Omaha daily bee., 1892-09-07
SET THE BALL TO ROLLING
Campaign Opened in Omaha with Rousing
Meeting of Colored Voters
COLONEL JONES' CHARACTERISTIC TALK
North Caroiina's Eloquent Afro-Americ
Lectures His Compatriots on Their Duty
John NJ. Thurston on the Parties
Letter from Judge Crounsc.

The state campaign was enthusiastically
started last evening by big rally at the
Farnam street theater under the manage
ment OF the Afro-American Civil Rights
club. The colored race Is nothing IL not en-
thusiastic--whether in a campaign rally or n
campm seting and the rousing meeting last
night was no exception to the rule. Tho
opera house was we'll hlled by an
audience in which the colored people
were in the majority and the applause that
greeted the annunciation of good republican
doctrines was frequent and heartfelt A
number OF the candidates on the state ticket
were present including Tom Majors, George
II. Hastings, Eugene Moore, j. G. Allen and
A. X. Goudy Among others who occupied
seats on the platform were L. X. Sudoor-
ough,- D. II. Mercer, B. H. Robson, Colo
mel A. A. Jones, John g. Thompson, A. 2.
Bowen, A d. White, DIR. NJ o. RICKETTS,, +.
l.. Barnett ana Howard Watson.
The Omaha Central band rendered num-
ber Of selections in highly cre1itablo man
ner. after which Mr. f. L. Barnett called tho
meeting - order and introduced Colonel A,
A. Jones of North Carolina. The colonel
proved to be a typical specimen of The col
ored orator and his speech was taking mix
ture of humor and eloIuence.
What He Expected and what He Found.
The speaker said that from the stories told
by "calamity bowlersn he had come to Ne
braska expecting to see a poverty stricken
state, where beegars and paupers lined
every street and block ana corner, but ln-
instead he saw pros porous and
happy commonwealth where every blade
OF grass was standing argument
for repu olisau principles. The calamity
howlers were living on the fat of the Ian d
vxhi1n thAy st,fl = foir Of
the state. Abraham Lincoln had signed the
first homestead act that had opened up the
fertile prairies of Nebraska and under re-
puplican rule the state had achieved a re-
markable prosperity.
AT the mention of Liucoln's name the
cheering was long and loud, and then tho
speaker grew eloquent ot er the duty of tho
negro to remain loyal to the party that had
removed mis- fetters and made him man.
He gave vent to whitening rebuke to the
editor OF the Afro American Sentinel for de-
sertlng the repup plican cause and his eXor-
dunn was cheered at every sentence.
While ne was speaking Jonn NJ ThurstoH
appeared upon the platform and was well
coined by volley of applause which con-
tinued for several minutes. Colonel Jones
presented him TO the audience as "Nebraska's
favorite son." and he received an ovation as
he stepped forward.
Some Redhot Arguments.
Mr.. Thurston said that he was glad that
be belonged to a party that believed that the
American people could accomplish anything
they they undertook. He should not like to
belong to party that insisted that
the American people could not manu-
facture TIN plato and pearl buttons
just as well as any other people. Every time
a republican factory burned and the laborers
were thrown out of employment the demo-
Gratis thanked God that the republicans had
received blow. Every time cyclone rem
dered desolate and homeless q section of the
cfprr nj ha III &c md inln
| ents thanked God that that section OF the
country might go democratic. But notwth-
standing this there were more happy homes,
moro cradles rocked to the sweet music of
Joy and contentment IN America than in any
country on the face of the earth.
MIR. Thurston said that it was reported
some time ago that he had joined the inde-
| pendent party There was one reason why
| this was false. He had children growing up
whom he did not wish to think In the years
| to come that he had been political failure
| in 1892. Where was there leader in the
| independent party who had not proved
failure as a leader in some other party He
| wished to follow the leadership of a man
| who had succeeded.
| For the past thirty years under the gov
| eminent of republicanism the United States
| had led tho van of civilization and progress
throu ghout the whole world The repubi-
| can party was the first to stand py the prin-
| ciple that every man had the right to work
when he pleased and to receive fair COM
pensation for his labor.
| The speaker devoted some time to the ad-
| vocacy of the force bill. He SAID that it was
better that the fires should be eXtinguished
| in every manufactory, that every forge
| should cease to glow and that every smoke
stack should stand dismantled and aban-
| doned, a monument TO the enterprise that
| had been, than any man should lose one jot
| of his public or private rights.
Mr.. Thurston sat down amidst q storm of
| applause, while the band played a medley OF
| patriotic airs. Then Dr.. Ricketts, was intro
duceu and gave number of very pertinent
reasons why the negro should be repub-
lican. He said that the true scientist did
not 20 to geological garden to study the
habits of "A tiger, but visited him in his
native jungle, and to study democracy it was
necessary to go south of Mason and Dixon's
line. He concluded by exhorting the repub-
lican party to keep its pledges to the negro
and see that The southern negro was as 1ree