The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-27
ISSUES DISCUSSED.
John j. Lentz's Remarkable Address
That Held a Vast Audience
Far Into the Night.

The applause which greeted the
speaker of the evening as he arose
from his seat and stepped to the front
of the platform, was deafening and
lasted for several minutes. Order was
finally restored and the speaker, ]. j.
Lentz, addressed the audience as fol-
lows:
Ladies and Gentlemen There is no
man in the country who would not
consider it a great h nor to speak under
any circumstances in the city of Can
ton, and l am sure no man could wish
or hope for a higher honor than the
privilege of spending an evening with
such a magnificent audience as this
The Republicans Of this city have dis
tinguished this city by presenting and
holding up to the national Republicans
one of your fellow citizens until he has
been exalted to the high Office of chief
executive of the greatest republic and
the greatest nation the world has ever
seen. But, great as may be the COM
pliment to this community, this city
and this country are equally great in
the fact that they have lifted up in
honor to the attention of the state of
Ohio, and to the attention of the entire
nation, fearless and enterprising and
progressive Democracy.
'I am not sure that the press of the
Republican administration will pub
lish all shall say tonight. Uaughter.)
At this juncture Mr. Chas. F. Stokey,
who was in the audience, arose and
asked the speaker If the statement had
been made by him that he hoped or
wished that that Gen. Aguinaldo and
his army would sweep Gen. Otis and
his army into the sea? Mr.. Stokey said
he was requested to be seated on the
rostrum, but that he did not desire to
take that seat till he had been salts
fled of the truthfulness of this news
paper report.
Mr.. Lentz stated that he considered
it a great privilege to reply to that
question. He stated that he was in
terpreted by the Republican press as
having said that and that he would
interpret his own statement as truly
made by him If the Republican press
here and elsewhere would publish
what he said. He stated that the Re-
publican newspapers have always
stated they have not enough room in
which to publish his speeches, and
that for some time the Republican
party has been complaining that his
speeches were too long. Laughter)
"And must confess" he said "that /
agree with them. Uaughter.) / would
rather make speech in one hour than
in three hours. The voters of the
country are entitled to justice just as
much as jury is entitled to the whole
truth and nothing but the truth. Gap
plause) There is great jury, and
once or twice year they must bring
in verdict upon public issues, and
want to say at first that IL the Re-
"a
were not so long 1t would not take me
so long to recite them. (Tremendous
applause.) a
"Now, my friend inquiries If / really
expressed the hope that the forces OF
Aguinaldo would drive the forces OF
Gen. Otis into the sea. 1 say very
plainly and with all the emphasis ]
am capable of, that whoever says any
thing of the kind, knows that it is an
unmitigated falsehood. A gentleman by
the name of Roosevelt came to Akron
at the opening of the Republican cam.
paign and said that Lentz had come tc
New York and at Cooper Union had
divided himself or his time between the
fervid hope for the success of Aguinal-
do forces and therefore hoped for the
ruin Of the American army. Thai
was published in three papers in Col
umbus That very evening / sent 9
statement to the New York World and
Journal, Columbus Press-Post, Cincin,
natl Enquirer, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Toledo Bee, Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune, and Post, and to one or tive
Chicago papers, and my statement
went across the country" The speaker
then gave the substance of his state
ment. which he alleges had been pur
posely enormously reported, saying
when he comes saying that / ex
pressed hope for the success of Aguin
aldo and his force and the ruin of tn,
American army, he comes with III