The record-union., 1896-09-29
THE MEN ALL CARRIED
AMERICAN FLAGS.
Major Mckinley Receives a Call From
His Former Constituents.
Came to Hear, Talk and Shake Hands
With the Presidential Nominee.

lnree hundred COlOred Men, Among
Them Clergymen and Delegates
Attending the African-American
Church Conference of Northwest
Ohio, Pay Visit to the Republican
Candidate for President.
CANTON, Sept. 2S.-Major Mckinley
began the active work OF the week with
two Speeches to-day. Both speeches
We're short, and both were received with
enthusiasm. The first callers We're from
Lisbon, and were some of Major Nc
hinley's former constituents. The dele
cation numbered several hundred, about
sixty ladies accompanying the party.
The men all carried small American
flags After a song from a glee club
Congressman r. w. Taylor, who repre-
sents Major McKinleys old district,
made a short address.
Major Mckinley, replying, said in
part:
Il need not say to you that 1 am
deeply moved by this call on this incle
ment day from my old constituents, and
from the home where my ancestors
lived. l am glad indeed to have been
connected with a piece of national leg
islatiOn that gave to the town of Lis
bon an enterprising tin plate plant,
which gives employment, as / am in
formed, to more than 325 people. You
farmers and merchants and business
men know how valuable that plant has
been to their community and country,
and l must submit to you, no matter
what may have been your politics in the
past, whether you would not prefer to
have that tin plate factory in your coun-
ty and in your State than to have it in
Wales. Great applause) 1t only IL
lustrates what has been said thousands
upon thousands of times by the states
men of the past, and by the leaders OF
the present, that the more factories you
can have in any community the better
will be the general business conditions
and the better will be the market for the
farmer. (ApplauSe)
But it is not my purpose, gentlemen,
to address you upon political questions
this afternoon, as this to me is more in
the nature of a visit, and as such L ap-
preciate it. l congratulate you upon the
choice you have made in your Repre-
sentative. / am sure every interest OF
) ss q. large or small, will be carefully
guarded (Applause) Your presence
here indicates that you have not lost in
terest in Republican principles, and that
you are quite as much concerned, if not
more concerned, in their triumph this
year than you have ever been. 1 will
not venture to enter any political dis
cussion this afternoon, feeling certain
10 o11 of (Nnl1lnhI3 is
determined that her vote shall go for
sound currency an American protective
tariff and reciprocity, the supremacy OF
law and for the peace and order OF So
| ciety" (Great cheering)
The second delegation arrived about
| 2 o'clock from Cleveland. 1t was made
| UP of about 800 colored people. Among
| them were the clergymen and delegates
| who are attending the Northwestern
! Ohio Conference of the African-Ameri-
! can NJ f. Church. State Senator Green
| introduced Bishop B. F. Lee, who in turn
| introduced Bishop p. w. Arnett. Mr.
| Arnett made a splendid address, and
after Major Mckinley had finished
speaking he stepped forward, grasped
the candidates hand and said: Major
| Mckinley. / have shaken hands with
every President from Lincoln down, and
I want the honor Of comforting the Pres
idential succession upon you
In his speech Bishop Arnett said to
Major Mckinley: Eight millions Of
! colored people look upon you as the
star Of hope for their race"
Major Mckinley, replying after the
words of greeting, said:
"Bishop Lee, Bishop Arnett and my
/ follow This iS n most n
teresting and inspiring CALL i appre-
ciate the kind words, the earnest words,
the eloquent words spoken by Bishop
Arnett. They move my soul. They in
| spire me with cofidence, and I wish
his voice and his patriotic sentiments,
so well expressed might have been
heard by thousands rather than the
| few hundreds gathered about me to-
| day. (Applause) / am glad to meet
the ministers Of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. That you should
! have set aside the business of your an
nual conference long enough to pay me
a visit is an honor which / greatly ap-
preciate and shall always remember.
"It is a matchless civilization in which
we live: a civilization that recognizes
| the common and universal brotherhood
| of man. Great applause) 1t is glor-
| ious Constitution. the American Consti-
| tuition, under which we live, that Sc
cures to every citizen beneath our flag
absolute freedom Of religious doctrine
| and privilege and belief; Constitution
| that recognizes neither creed nor color
nor race nor nationality, nor caste nor
color (applause), but protects and de-
fends all alike, and accords to each civil
and religious liberty
The history of your race is one Of
| wonderful progress under the most try
ing and difficult circumstances. Not
only have you been looking carefully
after the intellectual, but you have not
neglected the moral condition Of your
| race. You have recognized. and prop
erly so, that good character is quite as
| essential as good education (applause); :;
that good morals are more indispensa-
BILE than learning. Applause.) Both
| should go together. In twenty wears
| the membership of your church alone
has increased from 174,OOO to about
100000. and your preachers from 334
to ,4o2.
| Il am glad to note the advancement
| of any organization which has for it's
object the elevation of mankind and the
| improvement and the betterment of our
citizens Applause.) You and the race
| to which you belong have nv hearty
| congratulations upon the progress YOU