Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-15

IN tie parade yesterday. but $4,000 is
Just halt way between the number
''laimed by the republicans and the
count given out by the national COM
d4lttee headquarters of the democratic
.'arty. Putting aside all questions of
numerical strength, the parade as a
parade was distinct success. 1t
started on the time scheduled, it
moved swiftly and without one halt or
break from start to finish, and in all
respects it was handled with the skill
and thOroughness of detail that wLuld
have been highly creditable in the
conduct of a procession cne-tenth of
lis size. The police arrangements
were perfect. After o'clock in the
morning not single street car, not a
single wagon save those carrying the
lances, was allowed to cross the river
from the west and north sides, and all
those coming from the south were
turned back at Van BClen streets. This
left the down town districts free from
all impeachment to the marching col
umns. General Joseph Stockton was
marshal of the parade The reviewing
stand for the national &C mmittee was
erected in front Of tine Union League
club. Here Mark Hanna, Senator Gull
lom and the various members of the
committee reviewed the parade. 1t
was exactly IL o'clock when the head
of the parade began to pass the stand
M OF
stepped from the window of the club
house upon the stand. For five hours
Hanna, with the single exception of a
brief interval, stood with his hat bow
ing acknowledgements to the cheers
Of the marching column. From a
stand in front of the Palmer House
General John M. Palmer and General
Buckner reviewed the parade. The
two white-haired veterans were recog-
niZed by the marchers and constantly
cheered.
There were Ill floats in the parade,
many Of them exceedingly handsome,
and all lavishly decorated. A string Of
carriages bearing the white-haired
members of the old Tippecanoe club,
composed of men who voted for Will
cheers as did number of crippled vet
Grams of the war who bore above their
first carriage I'VE fought with Grant
and will with Mckinley ="
A unique feature of the parade was
the use of the long distance telephone
tn tho cO11n6c of tho oh hot
rose from the parade to other large
cities of the country. Across Wash
ington street in front Of the telephone
exchange was stretched banner bear
ing the inscription: Your cheers will
be heard throughout the nation. - That
they were not, it was no fault of the
men in the street. AS each detach-
ment passed under the banner they
emitted loud double-jointed whoops
In many places along the route great
'mOuth-pieceS' were fixed over the
streets and concentrated the sound
waves upon diaphragms and sent cheers
to every waiting ear. Major Mckinley
in his library at Canton heard the
cheers and Hobart, in his home at Pat
terson, N. j., also received assurances
of shouts.
The crowd that witnessed the parade
was tremendous. 1t filled every side
walk from the wall of the buildings to
the Grub stone and every widonw that
possessed a view of the line of march
was damned full of heads. On roofs
of buildings large crowds were gath
cred. The many stands erected by
spectators were filled to overfowing.
All the morning excursion trains
brought people to the city helping to
swell the crowds. The depot master
at the unon depot estimated that be-
tween a. m. and noon 81 900 people
came in through that depot alone. --4e
business done at the other depots was
proportionate. The total number of
people who saw the parade, based upon
statements of the railroads and street
car companies regarding fares collect
ed, was 100000. Considering the
size of the crowd there were very few
ture.
Secretary of Agriculture Morton
spoke in the auditorium in the even
ing Under the auspices of the sound
money league. The hall was filed to
the extent of its seating capacity, and
when Secretary Morton appeared upon
the platform he was greeted with
loud and enthusiastic cheers by the
audience. He was introduced by Da-
vid B. Jones of the sound money
the secretary as a politician and as a
man. Before beginning bis address
Secretary Merton anEt unced that an
invitation had been sent to President
Cleveland, requesting his presence at
the meeting, but he was sorry to state
that President Cleveland was unable to
be present. Morton then read the
presidents letter of regret which was
as follows:
Il am so much interested in the
work which the American Honest
Money league has undertaken that [
would be glad to do anything that L
consistently could to aid its efforts. i
regret, therefore, that I must de-
cline your invitation to address the
league on some date previous to the
coming election. Even if the pressure
Of office duty did not prevent, l should
hardly deem it consistent with strict
propriety to mingle actively in the
pending campaign. While it is impos-
sible that any of my fellow citizens