The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-26

Olyphant never had such a rouslng
political meeting as that conducted by
the Republicans IN Father Mathew
Opera house last night. 1t was in
striking contrast to the one held under
the auspices of the Democratic county
committee on the Thursday evening
PREVIOUS when more than three-fourths
of the 610 seats on the main floor Of
che house were unoccuDied
No campaign coloring is needed in
description of last nights meeting. To
exaggerate it one whit would make it
almost surpass belief. Easily 1900
persons were in attendance and hun
dreds of others who came late turned
away upon discovering that even
standing room was not available. And
of all the meetings so far held it was
the most demOnstrative in the way Of
enthusiasm. They came there for the
purpose, among others, of showing the
county committee that John RS"
town was solid for the ticket and when
they had finished with their demon
stration there was no room left for
doubt. 1t is almost needless to say
that Mr.. Jones was given a roof-raising
ovation.
When the speakers and candidates
made their appearance on the stage
the cheer that went up from the crowd
ed hall showed that there was un-
bounded enthusiasm on top and it had
the effect of inspiring the speakers and
everybody else and causing the meet
ing to go off with a dash and a hur-
rah that would certainly have struck
Int hn 9
oS the frosty affair of the preceding
week
Frank b. Brown called the meeting
to order and by a unanimous vote Sam
uel j. Matthews was chosen to preside.
He named as vice presidents, d. L.
Berry w. II. Davis, John Penman,
DIR. w. f. Lloyd, d. c. Phillips, Wat
Kin Davis, r. ID. Evans. Thomas Weav-
er and James Pettigrew.
THE OPENING REMARKS.
In opening the meeting Mr. Mat
thewS said that the issues were so
clearly defined and the result so as
sured that any great amount of speech
making was unnecessary; a few how
ever would not be amiss if only as a
clincher on foregone conclusion.
He then introduced Fred w. Fleitz as
the first speaker of the evening. Mr.
tIeitz gave them one of the Clear-cut
straightforward -the-shoulder arguments
with which he has been turning many
WaVering ones into the right track and
bringing oiScontented or sulking ones
back to the fold from which they were
tempted to stray by the allurements of
the enemy or the cOnniving of traitors
within the ranks. The importance to
this nation of the battle fought and
happily won, last fall was dwelt upon
at length and then in a manner which
lett no room for a logical contradiction.
II was contended that now as much as
then II is necessary to be up and doing
| as the same question indirectly con-
| fronts us, Che same issues are involved.
| The beneflcence of that victory was
| shown by many an example, but possi-
| Dly none was more effective-iudging
| from the applause--than the statement
| by Mr.. Fleitz on the authority Of Pay
master Bissell that the Delaware,
| Lackawanna and Western company
paid out more for September wages
| than for any month in the history of
| the company.
Mr.. Fleitz asked his hearers TO par-
| ucularly note the glaring inconsistency
OF the local Democracy, which unquali-
| hedly endorsed with emphatic resolu-
| tions the whole Chicago platform and
| then when they awOke to their fool
| hardness sent forth to their campaign.
ers binding instructions to avoid al
reference to the question of national
policy and if asked where they stand
blare out that there are no national
issues in this campaign; that local is
sues alone are concerned. This weak
| effort to detraCt attention from the reaI
issue is proving futile, Mr. Fleitz as.
serted, and on election day it's futility
will be bitterly demonstrated to those
who fathered it.
| EA1rSIrIn L AIrn,I1r-r,rn