The record-union., 1898-11-05
FUSIONISTS HEAR PENCE.
THE COLORADO ORATOR is A
GOOD STORY TELLER.
He Entertains an Audience at the
Orpheum With Clever
Yarns.


Orpheum building last night, the speech
of ex-Congressman Lafe Pence OF Colo
rado being the star performance,
though the meeting was first addressed
briefly by adj the county candidates.
DR.. Wright presided and the speakers
were introduced in the following order:
CAPTAIN Forsman and ]. ]. Dwyer, can
didates for Assemblymen; c. w. Baker,
candidate for District Attorney; ]. M.
Morrison. for Sheriff; w. T. Hamilton,
for County Clerk; H. y. Baumann, for
Assessor; NJ. Fay, for Public Admins
TRAITOR; Mr.. Hughes spoke on behalf OF
Erskin Greer for County Treasurer;
: William F. Gormley, for Coroner, and
A G. Winn, for Surveyor.
Before the candidates had concluded
their speeches the audience grew eager
TO hear Mr.. Pence, but when they nad
heard the last local candidate Mrs.
F'orsman sang Keller's American
Hymn and was recalled.
Mr.. Pence then entertained the audi
ence for about an hour, telling some
clever humorous stories, diaaectical,
chiefly during the course Of his plea for
Ca1ifornia's great single tax candidate
for Governor. Though Mr.. Pence was
a little hoarse from previous efforts,
bearing traces of San Francisco fog in
his chest tones, he initiated negro and
Irish inimitably, and worked off two or
three clever folklore political stories
very well, though, unfortunately Judge
Ferral had told the 'off again-on again
gone again Finnegan" story the night
before.
The speaker urged everybody to vote,
and to see that his neighbor voted. To
show the Importance Of voting he cited
an instance Of an Indiana Democrat
whose boots, it was claimed, brought
Texas and California into the Union.
This feat of apparent juggling was ac-
complished in this way: An old Hoo
sier, on his way to the polls, saw
brother Democrat barefoot at an inn)
and urged him to join him in q trip
to the polls.
No, I've got no boots, and won't vote
barefoot" said he.
What size do you wear?" asked the
political exhorter.
Mines" was the reply.
What size do you wear, Bi1?" he
said, addressing his son.
Mines, dad said the boy.
Then do as daddy tells you, son!
Shuck off your boots'
so the Indiana Democrat voted"
said Mr.. Pence, 'electing a legislator by
one vote, which resulted in the election
of a Democratic United States Senator
by one vote, and in the Senate this
Senator voted for the annexation Of
Texas, which carried by one vote. Thus.
you see, a pair of boots in Indiana
9au Nd
Union. Now the moral is for all you
fellows to get out and vote for Ma
guire." Gaughter.)
Mr.. Pence also said that Barnes and
Gage reminded him of the steamboat on
Southern river. This particular boats
whistle was bigger than the boiler. so
when 1t whistled it couldn't land. The
crowd laughed again.
Mr.. Pence now looked at his notes.
Whereupon his eye in fine frenzy rolling.
he named William Jennings Bryan and
James G. Mcguire. using the orotund
quality of voice, abdominal breathing
method, which is approved by Coin
Harvey and by the Boston Conserva-
tory Of Music. An elderly gentleman
on the platform turned Bryan's por-
trait to the audience by giving his ban
ner a twirl. There was voluminous ap-
plause, enabling Mr.. Pence to swallow
some water.
He then really got down to serious
argument, saying: Look at this fu-
sionist aggregation on this platforml
It would have been impossible eight
years ago, but it exists now, because
the masses in every party are for silver
Silver Republicans are here because
they repudiate Hanna, Elkins and
Quay as the legitimate successors of
Lincoln and Grant"
The speaker paid Judge Mcguire a.
high compliment as the leader of the
masses, a man who led Congress by his
brains and manhood, "and who de-
served to be Governor because the al
lied corporations did not want him"
The speaker closed with an appea1 70
the people to stick together. His speech
was full Of good stories, which pleased
the audience, many Of whom were Re
publicans. Since there was no adrnis-
sion fee it is to be regretted that two
or three hundred seats were unoccu-
pled. Citizens in moderate circum-
stances have often occupied the same
seats at a cost ranging anywhere from
two bits to a dollar-but no end man
ever gave a better show.