The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-11
PORT BYRON CELEBRATES
The Nomination of Clevela and Hen.
bricks With a ROusing
Mass Meeting.
The Town Alive With Democracy Sat.
Hrday Night--.Able Addresses
by Different Speakers.

bled under the auspices of the Cleveland
and Hendricks club, all organization
which is bound to do much good in the
campaign now inaugurated Active
preparations for the event had been IN
progress the day before, and there is no
doubt that every detail was carefully at
tended to, for there was never a meeting
more nicely conducted.
Through the courtesy of Mr.. John 7.
Kenworthy. an ARGUS representative had
the pleasure of delightful ride along the
river road to Port Byron Saturday even>
ing, passing through Moline about six
o'clock The refreshing evening air
waited over the ripping waters of the
Mississippi was enough to charm the
senses, 10 say nothing of the beau
tiful scenery presented on every side Ar
irving at Hampton our eyes were greeted
by the sight of an elegant flag, which
was hung directly over the road, bearing
the words Cleveland and Hendricks"
At one side of the road was standing 60
foot pole pointing skyward, as straight as
an arrow, which had been erected only a
few hours before by the good democrats
of Hampton. The truly loyal were busy
getting ready to proceed to Port Byron
to join in the jolliication there, and
procession soon started headed by band.
A large flag was also suspended in Rapids
City, where We halted for supper at the
hostelry of John Vogel, where an excel
lent spread was in waiting. Port Byron
was reached Just as the crowd was as
sembling at the hall where the meeting
was TO take place. The Port Byron cor>
net band, under the leadership of Mr.. c.
C. Coyne, dlscoursed some pieces OF
very choice nature from the balcony.
while the people passed into the hall
below.
The hall used was built for skating
rink, and will be used for that purpose
this winter Although us seating capac>
ity is very large, the immense crowd
which assembled Saturday evening made
standing room only, necessity. ard in
fact some failed to gain admittance.
Messrs. NJ. Y. Cannon, of Davenport, p.
OMara, James Byrnes, M. NJ. Corbett,
Geo, W. Henry and E. W. Hurst had ar
rived during the afternoon. Shortly after
eight o'clock, Mr.. Fred Gates,
president of the club, called the
meeting to order He thought the meets
iGg was one of which the democrats of
Port Byron should be proud, for hereto
fore they only cast few votes, and the
great enthusiasm which he now saw man
Tested was evidence that the democrats
were up and doing, He then introduced
Mr.. NJ. '. Cannon, the first speaker of
the evening. Mr.. Cannon made a short
but spirited speech, and he was frequently
interrupted by applause. He referred to
the SANDER which was being circulated
against Cleveland, and denounced the
author of it in unmeasured terms. He did
not think the people of this country
wanted to pry into the closets of their
neighbors and endeavor to injure their
regulations by starting scandalous stories
about them. The gentlemen severely
criticised the record of James G. Blaine,
and bore especially on his transactions
with the Little Rock railroad, which he
showed to be shameful piece of dishon-
estv At the conclusion of his remarks
the band played lively air, and then Mr..
Kenworthy was introduced to the audi,
ence.
The speaker commenced by saying that
the people were all working for one COM
mon purpose-the economical administra
ton of the affairs of our government
The difficulty is that we differ in opinion
as to how this is to be accomplished. He
was there to give few simple reason:
why the democratic party was the best IL
support in order to OBTAIN the principles
for which we are striving. He coincideC
with the platforms of all the parties; they
were virtually the same. But how abou
the performance of these promises? We
can only judge the future by the past. |
a party has made promises and not per
formed or kept them, we cannot trust it
He went on to show that the republican
party never carried out its pledges o
reform. The heavy taxes they were i'm
posing on an oppressed people; the givin:
away of public lands, the reform of tn
civil service. None of these pledges wer
fulfilled, but each year the burden be
comes greater and the expense of runnin,
the government is still increasing. He re
ferred to the great danger of an enormou
surplus in the treasury, which was con
trolled by few designing men; the steal
which are continually going on in all de
partments, and the distressing circumstan
ces of the masses, who were having grea
difficulty to obtain livelihood. Fl
urged the democrats to stand firmly an
they would be successful in the fight
Mr. Kenworthy's speech was an abb
effort, and if space would permit we woul
give it in its entirty.
Chairman Gates then introduced Mr.. /
w. Hurst, who he said would be the ne1
states attorney of Rock Island county
Mr.. Hurst said that the campaign had, &
this early stage, presented some feature
without parallel in any previous politi
cal contest in this country. The disai
lection of such large number of inf1uer
tial republicans against the candidate fc
president had never before been vii