The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-04
It WAS REMARKABLE
Chester |. Long Given a Grand
Ovation in Riverside
AT OLD SOLDIERS REUNION
Talks of National Questions to
the Veterans Satisfaction.
At OLD SOLDIERS REUNION

Probably the most remarkable demon
stration ever accorded a public speaker
in Wichita occurred at Riverside park
yesterday afternoon when Representative
Chester I. Long concluded his speech to
the Cd soldiers
Mr.. Long had just closed talk to the
old boys which had been full of inspira-
ton, and the effect of which was wonder
fully significant. As he finished there
was a rush from the audience which lit
orally carried Mr.. Long from his feet.
Probably more than 1850 persons were In
the tent and around it during the speech.
As the end came. it seemed as though
every man and woman was simultaneous
ly impressed with the idea to move to
the stage, seize the speakers hand and
pay him tribute. The rush was a mad
one, yet a systematic one. Men Wed with
each other to reach Mr.. Long, yet the
contest was thoroughly good-natured.
The scene was an impressive one 1t
showed, if it showed anything, the Won
derful strength of Mr.. Long, especially
with the old soldiers, and it showed that
TIE NOIuS He HdN SpOhCA NSlS dpPiS-
ciated and approved.
One old fellow, with his little boy.
seemed unable to reach the speaker. He
was jostled from side to side, and finally
sought to have his boy carried to Mr..
Long. After the congressman had spok-
en- to the boy and shaken his hand and
the boy was returned, the father said,
I'm glad he saw him; two years ago we
were all Democrats, but this year we are
the other way, and that boy will always
remember this"
Another old fellow met Mr.. Long a. he
finally left the tent. He said: Il was
impressed with what you said about the
of hostilities in the Philip
pines because of sympathy for the insur
gents here in this country. and your
question whether the old soldiers did not
have some recollection of the same thing
in the civil war. l was on the other side.
but I firmly believe that my four years
of service as a Confederate soldier would
have been shortened had it not been for
the northern assistance and sympathy for
our cause"
When the onslaught came Mr.. Long met
the enemy-and surrendered. There was
else for him to do. He simply
did what the soldiers wanted him to do;
stood there for over a half hour until it
that not a person in the tent but
had shaken his hand and told him how
he enjoyed and approved of the talk. 1t
is seldom that public men have such sub
stantial and overwhelming tribute paid
them. It has never happened to Long
quite in this wise but once in his public
career, and that was at Newton at the
joint debate with Simpson in 1890 when
Long, in self-defsnse retaliation, had
gone after Simpson and cleaned him out.
This event of yesterday afternoon even
which so many still remember.
1t was one continuous ovation to Long
from the time he entered the big tent un-
til he had concluded his speech and left
the grounds. When he entered, with the
and with Charles F. Scott |
candidate for congressman-at-lar there |
was general applause and greeting. which !
without the remarkable demonstration |
alter would have been sufficient to have |
shown the esteem In which Long was
held by the soldiers. Again when he
arose to speak, it occurred. 1t continued |
while he was speaking. His every pa
.riotic reference, his injunctions, his ap-
oeals, and his statements of facts were |
,heered to the echo.
This was an instance of speaker and |
audience both taking part. Mr.. Long would |
make some patriotic reference, and the |
crowd would take it I'D and add TO it, |
md then make suggestions which would |
q RI M az dffTArenf
.heme. So it went to conclusion-one |
great patriotic, loyal love feast-that was |
what it was.
Along at the start, Mr.. Long, who was |
.rying his best not to allow politics to |
,reep in, but to conf1ne himself purely to |
/ patriotic talk had made some refer |
.nce to our flag IN the Philippines. Yes, |
Ind it's going to stay there. shouted /
some enthusiastic soldier. Again he spoke |
If Aguinaldo waiting-but before he |
could proceed the audience construed a
possible meaning of the word waiting.
presumably it thought Mr.. Longs unex-
PRESSED idea might be for Mr.. Bryan's
election" and once more there was a
ound of applause.
AT this Mr. Long said: You are about
ne most intelligent people L nave ever
alked to. You seem not only 10 antici-
'ate what I may be about TO say, but
o anticipate even an unexpressed
bought, to say nothing Of the slightest
lint.
You make my duty all the harder,
hough, by what you do. You know I
must not make d political speech. You
NOW am in the attitude of a tight rope
yalker-the rope is very narrow, and ap-