Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-10-30
THE GRkAT COLORED
REUBBLICAN
R1LLY.

especially the colored people, wer'
amazed to see the great success 0
our rally last Tuesday. 1t wa
great, grand, enthusiastic, and re
fleets great credit on the progress
OF our race,
The different committees anC
aides of the Colored Mckinley
club did their work well. The
weather was warm and the atmos.
phere seemed tovibrate with the
music Of the band. AS it was un-
derstood by the club that there
would be no parade, they made no
effort to get up parade at all. If
they had anticipated so much en-
thusiasm, the club would have had
a large marching parade. Not
withstanding all this, when the
colored band from Colfax, which
is noe of the best7colored bands in
Iowa, arrived on the $40 a. m.
train, also the speaker, a large
part Of the reception committee
was at the depot to receive them.
The band marched to the Saverv
hotel, followed by the carriage
containing Messrs. Vance, Shep-
herd, Barton and Barnaugh. The
band paraded the, streets SO much
during the day that by evening
the colored people determined to
have a street parade, SO about fifty
persons secured horses and pre-
ceded the band, then came about
two hundred pedestrians which
made a good showing and elected
much praise from the thousands
who. looked on. At S:15 p. m. the
parade was over, and the band en-
tered the large tent which was full
of people. After a few moments
Mr.. Barton entered, accompanied
by Thompson, Vance, II. II. Lewis
and Burnaugh. The great audience
cheered as they came upon the
stage. Mr.. Shepherd called the
meeting to order, and introduced
a quintette. One of the most de
lightful features of the meeting
was the vocal music by Mesdames
William Coalson, John F. Blag-
burn, Walter FL Birney and Messrs
d. Miller and w. II. Birney, Sc
lected for the occasion. They
favored the audience with some
excellent campaign songs. They
were the recipients of a mighty
encore, which was the musical hit
of the season IN the way Of cam
paign songs. While they were
singing "McKinley in the Chair
it set that vast audience wild with
delight.
Mr., Shepard, president Of the
club, introduced Mr.. ]. /. Thomp-
son, young man who was born
and raised in Iowa, who had been
selected unanimously by the com
mittee to introduce the speaker.
Within his ten minutes speech he
proved himself worthy Of the
honor conferred upon him. Then
came Hon. j. Madison Vance of
New Orleans, La, the orator of
the evening.
Nh Vance's speech was good,
so far as it went. The only com
plant that we heard expressed
was that it was not long enough
it did not exceed 35 minutes. In
our last issue we stated that he
was from Alabama. 1t was mis-
take; he never lived in Alabama.
The newspapers that printed his
speech seconding McKinley's nom
ination stated he was from Ala
bama, and of course alter it once
gets in cold type there is no stop
to it. He was born IN New Orr
leans, which has always been his
home He graduated from How
ard University, Washington. D
G., also from the law department
of Strait University, Louisiana.
Mrs. Lizzie Palmer of this city
was a student at the same time.
Mr.. Vance has made great pro-
gress, and if he continues to push
forward a great future career is
before him. He is only SO years
old and member of the State