination of In
telligence. It baa fostered schools, en
dowed universities and laid th broad
primary work for. th young American
training and education that they may
cope with the questions of th world, and
one of the great teachings of th great
universities Is Independence of action.
Still, at the present time the younger gen
eration of the United States is not at lib
erty. Is not willing, to follow everything.
no matter where it may lead them. W
want something to say. Every republican
ticket must necessarily go before th bar
of public opinion, and If It Is going before
the bar of public opinion and expects the
public to support the republican party, to
rally to the support of Its standard bear
era, each one of those republicans must be
consulted In the making up of th ticket.
(Applause.)
Individuality la going to establish Itself
more in the next fifty years than It has
In the past. We see It In Wisconsin, we
see it In Illinois and Indiana and other
states in Minnesota, and likewise In Iowa.
Feeling that that Is th spirit that Is actu
ating the spirit of the American people, be
lieving that that la the cause which has
caused the defeat of the republican party
In Douglas county In the past the two fac
tions in the party, the rank and file, hav
come to the conclusion that they have
nothing to say, and therefor are not bound
by what they do. Th rules have been
adopted by the central commute and
placed before th free citizen of this
county.
I hav confidence In th member of the
republican party. I feel that they know
In their own minds who they want, and
that they will register that decree when
they hav a chance at this coming primary
election. All I hope and trust Is snd what
I believe will produce absolute harmony
and auccessful election this fall of the en-1
tire republican ticket, is that those affiliat
ing with the anti-machine wing and those
Identified with the machine republicans will
keep their hands off th slat In this con
vention and let the people make their
cholce. (Applauae, loud and prolonged )
I would like to see It tried, and I would
like every one tonight to take that thought
close to bis home, 4nd remember that the
republican party of Douglas county does
not sit upon the platform here. (Turning
to gentlemen seated on platform. Ap
plauae.) Let us remember that around th
firesides throughout this cltj, Buatth Omaha
and the country. In the heart and mind and
soul, all hav soma objective place for good,
courageous men of the republican party.
Let us listen -to them and follow them.
(Applause.)
W. J. Coanell.
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Republicans of
Omaha: Aa drover Cleveland one aald,
"W ar confronted with a condition, arM
not a theory." While It la true w hav
this grand old republican party, which my
friend who Just took his seat so splendidly
eulogised; while It la true w have these
great, grand, glorious leaders of the past
and present; while It Is true that Omaha
can roll up, where the party stands united,
a majority of at least 1.G00 for the repub
lican ticket, and while It Is true that th
county of Douglas can do equally aa well,
we look across to th left, to that fine
building on th eminence, and find It filled
with democrats. (Voice, "Who done ItT")
Who put them there? Cross-purposes
among republicans Is what did It. If we
stood united. It would never have occurred.
That applies to the county court house. It
applies aa well In a measure to the city hall.
The city hall Is In part filled with democrats,
and what caused that? Th disloyalty of
the republicans. Now, then, what we ought
to do la to quit fighting among ourselves
and present a solid and united front to the
enemy, and then we will elect our entire
ticket. (Applause.) '
If we are going to hav harmony, we
must not disagree too much. I cannot
help disagreeing a little with my friend
Burbank along the same line as regards
the matter of the time of holding harmony
meetings. I agree with Mayor Moores on
that point. It Is an easy thing to be In
favor of harmony and elect a ticket. If
you or your friends happen to be on that
ticket, but if the other fellow wins out,
It Is quite another question. What wa
ought to do Is to do as we are doing to
night. To get together and talk these
matters over. Settle these past differences,
If w can, and go and elect the ticket that
will be nominated at the next convention,
as will certainly be the result If we only
present a solid front to the enemy. (A
voice: "The gophers will do It If th
machine will." Laughter.)
It Is suggested that we hav a judicial
ticket As I understand It, It Is not In
order to- canvaa candidates that are to
com before the conventions. I think It Is
proper, however, for me to refer to our
distinguished cltlsen, Hon. John L. Web
ster, the next vice president of the United
States. (Applause.)
I think It Is all right to refer to the splen
did judicial ticket that we hav nominated
and bespeak for It the united aupport of the
republican party. I am glad to hear every
one who has preceded me express their de
sires to do that. What have we on th
other side? We have a sort of mixed-up
combination, that Is, neither one thing or
the other. Neither fish, flesh or fowl. I
have a great deal of admiration for a good,
clean democrat. I have a good deal of ad
miration for a true-blue republican, but not
for the man, who claims to be a repub
lican, who will accept a democratic nomina
tion and run on that ticket for the pur
pose of beating a republican. . (Loud ap
plause.) With regard to that, I feel a good
deal aa th Irishman did that went Into the
restaurant and asked the waiter for some
thing to eat The waiter brought a plate
of hash and set it down In front of him.
Th son of the Emerald Isle, daintily turned
It over with his fork, and said: "What is
that?" "That Is hash," said the waiter.
"Take It away," said the Irishman, ''and
let them that chewed It ate It." Bo I say,
let them that put up that mongrel ticket
elect It. Let that little coterie of lawyers
who undertook to dictate to th people of
Douglas county, let them. If they can, elect
that ticket Let us present a sllod front
and work up this feeling of harmony. It Is
a very nice thing, and an easy thing for my
friend Moores to get up here and talk for
harmony. It Is a little easier for him than
for some of the rest of us. (Laughter.)
At th first harmony meeting there was
present Mr. Hunter,' Mr. Brunlng and my
self. I want to say these two gentlemen,
and perhapa It will not be charged up as
being egotistical to sny I joined them In
th expression, regardless of what has hap
pened In the past, we were each and all
In favor of working up a sentiment for
peace among the republicans of Douglas
county without regard to whether its can
didates were machine or antl-machlna men.
We should work up, cultivate and bring
about results that we are all looking for.
I recognize the right of republicans to
differ among themselves, up to a certain
point Up to the point of th meeting and
action of the convention. Then we should
all be republicans and stand by the nom
inees of our party. The nominees aa deter
mined by that convention. I may favor a
certain party for sheriff; you may favor
some one else. That Is all right to work
up a sentiment for that man and make a
combination, or slate. If you can, In order
to bring about th nomination of your
man, th man whom you regard as the
most worthy and capable, and thosa you
most deslr to aee fill the office, but when
the convention has spoken and the candi
dates before that convention hav become
th nominees of the republican party, then
they should receive our united support,
and If w will only work along those lines
w will see good results.
I am glad to see such a large represent
ative republican gathering her tonight.
Not republicans of one faction or republi
cans of another faction. We must be on
and recognize no faction. We hav the
anti-machine, which la really another nam
for a machine. We all know that you can
not reach party success or success In
any 11ns, a church or anything else,
without machine. Tou have to hav
some organization, and when you have
organization, that organisation Is nothing
more than a machine, but the machine
shall not be arbltary, but should
work to th end .of electing the reubll
can ticket, after the convention has acted,
and I com to this meeting, for the pur
pose of working up that sentiment In that
direction. (Applauae.)
H. C. Brosae.
Mr. Chairman, Fellow Republicans and
Gentlemen: This is the first harmony meet
ing I have attended. I hav not had th
pleasure of attending any of th preliminary
meetings, and I do not know just what has
occurred at those meetings. I came here
tonight and I am here now, on the
supposition, and with the understanding,
that thla meeting was called for the pur
pose of promoting the interest of the
republican party In Douglas county, and If
possible secure the election of the county
candidates this fall. I suppose I have been
Invited to say something, because I have
been somewhat actively Identified with what
Is known as the antl-marhlne wing of the
republican party. (Applauae.)
I hop In what I may aay that I will
say nothing that 1 at all out of keeping
with what I understand to be the primary
object and purpose of this meeting, and
th advancement of the republican party
and the election of its candldatea. I have
this to say, however. If there ar any
republicans In the city of Omaha, and
Douglas county, who ought to be In favor
of harmony. It la the wing of the party
that is denominated th anti-machine. W
ar about to determine who1 the candidates
of the party shall be, by a method that
we front the beginning hav Insisted was
right and proper. We ar about to de
termine who our candidates shall be by
going to th Individual voter and letting
them express their opinion. (Applause.)
We hav complained heretofore, and we
have suggested that factions existed In the
party. Criminations and recriminations
have occurred because It wa possible for
a purchasable delegation. In a certain re
gion, to be traded in a convention for
certain candidates. (Applause, a voice
"Good.")
W hav complained of such things. We
hav aald that they wer wrong. W have
said that they did not tend to build up
th republican party and make young men
respect It and want to be numbered among
Its membership. We have got rid of that
system and adopted one that calls th in
dividual member of the party Into the
place where he may exercise his Judgment
and say who he want. And, certainly,
If there Is anybody that ought to pledge
support to th nominees of the convention,
made up In that way, th antl-machlna
wing of th republican party in Douglas
county ought to do It I think I speak
for that wing. I think I speak for the
united voters of that wing of the party,
when I say to you, here tonight, that when
the primaries are over, and the candidates
aro selected, It will not make the slightest
difference whether they are men who hav
been heretofore known as machlns men or
not If they are the choice of the repub
lican votera at the primaries, they will
have the united support of the anti-machine
voters. (Loud applause.)
A word more with respect to this matter.
The antl-machlne members of the republi
can party do not arrogate to themselves
the right to say whether a candidate Is
honest or reputable. They leave that to
the voter, where It belongs, because It Is
not possible to suppose that the majority
of the republicans of Douglas county, un
trammeled in any way, except by the ex
ercise of their will and Judgment will go to
the polls and vote for dishonest and unfit
men, and they cannot do it this year, we
will all agree;' because yon can take the
list of candidates whose names are filed,
and there Is not a dishonest or disreputable
one of the whole primary ticket to b
Voted for. (Applause.)
There Is not the slightest excuse for any
member of the republican party to com
plain of th action of the people, the mem
bers of the party, th privates In th ranks,
at the primary election. I desire to aay
for the anti-machine republicans, that
whatever has happened In th past and
nothing has happened In the past that we
are here to apologize for (applause,)
whatever may have happened In the past
and whatever may happen In the future,
we are In good faith at this meeting. In
favor of harmony and pledge ourselves to
support the ticket that shall be nominated
at the primaries regardless of who It may
be. (Loud applause.)
E. J. Cornish.
Mr. Chairman and Fellow Republicans:
When the call Is for harmony I always
attune my voice to alng. (Applause.) I
object a little bit to being classified, be
cause I do not know of a single faction In
the republican party that I hav not fought
with when some other faction was fighting
against the republican ticket (Applause.)
But, as I recollect, the last time I had
the honor and pleasure of appearing In this
hall I seemed to be almost the only stump
speaker, outside of the candidates, that
they . could find for th republican tloket.
I feel that the old play expressed It when
It said: , "When they had agreed upon the
stage, their unanimity Is wonderful" ., ., u
As a matter of fact gentlemen, we have
had considerable trouble In this county
and I am not certain that It Is all over.
(Pleasantry.) But I notice that we have
reached a point where the rank and file
of republicans are tired of knifing and It
must be stopped. (Applause.) I hav
enough confidence In the ability and
shrewdness of politicians and know that
they all see the writing on the walL
(Laughter.) President Roosevelt is prac
tically assured of th nomination for presi
dent. For him to state who he desires
be a candidate for vice president Would be
Impolitic and unfair, but he has said that
the candidate for vice president should
come from the west, and that Is the one
thing that gives us great hope that our
distinguished citizen will be the next vice
president of the United States. (Applause.)
That remark of President Roosevelt Is
considered fit and proper, because aa on
of th leaders, or the great leader of the
republican party, he la giving advice and
recognising localities somewhat In selecting
the man who Is to run with him for that
Important position. In the memorable Chi
cago convention when Rosco Conkllng
marshaled th forces, and Grant, after the
contest In that convention, and Garfield
was nominated for president th friend of
General Garfield nominated Chester A. Ar
thur for vice president, because they
deemed It good policy to say to the minority
In that convention that their services war
desired, that their efforts In behalf of th
party would be appreciated.
We hav adopted in this city a new form
of primary. Thus, aU of ua who believe In
a popular government must believe that
the effect of this system of selecting candi
dates will be that good men will be se
lected, but w must remember that wa ar
not all politicians. A politician Is trained,
from th cradla, to get up In a convention,
after his competitor has succeeded, thank
ing his friends for the support and pledg
ing himself to the ticket. W usually have,
as my friend Burbank said, such a friendly,
harmonious meeting at the end of th con
vention. It was only at th last convention
that when that Urn came, one-half of the
convention wa not there. (Applause.) The
politician knows what Is the proper thing
to do, and they do it, but It behooves us all
who are here present to remember that the
great body of voters of the republican party
ar not trained In that manner.
How many people here know all of th
candidates before the coming primary? I
venture the statement that there Is not a
single candidate that we will vote for who
has 2,000 acquaintances in the city whom he
can call by, name. The people hav to
vote for these candidates on their reputa
tion and on the statements that are made
for or against them by others. I expect
for 'myself to prepare a slate of my own
and I expect to go forth and try and eleot
my friends as the men whom I desire to
see nominated. That Is a part of the duty
of the politician. It Is a pleasure to me.
I hav done It for years and shall continue
to do so, but I feel that every politician,
every man active In the affairs of th party,
owe a duty to himself and party at -this
time to control and allay phejudice rather
than to create It; to build up a sentiment
that we owe a duty which w should per
form. I hav had for myself a simple
rule that has always guided me satis
factorily when tempted to estray. That
rule is that when I participate In the
primary of a party I agree to give my sue
cectful opponent the same cordial support
ths I I would hav expected from him an!
his friends had my favorite candidal suc
ceeded. (Applause.) It Is a matter of
agi cement. It la a 'matter of goo J faith,
and if we could only begin here, at this
harmony meeting, to spread sentiment
through th city that Is what every
honorable man should do who participates
In our primaries; that It is a duty, an Im
plied contract that he should fulfill, then
we would do much to bring about harmony.
W should take Into consideration sums
other things. When w hav had th con
vention system, w have considered what
the country precincts wanted. We con
sidered what South Omaha wanted. - Ws
considered the different needs of th city
and w hsv made our candidates so as
to strengthen th party in all quarters.
We hav given nationalities represen
tation upon the ticket, not because a
foreign born cltlsen as such la entitled to
nomination, but because th foreigner take
a certain pride In any of their countrymen
who Is honored by th publlo at large, and
that when we honor a member of their
nationality by nominating him to some Im
portant o tnc we Increase his Influence, so
that he can be more useful to the party,
W hav always considered these things
In convention, but ther ta danger that
th great body of republican will not con
sider these matters, unless all stump
speakers from now on until election try
to teach th public, if you will pardon my
assumption thst a stump speaker can teach
anybody anything. They should endeavor
to teach -the publlo, that th locality of
th candldatea, th Interest that la back
of them, the men that they will be Induced
to aupport by placing certain candldatea
on th ticket, th occupation, whether
laborer or business man. so that th ticket
will not be composed of any one class of
men. All these should be considered at
th time th republican casta his ballot.
That should be a matter of argument In
the various club meetings that may be
held.
In that same connection comes the fac
tions. I was In the last convention. After
there was left but one-half of the conven
tion, the majority remained to nominate,
two of the principal offices and four of the
candidates for council, were named from
the opposition faction that had left
the hall. This was done because it was a
matter of policy, to show, no matter how
much the dissatisfaction might be, that the
republicans, the responsible wing that was
left was willing to recognize factions In the
Interest of harmony. (Applause.) That
may have resulted disastrously to Mr. Con
nell and a few other at that time, but the
principle was right and will win, and the
fact that we hav such a large representa
tive gathering a we have tonight of Influ
ential republican managers shows that we
are getting together. There should be no
secret organization with a view of knifing
the ticket and defeating the candldatea and
Injuring the party. This sentiment is grow
Ing, as it should hav grown years ago,
and In this next election we will hav a
united party, and th victory to which w
are entitled. I thank you.
A. Snnnder.
Mr. Chairman, Fellow Republicans and
Citizens: Thl Is one of the most harmoni
ous meetings that I hav attended. If thla
was a debate some would speak In favor of
harmony and some against harmony, but
It Is so harmonious tonight that ther Is
no dissenting opinion. It Is like the sub
ject which was brought up in a debating
society that broke up that society. The
question was: "Resolved, That we are
In favor of good government." It broke
up the society for th reason that there
was no negative. 8o with us, we ar all
In favor of harmony. That I a popular
subject upon which we can all speak. If
we had had harmony for the lt three or
four years the democrats would not fill the
city hall and the court house and other
county positions. The republican party Is
always magnanimous. It Is always willing
to concede to the democrats certain privi
leges. I think we will agree that they may
fill th county jail. . (Applause.)
Down In on of the southern states be
fore th war, a . close fisted, tight old
planter, had In his possession and
claimed to own certain staves, but he did
not half feed them. They were uneasy,
restless and fighting among themselves
and disconcerted. He called Uncle Mose up
and said, "Uncle Mose, I am getting tired
of this fighting and this dissension, this
quarreling among you, I want this to
stop. What I want Is mora harmony." Th
old colored gentleman said that "what we
r.-ar.t is mora uuinluy, mor hominy."
This Is what the anti-machine people want
They have not been recognized In a politi
cal sens. They want more hominy, in
th way of recognition. I think according
to the recognition among the speakers that
It Is the Intention and desire that harmony
shall prevail throughout the entire county.
Th republican party la the party of? har
mony, and mad up of Intelligent people,
people who know how to vote and know
their respective candldatea and who are
competent to Judge without th assistance
of any one. I do not know of any one of
the candidates who are dishonest and who
would not make a good officer If nomi
nated. W all may hav our choice. I
hav mine and you your. But what we
want now la simply that we hav no' dis
tinction after th convention, after th
nominations ar made. Ther has been no
remedy suggested aa to how harmony
should be obtained. I do not know that I
am able to tell you, but perhapa I might
make on or two suggestions. I would
suggest, as stated by on of th previous
speakers, that ther be no slate put up.
Let each Individual republican vote aa h
chooses for the several offices. (Applause.)
I suggest further, whether It b on fac
tion or the other, that there be no coercion
of any kind for the purpose of preventing
them from being voted for at the coming
primaries. Let every man have a chanoe.
These rules were adopted by th repub
lican party for the purpose of giving ach
Individual republican an opportunity to sx
press his choice aa he sees At for the sev
eral offices. Let us not at this time attempt
to nullify these rules by attempting to get
together and put up a slate. Let us b repub
licans and stand ahoulder to shoulder and
present a solid phalanx to the enemy. We
hav a majority In this county of over 1.00C,
and let the democrat have nearly all the
best offices. Let the antis treat the ma
chine fair and the machine people treat th
antls fair. There should be honesty In
politics, In business and in social circles.
Some people say this man is an honest man
In business, but you cannot trust him In
politics. The kind of men w want ar men
who ar honest In business and politics,
and men whom we can rely upon. Tou
gentlemen here who are posted and know
the several candldatea and know th duties
that devolv upon them hav sufficient In
telligence to vote your sentiments for th
proper party to fill th respective offices.
John L. Kennedy.
Mr. Chairman, and Everyone Seeking
Harmony: I was thinking as I sat here
how blessed It Is for brethren to dwell to
gether In unity, especially as they hav not
done It for a long time. When I cam to
th ball tonight, I looked at th list of
speakers and asked what I waa expected to
represent, the machine or anti-machine
forces. I was assured that I wa expected
to speak my sentiments that they simply
used m to fill In. I think, however, that
most of you who know me know that I will
speak my sentiments re gar dies of th pur
pose for which I waa placed on th list
(Applause.)
I believe In the necessity for a machine,
I hav never known a great party, I hav
never known a great movement to rua
without a machine. Looking to th local
machlns, I hav never had th pleasure of
riding on It, but I hav been run over by It
(Laughter.) It la not th machine I object
to, but I want to see th machine In Doug
la county big enough and broad enough to
carry th entire republican party. ' (Ap.
plause.) So long as th make-up of th
body politic I a It la w will hav th
different elements to satisfy. As Mr. Cor
nlsh suggested, you hav to do it with th
different nationalities In making up th
ticket I remember one In a county con
vention It was I waa present a a delegate.
It wa In th day of Mlk Lee you all re
member Mlk- (From th audience, "Mlk
ain't dead yet") Every place upon th
ticket had been filled but one. W had a
German, w had an Irishman, we had a
Bohemian, w had a Pol. W had every
nationality on earth but on. Finally Mlk
grot up and aald, "Mr. Chairman, w ar
making a mistake. W ar waknnln' th
ticket Ther la on element of th repub
lican party that la not represented, and
that la th American." (Applaus and
laughter.)
"Now," h gays, "ther I Jut on place
left on th ticket and I nominal Mr.
Smith to that office. He was born In th
United State. I believe that he stands
well with th American people, and I think
that he will add strength to the ticket If
w put him on." (Applause.) Now, w
hop that In th futur of th republican
party In this county and state It will not
b necessary to harmonise elements or
factions from thla time on. But In that
connection I want to say this much now:
That If you expect to have harmony In lh
republican party you hav got to exercise
th utmost good faith. Every republican,
every element In the republican party, must
exerclr good faith toward fellow republi
cans, and if you do not do this. If you inject
Into the political situation In this county
one element of bad faith, you will destroy
th effort of all your attempt at harmony.
If you do not at this time attempt to do
something In the way of being fair to th
candidates and representatives of the dif
ferent elements of the party, th element
which Ignores these rights will be charged
with bad faith. If we are going Into this1
campaign with a united front w hav got
to be fair to begin with. We hav got to
make th machine broad enough and big
enough to take In all the candidate. (Ap
plause.) i
I take Issue with' the remark mad by
Mr. Connell tonight that we hav met to
settle our differences. We ar her to bury
our differences! (Applause.) Tou remem
ber that In the heat of the first free silver
campaign th question was how badly Mr.
Bryan should be beaten, and w used to
tell the story about the man who had an
obnoxious mother-in-law, and she had gon
away on a visit and he suddenly received
a telegram which read, "Tour mother-in-law
is dead. Shall we embalm, burn or
bury?" He wired back, "Embalm, burn
and bury. Take no chance." (Applaus
and laughter.) Now, that I th action
which as republicans we ought to take
tonight. Don't let ua spend any mor Urn
talking about what ha been that Is
past Let us talk about what w should
be that Is before us. (Applause.) Thy
say that th only benefit which w de
rive from the past Is th experience for
the future. Let us look back upon tb
past and profit by It In that light, and, for
God's sake, Jet us stop talking about It I
(Applause.)
I remember ono when I was crossing th
Atlantic I saw a very distinguished look
ing man leaning over th stern of th ship.
He seemed to be enjoying the waves, but
he suddenly turned and said to th men at
his side: "Let us go to th bow of th
boat I don't car so much about wher
I hav been I want to know where I am
going." (Applause.) That Is what w want
to know about th republican party In this
county. - Prejudice must hav no place In '
our political campaign In th future If w
Hviiis, iU imrv ins uei result, i ua
not cut whether that prejudice la for th
machine (so-called) or agatnst It Person
alities from this tlm on should be tabooed.
umj may rviaie to in ncnes
of th candidates before th convention.
(Applause.) We all hav our own view.
W may not all be satisfied with the result,
but Isn't It likely to be true that the ma
jority of my party know mor than 1
know, be I ever so great? (Applause.)
Principle th principle of th party
should control and regulate th manage,
ment of the party. W ar not a party
without principle. W ar fighting today
an enemy so disorganised that It cannot
find It own principles, and If It did It
would not recognize them. When It cam to
the question of Identification th witnesses
would be Innumerable on both side of th
controversy. Th republican party stands
for principle that will bear discussion. Let
us turn our attention to them. Let u Isav
personalities out of th campaign, and w
will hav result that never hav
been achieved In thla county and
tate. It mean, If yon ' carry thl
Into' effect, that yon will hav a
higher degree of efficiency In publlo office,
because, while I do not claim that all th
brains ar In th republican party, I do
claim mat wiv rviuuuua Ntrvy lurmsnw
th brain power that move th destinies of
th nation and th state. (Applaus.) If -th
republican party cannot find men In It
officials who will administer th affair of
thl county and thl city In th highest de
gree of efficiency then they ar not to b
found In th state or In th county.
Think of Itl Talk about harmony I Do
you know that ther Is on man In this city
who can do mor for harmony In th re
publican party than any other hundred
man, and that I Mr, Edward Rosewatart
(Applause.) Ther Is not a man within th
sound of my vole Jonfght who doe not -recognise
his capacity, his untiring energy
and his power (applauae) who doe" not
believe that If from this time on his great
ability, hi influence and his great paper
will leave personalities out and stand for
the principles and the nominees of th
party, we will hav a republican party In
thl city that will aweep everything befor
It. (Aonlauae.) Talk about hhiuimmi
Let The Omaha Bee expand It energies
along strictly partisan lines and we will
hav no mor free silver heresies and not
very much democracy In this state. (Ap
plause.) We hav In thla coming campaign a
president who nam I a power In thl
western country. Let us hold him up, and
In holding him up w will hold up th
highest Interest of th American people.
(Applause) W hav among ua a candi
date for vie president, Hon. John L.
Webster. (Applause.) On of th greatest
men th United Stat ha known; on f
th greatest men th nation la destined to
know, and If w ar successful In placing -him
upon th ticket for vlo president
th United State. (Applaus. Bo mqoa
applaus that stenographer could not near
th speaker.)
If w do that I do not propoa t ap
pear In any meeting apologising lor th
nominee of my party. I woulda't need
to. Oentlemen, my tlm la up. I west
simply to lea with you on other thought:
Th great republican party, which from
Its birth has given this nation all of th
prosperity It has aver known, 1 today
confronted with aa many Important ques
tion aa aver tested tb wisdom of any
government. Th nation ha entered on a
new era. Innumerable problems relating
to our new territories ar to be sol red.
Let us not wast our tlm quarreling
among ourselves, but let us get together
and stand shoulder to shoulder, helping
to solve thes problems; helping to hold
up th hands of on of th greatest presi
dents thl. nation baa evsr known. (Ap
plaus.) Let us contribute th energy, th
wisdom that w have to th national eu,
r.
.1