Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-21
TANNER In A TENT.
He Opens the Republican One.
Ring Circus.
CLAY OoUNTYAPPLERA1sIRDR DRAWS

Repeats Speech which He Has Dslivsrea
Forty Times In the Present Csmpaign
and Makes Weak Attemps ss Iadaeing
the People % Swallow HIS Ssassmsaes.
A 1-ring circus under the manage
ment Of the Rock Island county re-
publican committee opened weeks
engagement at the corner Of Elev-
enth street and Fifth avenue last
evening. 1t is the intention to vary
the program as much as possible,
and to this end o new drawing card
will be Introduced at each perform
ance. John Il. Tanner. who runs
an apple farm down in CLAY
county. but who professionally is a
ring politician, and Who is seeking
gubernatorial honors as the hands of
the honest people of Illinois. held
the boards last night. He proved
quite an attraction. q goodly mum.
Der Of Rock Islands curiosity seekers
assembling and taking in the show.
A grand free street parade preceded
the performance. A stuffed Ameri
can eagle, q Chinaman and q fresh
Irishman. who it it is understood
we're brought here from Jacksonville
by Mr.. Tanner, were features OF the
street demonstration.
Joe Lulu Haas ofliciated as inter-
polator at the circus. T. Hannorah
Thomas being unable to do the hon.
ors, owing to the inability of the
tailor to have his claw-hammer coat
in readiness for the occasion. After
tumbling by Long Bill Baker q
quartet headed by Steve Collins
tried to jolly up the audience by
singing q selection in which it was
intimated that every body whose
opinion differed from that OF Hanna's
belonged in a warmer climate. Joe
Lulu also announced that the show
would remain q week.
Three cheers for Joe llass,"
broke in Boney johnson, who was
standing near by. But that WAS all
there was to it. Then the big gun
was ushered to the front.
Tanner Tolls His Tale.
People who congregated beneath
that malaria permeated canopy to
hear something new were disap-
pointed. In fact they were disap-
pointed if they expected to hear an
orator, for John 4. Tanner is about
the weakest excuse of q talker which
the republican committee has on its
Illinois books today. His voice re-
minds one of q wagon passing down
the street on q frosty winter morning.
He is one Of those wheezy takers.
His voice needs fixing. Mr.. Tanner
recited the same speech which be
has delivered throug Oh the state all
during the present campaign. He
said he liked Rock Island because he
had friends here whom he hsd found
tried and true when he announced
his candidacy for the nomination for
governors and he wanted to tell them
how much be thought of them. Mr..
Tanner said he had no doubt about
the election of the republican ticket
in lllinois-the only thing tina, is
bothering him now is the ma jority.
He said that il the majority fell be-
low 100000 he would be greatly dis
appointed. Then he criticised Gov.
AlIgeld for his alleged change OF
front on the money question, holi.
ing that four years ago he went about
the state preaching for sound money.
The free coinage OF silver, Mr.. Tau
ner commended, without international
agreement means the repeal Of the
Declaration of Independence and the
establishment Of British tyranny in
America. 1t will also decrease our
currency and reduce the present silver
dollar one-half. according to Mr.
Tanner, who held to the stereotyped
argument that it is an attem pit
to make Uncle Sam stamp q piece OF
metal worth but so cents q dollar.
The would-be governor said he
hoped the time had not arrived when
men will be cheated by law simply
because they happen to have accum-
ulated . little Of the worlds goods.
The adoption Of free silver, the
speaker further held, would cheat
every American citizen not in the
poor house at the time OF the laws
passage. Mr.. Tanner then went on
in an illiterate harangue about Gov.
Altgeld, and the democratic party
generally. and concluded with an
appeal to his hearers to stick by him
and Bill Mckinley in November.
Then there vas q speech by Judge
Lonecker, Of Chicago.
Thursday evening Bob Cousins, Of
Iowa. will be the attraction at the
republican circus, while Saturday
night Seldom Seen. who is known in
private life as Mr.. Collins. whose
home 10 in Nebraska. will make his
initial appearance here.
When wear begins to exceed re-