The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-03
GIVEN AN OVATION
REPRESENTATIVE OvERsTREET
HEARD AT FRANKLIN.
The Biggest Political Demonstration
Ever Held I'm Johnson
County.
BIG DELEGATION FROM HERE
SIXTEEN COACHES FILLED WITH
MEMBERS OF LOCAL CLUBS.


The reception accorded to Representa-
tive Overstreet at Franklin last night is
said TO have been the biggest political
demonstration ever witnessed in Johnson
county. Not only did every one OF Mr..
Oyerstreet's fellow-townsmen, regardless of
political opinions, turn out to do him honor,
but there were people there from every
part of Johnson county. 1t is estimated
that fully four thousand people took part
In the big street parade before the meeting,
and as many more cheered and waved them
a welcome from the adjacent sidewalks.
Conspicuous in the parade was the mons
ter delegation from Indianapolis, more than
twelve hundred strong which went to
Franklin on J., NJ. & 1. special OF sixteen
coaches. The delegation was composed Of
the Atlas Republican Club, with drum
corps; the Indianapolis Pork Packers Club;
the Nordyke & Marmon Republican Club,
with drum corps; the Columbia Club. head
ed by the Indianapolis Military Band; the
Kingan & Co. Republican Club, with
the First Voters Drum Corps and many
Republicans who belonged to no other club
than the Republican party.
The train carrying the local delegation
p. m. but owing to the heavy train ane
the bad engine furnished for the occasion
it was more than an hour late.
NET At DEPOT.
The Indianapolis delegation was met at
the depot by the Franklin and Johnson
county marchers, and the parade was start
ed from that point, marching over the
principal streets of the city. The opera
house In which Mr.. Overstreet spoke did
rot accommodate more than one-fourth CT
the people who had assembled TO hear him.
and hundreds were forced to go away with
cut hearing him. Owing to the length of
the parade and the time it occupied in
passing, it was nearly 10 o'clock when
Chairman r. NJ. Miller raped for order
and introduced Mr.. Overstreet to his fellow
citizens. His appearance before the big
concourse of people was greeted with pro-
longed cheering, and 1t was fully five min
utes before he was allowed to proceed. He
spoke for about an hour and a half and
made his best effort since the beginning OF
the campaign. He began his address with
the remark that mo President, Abraham
Lincoln excepted, has brought greater re-
nown or more prosperity to the American
government than William Mckinley" He
took up in succession the issues of militar-
ism, Imperialism and trusts He said three
years ago the Republicans had accepted the
reins OF government under the most adverse
circumstances. Labor was walking the
streets" said Mr.. Overstreet, money was
scarce and conditions everywhere were
unsettled and unstable. There were three
million OF men who were begging for ne
thing to do. We promised that we '. 3uld
change those conditions, and / say to you
tonight that the Republican party has
kept its promises. Prosperity now abounds
throughout the length and breadth of our
lard and labor no longer walks the streets.
for every man who wants work can find
IL. instead of a nation in debt have
become a credit nation, and all this IN three
years"
UNDER DEMOCRATIC RULE.
AS a parallel picture to Republican pros
perity Mr.. Overstreet pointed out the condi-
tions that existed under the Democratic
administration four years ago. He spoke of
the prophesies of Bryan, and said that, not
withstanding their utter falsity, he had the
effrontery to again ask the American peo-
pie for their votes from the very same
platform that he stood upon four years
ago. He spoke of Mr.. Bryan's love of free
silver and of the Republican party's predi-
lection for gold. I'VE are step in advance
of our position four years ago." said Mr..
Overstreet. 1--WE declared for mainte-
nance of the gold standard then, and now
we ask for an absolute security in the
maintenance or tnat standard.
With reference to militarism, Mr.. Over
street said that this country had had
standing armies since the days of Jeffer-
son, and that he challenged any man to
point out when the boys in blue HAD ever
proven a menace TO the Republic. There
were over a million men in the civil war,
said Nj Overstreet, land instead of be-
coming a menace to the country. they
have become the bulwark and the very
foundation of the Republic" He said Try
and his assistants pretended to be
afraid of the very overthrow of the gov
eminent itself Such an idea was lre-
posterous when the powers OF government
rested in the hands of the American peo-
pie. He said ne had seen enough Rough
Riders in the last thirty days TO over
throw any empire that ever existed. In
conclusion, Mr.. Overstreet addressed him.
self TO the trusts He spoke of the records
of both parties on the trust question, show
ing conclusively that the only party that
had ever enacted any antitrust legisa-
ton was the Republican party ours has
been the party of performance" said Mr..
Overstreet, land theirs, the party of pre-
tense"
Mr. Overstreet was followed I'm his re-
marks by ID. +. Kennedy, of indianapolis,
who spoke briefly of the bad record made
by Mr.. Burke while an Indiana senator.