Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-25
BREAKS UP BLOWOUT,
Republican Bonfire is Started Be.
fore All the Speakers
are Heard.
RATIFICATION MEETING FALLsFLAT
Lacks Enthusiasm and Numbers
The Leaders Are Dis
appointed.

| Gallon III the history OI hOCk lSlduu
occurred Saturday night, when the
repu blicans of the city got together
with torch and band to give an ap-
proving shout to the nomination of
Mckinley and Roosevelt. 1t was a fail
ure alike in numbers and enthusiasm.
1t was sore disappointment to the
managers and 10 those of the faithful
| who have allowed the erroneous i'm
preston to creep into their brain par
lor that the rank and file of the voters
| are going to rally around the standard
of Mckinley as they did four years
ago. All will remember the sum-
mer's night of 1896, day following
the nomination of Mckinley aud Ho-
bart, when a meeting was called to
ratify the selection of those national
| ticket candidates. The streets were
thronged with people, who shouted
and blew horns and seemed to drink
in the speeches. They were interest
ed then. Now it is different. They
say Mckinley has been given oppor-
| tunity to prove his steel. They say
| be will not do. AS to Teddy-well,
| he is on the tail end of the kite and
cannot be expected to cut much of a
| figure.
Leaving out the Saturday night
| shoppers, there would not have been
a corporal's guard to witness the
rectangular movements" down Sec.
| ond avenue. Effort after effort was
put forth in a vain eudeavor to arouse
| the onlookers to a demonstration.
The Flam beans, under the leadership
of Cap'ner Hughey Alexander Joubert
Mcdonald. looked lovely in their
| newly Numbered trousers with coats
to match. They carried torches and
red fire sticks, and during intervals
when the band was laying off. would
| blow sheets of flame out of the north
| end of the torches. This made a pic
ture that was really pretty, and it was
cruel that the spectators did not give
| the boys a hand now and then.
Knox Donates Carriage.
The first hitch happened in securing
| the carriage. AS announced eXclu
siVely in THE ARGUS, the plan was to
| have but one vehicle in the parade.
and the speakers were to ride in that.
B. f. Knox was general manager. He
found before reaching the livery sta,
bic the Sl1 62 had been expended for
| the band. fireworks, etc. With char
| acteristic generosity, Brother Knox
led out his hearse team and pailbear-
ers' carriage and started out to search
| for the orators. He had all of them
lined up and seated in the carriage at
exactly SLY, at which moment the
procession moved, as per program,
from the Harper house west on Sec
ond, finally winding up in Market
square. 1t cannot be said that it was
not appropriately conducted in all re-
speCts.
Judge w. II. Gest was master of
ceremonies in the square. the speak
ers elm bling into the garnet of the
weighmaster's stand. There was one
electric light there, but it did not
seem to be on agreeabl terms with
those on the platform, and was con
tinually winking at the audience be-
low. Some one said, "let there be
light" and there was light. 1t was
furnished by delegation of the fam
beau boys, who stood religiously
through the piece. There were other
things In the speakers stand that
ones optics could not miss. For
instance, a hastily painted banner
with a picture on either side. They
were supposed to be likenesses of the
president and the rough rider. The
artist had managed To get Teddy's
glasses on, so he did not look so
fierce, but if Mckinley saw the as
sault that had been made on his
usually pleasant countenance he
would be justified in having every
rePu blican who had anything to do
with the celebration communicated
from the party. There was another
banner. 1t also had some painting
on either side. These were meant
to represent Richard Yates and w. A.
Northcott, candidates for governor
and acknowledgement, respectively.
Neither of these distinguished gentle
men has been accused of being ugly
0 having ever taken a beauty prize
at county fair, but it is not justice
TO them to permit a painter so preju-
diced against them to draw likenesses
of them from memory.
Judge Gest Heard.
Judge Gest delivered the first ad
dress. He said he was republican
because he believed it was the party
that stood for the best interests of the
American people. William Mckinley
was a grand, honest, fearless man,
one who could be depended on to carry
his country safely through as he had
during thefour years Of unprecedented
history just closing Theodore Roose-
velt was also an American who had
been tried and found true. as well on
the field of battle as in the executive
chair.
Then there was a song by quartet.
led by Stephanus Colombo Collins,
who was assisted by J. a Johnson. Z.
L. Hartman aud c. G.. Taylor. "Illi-
nois" was rendered.
E D. Sweeney was next introduced.
He was just getting settled down to =
speech which would have undou btedly