Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-22
REPUBLICANS RALLY
Much Enthusiasm Shown at q Reunion
Now in Progress
Perry Carson ID the Orator and MaAy
to Make Speeches.

The republican campaign In the District
of Columbia for '96 was begun under
suspicious circumstances today at Book
er's Park, on D street between 18th and
18th streets southeast In the form OF what
vas called reunion of the "Old Boys" OF
the District of Columbia. The park tn
which the meeting was held was decorated
with flags, bunting and variety OF col
ors, while the occasion was enlivened with
music by the Capital City Band. The spa
cious park was filled with a large crowd OF
colored men, and several white politicians
Of prominence were in the audience. The
meeting had been arranged for by MT.
william Booker the proprietor OF the park.
Speechmaking will be begun at 5 O'Clock
this afternoon. Col. Perry Carson will be
the orator Of the day. and among the others
who have been invited to speak are An
drew Gleason, John NJ. Langston, T.. L.
JONES' Aaron Bradshaw. George Hatton,
w. Fl. Barber w. Calvin Chase, James
Weburn, E. e. Cooper, John w. Freeman.
Lemuel Bradshaw. ex-senator B. K. Bruce
and George w. Boston.
Republican Clubs Expected.
The meeting is an all-day affair, and
during the morning and afternoon there
has been a steady accession to the crowd.
The committee having in charge the affair
those who favored the meeting with their
presence. All of the republican clubs of
the District were invited to participate in
the exercises. The fact that most OF the
members Of these clubs are laboring col
ored men prevented a large attendance
during the day, but the management is ex-
pecting an overlooking crowd during the
evening.
The members of the Mckinley League.
who held a mass meeting in South Wash
in ct fyEn
meeting was held for the purpose OF on
setting their meeting and practically for
the purpose of booming Perry Carson to
lead the delegation from the District to
the national republican convention. The
McKfnleyites We're conspicuous at the
meeting today by their absence and the
word was passed around that no members
of the club were to participate in the "old
boys reunion
Mr.. Robert II. Keys. who is the first vice
president of the Mckinley League and who
coed Perry Carson as delegate from the
District, was at the meeting and hob
nobbed with the ''old boys" saying that
he would not allow his candidacy for the
delegateship to interfere with his republic
can enthusiasm.
Complimentary to Perry Carson.
Mr. William Booker. who is at the head
of the meeting. sad TO a Star reporter to-
day that the meeting was not held for the
purpose of booming Perry Carson. nor with
the intent of running anybody else's chance
for election as a delegate. In this connec-
ton he took occasion to say tina. he could
not see any objection to the reelection of
Mr.. Carson. as he had served the Dsstric:
faithfully and stood we'll with the leaders
of the party all over the country. He said
that If some new man was elected as
delegate and should succeed Col Carson
as the member Of the national committee,
it would take him six or eight years TO
the District might suffer when the patron
age came to be issuAd out He said that
Carson had stood 10y the negroes here faith
fully. and that while he believed that the
best man ought to win, he was not oppos-
ing the candidacy of any one. He thought
that the talk of young men and new blood
amounted to very little, and that when the
time came for the selection of delegates
Perry Carson would be on top. He
treasured the reporter that the meeting
was held in the interest of no one. but was
simply for a renewal of the faith of the
colored brother to the grand old party.