The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-05

waving of ffags.) We do not want any
thing IN this country but what is the best.
You came here to get the best. and / trust
that every one of you Will realize IN its
fullest measures all the ambitions and as
pirations you nave had when you came to
live in this free country.
Speech to WheeImen.
The following speech to wheelmen repre-
senting twelve States is reprinted from the
| second edition of the Sunday Journal:
MIR. Chairman and my Fellow-citizens-
You are very welcome to my home. You
are the last of the delegations of this week,
thrice glad. to have the wheelmen, repre-
senting more than a dozen States of the
the assurance of their individual support,
but of the support of the many thousands
the assuring message given to me by your
eloquent spokesman. You not only ride
well, but you speak Wei: l can only say
messages that I thank you most sincerely.
Political clubs on wheels are novel in
political contests, and are truly American.
This presence marks a new era in cam
paign work. and l congratulate you upon
the Inauguration of this mighty force in
American politics. The bicycle is entirely
a development of the nineteenth century,
and in no age in the history of the world
would it's benefits and utility nave been so
quickly and generally acknowledged. In
the country of Inventions. 1 doubt if any
SO .favorably received. Indeed, it's growth
in public favor and general use is little
less tldn marvellous. w e all remember. as
boys, how we wondered if it would be
possible that such rapid locomotion would
ever be invented as would transport
And vet Yankee Ingenuity and American
Invention has made it possible for us to
cross almost a half dozen States in a sin
gle night. Rapid transit in this novel form
depends largely upon a single condition
good roads@and l believe in them. And
| cannot help but recall, as the eloquent
Kertuckian, your spokesman, has said,
that Henry Clay is the statesman to whom
the country is most largely indebted for
the great National road-the best, in all
roads are progressing with remarkable adj
vancement in every part of our wonderful
country. 1t is a matter of congratulation
that most of the States. influenced almost
entirely by your efforts, have pressed the
subject home upon the people with graft
flying results.
AN italian once called the bicycle "a
poem in metal but its use is long since
out of the realm of romance and song, and
belongs to one of the greatest and most
wonderful inventions of the time; to the
rank of steamboat, railroad, telegraph and
telephone. The Americans are eminentiy
d practical people,, and were quick to see
both the convenience and utility OF this
every part and so we'll designed as a whole,
that prejudice could not avail against 1t,
nor pride or prudishness or rear prevenI
children Such a scene as 1
witnessed before me to-day would not pc
It is a spectacle long to be remembered,
and it is at once an inspiration and educa-
ton. Bicycle riding is useful not only for
health and recreation, but in business and
in almost every department of human eX-
ertion. The bicycle delivers our mails; it
liability; it is in use for courier service in
the army. police and health departments
other forms of delivery work. and with the
application of power its usefulness will
practica.ly have no limit.
No one should attempt the statistics of
the bicycle industry. In 1870 there was not
a bicycle mandatory in the world. In
those only experimenting in the most vague
and indifferent manner. In 1895, fifteen
years later. there were three hundred BIZ
cycle factories. with a product of SOC, 900 ma
chimes at a cost of S37, 500, 900, while the out
put predicted for this year, 1896, is 5000
TO describe the modern bicycle says a re-
cent writer, is to try to follow a bullet i'll
its flight This nobody would undertake
to do. The cyclist, I believe, has beaten
the best time ever made by a horse, and
las almost surpassed i'm speed the fastest
sThe speed of the wheelmen would be
extremely useful for a political party II
mere distance were the test of its running
qualities. The size of a political party,
however, is in the strength of it's cause. Its
running qualities rest upon its principles,
and how far those principles shall com,
mand the conscience, the confidence and
the Intelligence of the American people.
Those principles were never stronger, and
of the American voter, as now; and never
within your knowledge or mine, ex-
| cept IN the days OF the war,
sorbed public thought and commanded
earnest effort on the part of the people
many hands willing to help that cause.
Never were there so many willing hearts
loving that cause as however in all our
history. Never was so much individual eff
fort apart from the work of the campaign
committees, performed by Democrats and
tionalities. e~mpioyments and professions
Republican cause as to-day. The women
are alike interested; they want good laws,
hold them. quite as necessary for the wei
fare and happiness as for their husbands
or brothers or fathers.
Il may be wrong, but / do not recall
that the wheelmen of this country. repre-
senting. as they do the homes. fresides and
professions of the country. were ever in
fore; what but a mighty cause
different sections of the country to Canton
to pay a visit to a presidential candidate of
a political party. Your visit demonstrates
the earnest feeling of the people. the deep
solicitude in the outcome CT a political con-
test. The wheelmen know as well as any
mean, and how much easier 1t is to make
progress and time over them than over
P t6fee ro and a lnf Ralf kn years '0q this fha dod for
try has been travelling over a rocky
road full Of ruts and covered with obstruc-
tions, and as a result the American people
have had a very hard road to travel
| They want an Improvement. They do not
only want better roads for their wheels,
hut they want every obstruction removed
from the great national highway, so that
the wheels of industry viii start in every
factory and mill in the United States. They
would rather have American wheels run
ming in our factories. giving employment
to American labor and supplying us with
American goods, than to have foreign
wheels supplying us with goods. Good roads
are indispensable to the progress and in
tegrity of the United States.
4 am glad to know that the Wheelmen
in such vast numbers are enlisted in the
cause of an honest dollar. an honest OBJ
servation of law, honest payment of the
public debt, honesty in the execution of
private contracts-a protective tariff that
will defend honest American citizens from
the cheap labor Of other countries. and
which. at the same time. will preserve a
good home market to the honest farmers
of the United States. Your visit will in
spire higher and greater activity for the
triumph of the cause in November. and
will cheer the hearts of the friends of the
cause everywhere. [ thank you, and bid
you goodbye"
An Anti-sIavery Plea by John p. Hale.
Geo. w. Julian. in the Century.
His most telling speeches were brief, and
seemed to be inspired by the immediate
| occa sion which called them forth In his