St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-18
REPUBLICAN LEAGUE.
The Faithful Assemble in Min
neapolis to Talk Over the
Situation.
A Procession in the Evening
in Which 1900 Men Take
Part.
CongresSma Reed, of Maine,
Makes a Very Pleasant
Address.
Clark E. Carr Also TalkS--An
Overflow Meeting at Tur-
nep Hall.

cult 10 lllldSlUG. Ii WAS tNiucutly HO6
for consultation, as there was no inter-
change of views, no discussions nor re-
ports. The committees appointed
seemed to experience some difficulty in
finding anything to report about, and
the convention presented the appear
ance of having nothing in particular to
do. The convention could hardly
have been called for the pur-
pose of securing a large attend
ance upon the occasion of the
visit of Tom Reed, Maine, to MinneapO-
lis, as the meeting was held in thea
ter, which is invariably filled to its full
capacity upon occasions when no adj
mission fee is charged. The attend
ance was small, only about fifth of the
clubs being represented by delegates.
Hardly anything of Importance was
done, and the few speeches made by
local orators hardly amounted to more
than Off-nand talks. There was nOta-
BILE absence of men who are really
prominent in politics, and the whole at
fair considered as a convention, was a
failure.
The Peoples theater, at which the
convention was held, was neatly deco
rated in honor of the occasion. At noon
Hon. Il. Z. ByrneS, president of the
state league, raped for order, there
being about 200 delegates present who
were sprinkled about in vast area OF
empty seats. He delivered little pre-
liminary address which might be ell
titled ''What Are We Here FOr?" He
reviewed the work of the league and
claimed that 500 clubs have been or
ganized, with an aggregate membership
of $4,000. He thought they had accom-
plished much by educating the people
upon public questions. After a few
self-congratulatOry platitudes. he closed
by claiming Harrison Will carry In
diana by 10000, 10000 in New York,
5000 in Connecticut, 1900 in Michigan
and 0,000 in Minnesota. His estimate
for Minnesota while OccaSiOning cheers
indicates how reliable are his claims
concerning the other states.
He appointed the following commit
tees:
c. II. Strobeck, of Litchfeld; George
Monroe, Morris; l.. q. Nelson, KaSSen;
c. II. Mckinney, st. Paul; A. II. Hall,
Minneapolis.
Plan of further organizatiOn-W. W.
Braden, st. Paul; s. l.. Trussell, Min
neapolis; J. G. Halves, Red Wing; II.
S. Brandon, Litchfield; j. A. Lawrence,
Mortified.
NOl ~ NoollCs Dls
Paul: George Nelson, Glencoe; Frank
Day, Fairmount: William Buffers, Min
neapolis; c. ii. Rode, Spring Valley.
While he was engaged in making up
his committees the convention amused
itself by endeavOring to get some
one to make speech. A. j,
Blethen and Capt. Castle were
called for, but didn't respond,
William Hennery EusteS, however, did
with one of those camp meeting whineS
for which he is noted, in which he
made his usual reference to Blaine as
the ideal statesman and heir apparent
to the presidents chair. A greeting to
Gen. Harrison was decided upon, and
then adjournment was taken to 2:30.
THE AFTERNOON MEETING
was a failure in attendance, interest.
enthusiasm or anything else that would
constitute success. Admission to the
theateT was by ticket, and if the inten-
ton was to prevent OvercrOwding. it
was an unnecessary precaution, for
when Hon. Tim Byrnes appeared on
the stage thirty minutes after the time
announced for calling the convention to
order the audience that faced him would
hardly have been called flair house"
at a matinee. Thyle & RiDgWalTs
quartette sang several humorous cam
paIgn songs that created considerable
amusement.
G. ii. Strobeck read the report of the
committee on credentials, or rather gave
the names of the clubs represented, los
in number, the sum total of the dele
gates being 800. He accounted for this
rather slim showing, in the face of the
statement that there are 500 clubs in the
state, by saying that harvest is in
progress.
Capt. H. A. Castle next read a very
brief report of the committee on cam
paign work, which did not show any
position. 1t presented only such ideas
as are commonly carried out in cam
paign work, making a canvass, getting
up meetings, polling full vote, etc.
w. W. Braden'S report upon the plan
of further organization, read like an
effort to cOnjure up an excuse for the
existence of the league. He eulOgiZed
Hon. Tim Byrnes and Hon. James
Bixby, and urged that the state head
quarters should be retained.
At this point Hon. Tim Byrnes an
nOunced: ''COl.,-er-Maj. Blethen de-
sires to make an announcement"
MAI. BLETHEN
came forward, bluShing at the sudden
military prominence accorded him. He
diSliked to appear as an apolOgiSt, he
said. but Hon. Thomas B. Reed, of
Maine, would be conspicuous that after
noon by his absence. This was a disap-
pOintment. and the crowd tried to
force Mr.. Blethen to make a speech but
that gentleman said he had a sore
throat. Gen. J. Ii. Baker was also called
for, but he alleged that his thOraX was
out of whack, too. and escaped. Failing
to get a speaker the crowd demanded
{ quartette again. The vOcaliStS COM
piled with song in which the flags of
Germany, France, Ireland and the
United States were waved. The quar-
tette refused to again respond to an en-
core and another effort was made to get
a speaker. 1t failed. and the brass band
was ordered to play Marching
Through Georgia." Hon. Tim Byrnes
at this juncture fortunately happened
to think that ii. a. Castle had made a
bid for a chance to make speech and
called upon him to come forward. Capt.
Castle responded and loftily waived
aside the tariff question by
saying that strong central government
is of more Importance. The Republi-
can party must be upheld because of its
traditions, etc. Col. Fred Hooker was
next induced to make short speech in
which he claimed everything for the
Republicans in the state, including all
of the five congressman, but at the same
time was careful to urge his hearers
that there was considerable danger of
Z. NJ. Wilson's election. 1t was an
nounced then that the convention was