, 1898-08-24
A DEMOCRATS VIEW
DIR. ]. NJ. WILSON OF DOUGLAS ON
THE REPUBLICAN OANDI-
DATE.
Parting Address to the Delegates to the
Republican States Convention at
the Douglas Depot-His Remarks
In Reference to DeForest Richards,
Candidate for Governor.

When the delegates to the republican
state convention at Douglas were as
at the depot in that town on
August 18th, waiting for the train
which would carry them to their homes.
DR.. J. NJ. Wilson, a lifelong democrat,
made the following address:
Ladies and Gentlemen, and Departing
Members of the Republican Conven-
ton: | have been requested-1 have
rather been ordered-by the mayor to
lie here and give you the same Douglas
farewell that we gave you as a well
come, and in pursuance to that order.
{; will not say request, | am here to bid
YOU, in the name of the mayor and pe9-
pie of Douglas. farewell and God-speed
to your loved ones, and a los sincere
an heartfelt wish that each and every
visitor that has been here will reach
home in safety and happiness. | have
also been instructed by the mayor 20
say that if there has Leen any mistakes,
and that there have rasses without saw
head and not of the heart. (Applause).
For the Douglas heart is right all the
time. While ! am here to say a fare
we'll to you. | hate. n the last moment,
% make any jar or discordant note, and
vet | must say thai ] have not been
treated right by the mayor. He Is
standing down there now prompting
M. Laughter. A voice, Bring him
out.") After bidding you a welcome to
our city, i'm the evening. the mayor be-
ing down town. introduced me as his
proxy. and being exhausted, he had
ordered two doses OF Pabst German
remedy. 1t occurred to me that If I
was to be his proxy in all things, 1t was
my duty to take his dose OF the RENE
dy. and a double dose (laughter), so l
said to the mayor. "As I { am your proxy.
although l don't like it 0aughter), 1t
hurts ME bad. but from a sense Of duty
| will take this extra dose CT Pabst REM
edy for you" CLaughter). The mayor
backed off W. or three steps. but new
took his hands from the dose OF the
remedy, and with the marble in his
heart, showing in his face, said, 81 want
you to understand that while I have
appointed you my proxy for certain
things, I will be damned IL you or any
other man can be my proxy in taking
Pabst remedy" Uaughter.) Thus far
I have followed the instructions OF the
mayor. There may be other things
which he told me to tell You. but if
there Is have forgotten them . He said
that when l got this far Say what you
please" and I feel now that I would be
untrue to the mayor and untrue to my
self If I let this occasion pass without
returning to you our hearty and sincere
thanks for the honor you have done us
in placing n OF our most distinguish
ed citizens in nomination, to lead your
ticket to victory. (Applause.) I stand
upon this chair-I was going to say
platform-Oaughter) in a most peculiar
situation. I am an orphan. CLaugh-
teri Alone and friendless in the world,
without a party or place to anchor, In
the midst OF a shoreless sea. no land
or harbor in sight, because, after bid
ding You welcome. the next morning I
was informed that I had been read out
Of the democratic party by two Of its
members, with no right to join them in
the future. I said, Gentlemen, I have
been a democrat where it took nerve to
be a democrat. Iaughter.) I have
been a democrat all my life. I have
been a democrat in a village nearly the
size Of Douglas, where there was only
one single. solitary democratic vote
cast, and believe that I am entitled
and have a right to know why I am
thus summary dismissed They said,
IF you must know, we will tell you.
When welcoming the republicans, you
told them that you believed in the AL
mighty. and you cannot do that and be-
lieve in u.s." (Langhter.) I said, Then
gentlemen, all right. In the words Of
Byron l will say to you,
Here's a smile to those woh love me,
And a sigh to those who hate,
And whatever sky's above me.
Here's a heart for every fate"
And to Il visitors and the parting
delegates, I will add:
Were it the last drop in the well
AS | gasp at the brink
Ere my fainting spirits fell,
'Tis to this convention l would drink.
In that water, Is the wine,
The libation l would pour,
Would be peace to thine and mine,
And success forevermore."
I feel, gentlemen, that l would be I'M
true to those who asked me here, and
untrue to myself, II l did tell you
that the candidate you have placed at
the head OF your ticket, has certain
weakness, yet is certain of the sup
port OF our people. and l want to tell
you what l know is true. have known
the candidate for the past twelve years,
and most of that time I have fought
him politically. I have struck him as
hard as l knew how to strike. 1 have
made him walk in sackcloth and ashes
whon I WAC chairman ~ tho dourorrot{c