Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-02
FUsIONIsTs SUFFER COLD
Ninth Ward Meeting n Poorly At
tended Frost-Mr. Heller Makes
Queer Speech.

The Ninth ward fusion rally meeting at
2914 Farnam street Wednesday night was a
frost in the literal as well as figurative
sense OF the word. BY actual count eigh-
teen men were present when the meeting
was called to order at $3.50 o'clock. The
chairman admitted the frost when he said:
There are only few of us here tonight.
SO let US sit close together aud we will come
more nearly keeping warm"
There was no heat in the barren hall and
at tho suggestion of the leaders, hats and
overcoats were not removed
After the meeting had started six recruits
came in swelling the total attendance to
twenty-four
Frank Heller, the first speaker, talked for
an hour in a rambling manner and touched
like a kaleidoscope upon every question from
the fall of the Roman empire to the current
local issues in Douglas county. He scared
away to France and roasted the French gov
ernment to a terra Gotta tint for the way It
treated Dreyfus, he commended the English
for the way the British colonies are gov
erned; he found fault with Andrew Carnegie
and Mr.. Oxnard; he told funny stories; he
rubbed his hands together trying to keep
warm and did little Of everything else ex-
cept arouse enthusiasm among his hearers.
paris Ia France" he exclaimed in dra-
matte style, "and the French people have no
voice in the government" But the speaker
did not even attempt to explain what France
has to do with the coming election in Ne
braska or elsewhere.
He set his audience to guessing when he
declared: mo tropical country is fit to
govern itself and the Philippines are no ex-
ception. Everybody may not agree with me
on this proposition, but believe I am right
and repeat that these people are in need OF
benevolent despotism."
Other popccratic speakers have been loudly
asserting that the Filpinos are competent
for self government therefore the surprise
az Mr. Heller's statement He made an
effort to extricate himself from the position
but he didn't make his explanation clear
and at the close of his talk II was difficult "a
tell just what he thinks OF the So called i'm
perialism.
He started to talk on trusts, but strayed
off into a classic essay on the Latin races
entirely foreign to his text. In conclusion
he said he was a democrat, but that he hac
made platform OF his own,
II will tell you what 1t is,' he shouted
"Trust in God, work hard and try to keat
the government from cheating you out OF
you: money"
M,. Heller was shivering with cold as he
resumed his seat, for he had while speak
ing removed his hat and overccat
Justice OF the Peace Crosby, candidate fol
reelection OIL the fusion ticket, followed
Mr.. Heller. He retained his winter clothing
and stuffed his hands deep down into tn,
pockets of his big overcoat. He said h,
formerly was republican, but that h,
climbed over to the other side OF the fence
I'm local elections let us vote for the mar
rather than the party" he exclaimed, anC
this was the burden OF his argument.
James w. Cart one of the fusion caudi
dates for county Judge, arrived Just befor,
the close Of the meeting, He made brie
speech in which he solicited votes and pre-
dicted success for the fusion ticket.