Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-17
suARnIsoN CAUGHT THE roLns.
How ohicago's Famous Mayor Made a
Ten-strike with n Polish Audience.


AN anecdotlet, recently printed in
this column and relating how the late
Carter Harrison once won the hearts
Vt q negro mass meeting by a tribute
10 his old Kentucky nurse, reminds n
politician OF n similar instance where
Nhe great mayor got In close rapport
with the Polish fellow-citiSens In less
mime than IL would have taken n less
resourceful man 10 say Good even
1ngN 10 them, says the Chicago Jour
hal. IL was NJ 81. Stanislaus' hall in
hhe Polish quarter during Mr.. Harri-
sons campaign for the Worlds fair
mayorality. The hall was packed
900 Poles present II there was one.
The mayor rose TO the occasion with
The enthusiasm OF "a warhorse shutting
battle. But he was bit Mt loss
for an effective method OF appealing
TO these people, the English OF most
of whom he knew was too deficient TO
permit their following him through
an elaborate and glittering tribute TO
the heroes OF the unhappy land. by
no possibility could he lay claim to q
Polish strain In his family. In fine,
he was quite at loss for one OF his
fayoritc coups de theOter which form
ed so large an element In his power
over audiences OF the most divergent
character,
But suddenly the inspiration came.
The mayor had arrived at the hal
during the middle Of another politi-
clan's speech and was standing on
corner Of the platform, where he was
out of view OF the audience, While
waiting for his turn to 90 ON, he call
ed Polish citizen to him and said;
ANY friend, how do you say MY TEL
low citizens, I greet you In PolishP-
good Polish, you understNnd--none OF
your corrupt diolccts?'
The Pole repeated the desired greet
ing in his native tongue, the mayor
going over every word with him pa
tiently MS child learning his letters
word nv word, syllable by syllable
accent by accent, in that fearful jun
blc Of consonnnts,
at was" said nm American reporter
who watched the pair, "like nm motor
going over difficult clocutionnry
passage with the stnge manager, ana
I think the mayor made his instruct"
or rencnt the words at least twenty
times"
The lesser orator having finished
Mr., Harrison strobe TO the front OF
the platform, the old SLOUGH hat in his
hand. the stout cane in the other
While the preliminary cheering shook
the hall he tossed the hat on the table
laid the cane on u chair, then waited
for absolute silence. When IT came
he Strengthened his shoulders, looked
out over the vast audience, lifted one
hand like patriarch blessing ms PEG
pie, and amid an almost paintuI stli
he said;
"Moi wspol obywOtelc po2drawiam
was"
That was the formula for MY iei
low citizens, | greet YOU" which he
had been learning from the Pole; and
said the politician who told me the
story. "the effect was something 10
scare n man. For ten seconds tne
Poles seemed stunned, almost fright
ened, to hear their own language from
this man whom they regarded MS
something more than n king ana less
than a god. Then they came to- ana
say, they Just went right up in the
air. raying, stamping crazy with de-
Iipht and pride
For Ave minutes you couldn't hear
anything but steady roar OF cheers
Then they grew weary and the cheers
died of into mummurs of delight and
surprise. The mayor raised his voice
again, this time in English, but IT
didn't make much difference what he
said Even had he spoken IN Polish
the Poles were too much excited to
follow him. But he had them with
him body and son' and the unexpect-
ed greeting he gave them in their own
tongue had passed into the traditions
of the Polish quarter.