The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-10-17
FORAKER!
Had a Magnificent Meeting Friday
Evening.

Une state, ana are InOrOuSnly OfRdnlZ- |
ing every precinct. They saw but little |
evidence of life in the Republican party, |
and they expected "a frost" for Fora |
ker when he came Friday evening. The
informal reception accorded Senator
Hanna as his train went through Fri
day morning, confirmed them in their
delusion.
Moreover, there was no evidence
that there would be any unusual crowd
on hand until near evening, when some
of the most Jealous Republicans began
to drop in from the far townships. For
aker's failure to arrive on the noon
train, and his failure to arrive on time
in the evening, gave them further sat
isfaction. And so confident were they
that the meeting would be failure that
special was sent to the Enquirer an
nouncing that the meeting was
GO FROST" and that Foraker didn't once
allude to the Philippine question.
But Foraker came, and the crowd got
here ahead of him. The evening trains
from the west, north, east and south
brought in hundreds from the towns
along their lines, and the farmers turned
out amazingly. By I o'clock the Opera
House was packed full. nearly all those
able to get in being voters, and nearly
all were from the country and other
towns. And yet the crowd inside
| co,,1lr't 1,a ,,,ioca1 f,o,,, tho n1toi6 10
throng, and enough were turned away
to fill two more halls of equal capacity.
Three bands-from West Mansfield, De-
Graft and Rushsylvania added to the
throng and to the enjoyment of the oc-
casion.
The people outside gathered in the
court house square in mass, and as
Foraker was driven up from the Ingalls,,
they stopped the carriage and demanded
a speech. So he stood in the carriage
at the intersection of Main and Colum-
bus, and made them pithy, senten-
tious speech, to- satisfy the minds of
those who couldn't get into the Opera
House to see and hear him, This de-
layed him till 8 o'clock, the crowd that
packed the Opera House waiting pa
tiently for his appearance.
Mr.. F. o. Batch, chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee, named for chairman
of the meeting the Hon. w. G. Harding,
Republican candidate for Senator, and
Mr.. Harding received hearty greet
ing from the audience.
Mr.. Harding was a stranger among
l1s, but he soon won the admiration O.
the entire audience by his beautiful in
troductory remarks, paving the way fol
Senator Foraker's appearance. 1t il
the universal expression that his pic
ture of the signs of prosperity as h'
through part of Logan county, wa
one of the most beautiful combination
of word painting and effective orator.
that was ever heard from the rostrum
1t was beautiful, opposite, and like th'
quality of mercy, was not strained. 1
was decided hit. Before he had con
cluded, the audience had made up it
mind that he was man fit for repre-
sentative in the highest branch of ou
legislature.
Senator Foraker's speech was dis
appointment to his audience, but not al
unpleasant one = for what has beel
dropped has only been replaced by tina
which is equally good. He had not spo
ken in our city since 1885. Many OF hi
audience had never heard him befer
many had never seen him. He ha'
, changed in these fifteen years. Th
handsome man of thirty eight years
with dark hair and mustache, ma
changed to the sturdy, mature Senate
of fifty-one, with gray hair and mus
tache. Yet he has still the same hand
some face and the same flash of the eye
but the sharp rapier thrusts, the keel
I sarcasm, the stinging witicisms, hav
disappeared, and in their place was his
l torical augmentation and concise state
1 ment of fact. that carried conviction
brushed away Misunderstanding drew
Republicans together and offended no
4 body. While it was not a .rafter-rais
ing speech that enthused the people, i
was an able presentation of current is
sues between the parties that convince'
many, deepened convictions, instructe'
S all, and offended none. 1t was speecl
# on lines to make votes, and was fair
!, candid and able, and hit the bulls eye
The difference between times nov
/. and the hard times under the last Dem
d ocratic administration, was presented il
/ such a favorable light. that no on
e could wish to give up the prosperity G
l. today for the times of '93 4-5-6, unde
e Cleveland, when men could not ge
d work, capital could not find investment
: farmers were getting Is cents for corr
o 55 cents for wheat, S1.50 head fo
sheep, farms would not sell at an
e now find cars for their business, wer
d then but streaks of rust. The return {
l. the Democratic party to power, on it
1t free silver platform. means anothe
II pluCIlLS VI tle WHeelS VI DuSlHeSS, dH
@ othor paralysis of trade, and anothe
Is furnishing of the poor and a hard strus
gle for life; and it offers nothing bette
l. now than it promised then.
e The history of the Cuban war and tn
)f Philippine question was gone over i
n review, and brought out vividly in a
e it's phases, and the brilliant victories
our navies and army, were cited a
t. proofs of what our nation could do an
=, uo,,1d do in rrOtection of orr RIGHTS an