The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-03
WAS FAvoRABLY IMPRESSED.
Rev. DR.. Hughes on Our Political
Mass Meetings.

The Impressions Of an outsider" on
American politics and the American
manner of conducting a political mass
meeting are given below in an inter-
esting interview with Rev. James
Hughes, d. D.. who both in England
and Africa was prominent figure in
politics. He was one of the most in
terested auditors at the Stone meeting
and readily consented to tell what he
thought of it. when waited upon yes
terday by a Tribune reporter.
Il do not wish to say anything about
your politics" he went on to say. Il do
not sufficiently understand them to
give anything like an intelligent and
enlightened opinion concerning them.
For good many years | did what
could in England and Africa in assist
ing to direct public opinion on ques-
tions Of local and national Importance,
but ! am too young an American to
take any part in even local questions
here.
Il am pleased to say that | was de-
lighted with what | saw and heard at
the Lyceum meeting. In the first place
the meeting was immense, the building
seemed to me to be packed to it's utter
most capacity--all seemed eager to hear
what the appointed speakers had to
say, and all conducted themselves with
scrupulous propriety and decorum.
Such an intelligent, well-conducted
political audience | have not often seen.
The addresses which had the pleasure
of listening to We're very pleasing to
me, especially in this, they We're en-
tirely free from those personalities Of
a furnishing and recriminating char
acter, which unfortunately too often
abound at political meetings.
Il am not going to say anything
about the merits of the speeches from
political standpoint-such a question
as that ! must leave until | understand
a little more about American politics,
but this / can say. that Colonel Stone
commended himself very much to me
by his temperate and sensible address.
There was no Ostentation, nor recrim-
nation, of a personal nature in any
thing he said; but a plain, good COM
nonsense statement was laid before
the meeting. l should say, judging
from what I saw and heard last night,
that Colonel Stone is Il fine man in
, every sense of the word.
Moreover. | was pleased to hear the
Rev. DR.. Reed on an occasion Of this
character. | have been informed over
and over again since | came TO SCran-
ton that politics are so corrupt
and degrading that no Christian
minister could take any part there
| in without incurring the displeas-
ure, and even the disdain, of the
general public. Well the meeting
again since I came to Scranton that
politics are so corrupt and degrading
that no Christian minister could take
ary part therein without incurring the
displeasure, and even the disdain, Of
the general public Well, the meeting
last night seemed to me to contradict
that statement, for DR.. Reed was heart
lily cheered when his name was called
out by the chairman, and his address
was listened to with respectful attep-
tion. This was very pleasing to me,
for | believe that every citizen should
interest himself in politics, for the two
great things that concern man are
politics and religion-they interlace and
interpenetrate all the ramifcations Of
human life.
THE tone of the speeches which
heard and the decorum and respectful
attention of that vast audience inn
pressed me very favorably indeed.
thought the chairman of the meeting
introduced the business of the evening
in very felicitous speech the manly
and respectful spirit of which seemed
to permeate every address that fol-
lowed. ! certainly was most highly
pleased and most agreeably surprised"