Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-09-07
POLITICIANS MUST
GO TO THE REAR.
So Say the Enthusiastic Young
Soldiers Who Want to Run
Barnett's Campaign.
THEY PLAN A NOVEL CANVASS.

w Wdut GcuuSylNduld u GlVe tne Lieutenant
Colonel of the Fighting" Tenth as Great
Greeting as New York Gave the Roose-
velt's Campaigners.
Especial Correspondence
Harrisburg, Sept. 5.-If the enthusi-
astic young soldiers of the Spanish
American war and the Filipino in
surrection are to have their way the
old time politicians must step to the
rear and let them run the Republican
campaign in Pennsylvania this fall.
The nomination of Lieutenant Colonel
James e. Barnett, of the fighting
Tenth Pennsylvania regiment, seems
to have stirred up wonderful interest
in his candidacy among the young
Pennsylvanians who so promptly and
gallantly responded to President Nc
Kinley's call for volunteers in the re-
cent national crisis. Early evidence of
this was shown by the large number of
these soldiers who were in attendance
here at the Republican state conven-
tion advocating Barnett's nomination.
Since the boys of the Tenth reached
home, with the people turning out by
hundreds of thousands to receive them
with demonstrations of joy and graft
tude, such as was possibly never wit
messed anywhere before. the PERSONAL
ity of Barnett has been impressed upon
his fellow citizens in remarkable
manner. He has won the hearts of
the soldiers of his native state, both
the old and the young. and has en-
listed in his cause thousands of ardent
supporters, many OF whom know or care
little about politics, but who are
in the career of this brave young Of
flcer, whose honors won in the Phil
ippnes but foreshadow those to come.
M'KINLEY'S SPLENDID TRIBUTE.
President McKinley's magnificent
speech of welcome at Pittsburg to the
returning heroes from the Orient has
gone ringing around the globe and has
attracted international commendation
of the sturdy American policy which
he therein proclaimed. The words of
appreciated by the returning soldiers
and their parents and wives and chill
dren, were those framing the grand
tribute paid to the members of the
regiment for the self sacrificing loyalty
to their country and devotion to the
flag. The reading of what he desig-
mated as 'the roll of honor" the names
of the volunteer regiments which re-
mained in the Philippines fighting the
insurgents long after the period of
their enlistment had expired, evoked
tremendous applause from the people
when the president named "the Tenth
Pennsylvania volunteers" A fitting
climax In this memorable speech was
President McKinley's announcement
that he would recommend that "a
medal of honor" be granted by con-
gress to each of the men who had thus
earned the lasting gratitude of their
fellow countrymen.
1t is manifest that in the coming
political campaign in Pennsylvania the
people. irrespective of their usual po-
litical affiliations, are going to ex-
press their appreciation of the patriot
ism of the men who went to the front
on the recent call to arms, by rolling
Colonel Barnett.
BARNETT CORDIALLY RECEIVED.
Throughout the various receptions
rendered the Fighting Tenth" in the
towns of western Pennsylvania Bar.
nett was an object of special interest,
and he was received with most cordial
and demonstrative greetings. On Sat-
urday evening last he accepted an in
vitation to attend a reception given by
the Americas club, of Pittsburg, the
leading Republican organization in
this state west of the Alleghenies, and
he was given a great ovation. Bar
nett made no allusion to politics, but
gave an interesting account of the
operations of his regiment in Luzon.
and told of the many gallant and con-
spicuous acts of bravery of the boys
of the Tenth in defending their colors
and in driving back both the Spaniards
and the Filipinos. He did not neglect
to pay touching tribute to the men,
ory of the late Colonel Hawkins, whom
he said every man in the regiment re-
spected and loved. The devotion Of
Barnett to his old commander, whose
remains he reverently followed to the
grave at Washington last week, and
his unfailing practice to bestow upon
him all the glory of the commanding
officer, cannot but merit the admira-
tion Of every loyal citizen.