Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-01
Enthusiastic Meeting at the Grand
Last Evening.
HE DISCUSSES THE ISSUES ABLY.
Veteran Congressman Defines His Pc.
stion on the Various Questions
Treats the Philippine Question Fully
synopsis of Address.
From Tuesdays Daily.

y
Last evening at the Grand opera
house in this city, Major John F.
! Lacey, this districts tried and true
representative in congress, spoke to
large and attentive audience. 1t was
feared by some that the inclement
weather which prevailed during the
day would prevent good attendance.
but several hundred people were pres
ent, and every seat on the two floors
! of The building was occupied. AS the
weather was inclement, the audience
included few women, and was compos-
ed almost entirely Of voters. Demo-
Gratis as we'll as republicans were in
attendance and the good attention ac-
corded the speaker bespoke the inter-
est all take in his principles. His re-
marks were frequently interrupted by
! hearty applause, and the meeting was
altogether most successful
altogether most successful. Music for
the evening was furnished by the Of
tumwa Glee Club and the Wapello
A.lief band.
introduced by Capt. Hutchinson.
Capt. ]. G. Hutchison was chairman
Of the meeting, and made very brief
speech in which he announced Major
" Lacey as the speaker of the evening.
He said that it would be useless to in
troduce so well known man, and for
that reason simply announced him.
Major Lacey spoke in part as follows.
Fellow citizens, am glad to meet
so large an audience on so unfavorable
an evening. l have always had
/ the pleasure of speaking to good
audiences in Ottumwa. In 1888
II do
1 you. Then the tariff was the issue
on which the two parties were at war,
and Mr.. Weaver and myself fought
that campaign on that question. After
that campaign ! was elected. Benja-
min Harrison was elected president
and in the last year of his admins
tration the Mckinley bill was passed.
"The sentiment of the people chang
ed at once. The rapidity with which
they deserted the administration was
marvellous. Less than five weeks after
the bill had passed, and before anyone
knew what effect it would have upon
the country, the administration was
turned down by the vote of the people.
Four years after when the people had
had time to think about the question,
they gave an overwhelming majority
to the author of that very bill, and
4 elected him president of the United
States. In 1892 this district declared
for protection, but the nation, as a
whole was against it and elected
Cleveland and free trade.
Evil Effects of Wilson Bill.
"The Wilson bill was made law;
nor should it be called the Wilson bill
either, for w. j. Bryan was the man
who framed it and was the real author
of it, and 1t should have been called
the Bryan bill. No bill ever went on
the statutes of our country which car
ried with it more misery and hardship
than that bill. The opposition talks
about imperialism" We had imper-
ialism then. An army marched from
west to the east, clear across the coun-
I try, Coxey's army. A navy sailed the
unsalted sea of the Des Moines. KEEL
1 ly's navy.
What want you to do this year is
to remember: In 1893 the country
had prospered as it never had before,
and never since, until we got rid of the
Wilson bill. There IS no city in which
+ the people are more interested in pros
perity than Ottumwa Now you have
in this city most genial and gentle
manly man as candidate for congress
on the fusion ticket. He and are the
best Of personal friends. For him as
a man / entertain the highest regard,
and no word of abuse or assault shall
utter against him. But we represent
great questions, and are on opposite
sides. So far as l know he has not
stated where he stands on the money
/ question. Perhaps some one in the
audience knows" mo one knew, or
II he did, he did not tell)
Steck Has Silver Principles.
He has not stated his principles but
this does not change the platform on
which he is seeking election. He will
vote with his party If elected, and will
1 vote opposite the republican way of
voting. II you are in favor of free
silver, vote for him, for I am not in
favor Of it. If you are in favor of free
trade, vote for him, for will not vote
4 for that. II on the other hand you are
in favor of sound money of protection,
of never tearing down the flag where
it has been planted justly, then vote
4 for me. We are not making this cam
, paign as man to man but as represen-
tatiVes of different issues.
Bryan's Prophecies.
III AOOu Diydu do q piOphCC. 41C
was preaching calamity everywhere, he
7 was preaching it at the rate of from
{ 40 to go miles per hour from the rear
/ platforms of various trains. l would
all might read his prophecies of hard
times in case of the victory of the gold
standard party over the silver party.
But he was wrong in every one Of
them. He said that labor would not
be employed If Mckinley was elected.
Labor is better employed now and is
getting better wages than at any time
previous in the history of the country.
Products are bringing better prices
also. The man who raises crops de-
ponds on the laborer to purchase his
Z produce, and the laborer must be en-
ployed, and well employed, in order to
be able to purchase anything.
t'Mr. Bryan also said that If McKin-
ley were elected and allowed to put
into force his gold standard, we would
! in short time be on our knees to Eng
Z land. What is the real state of af-
fairs? England and other European
! nations are borrowing money of the
n Tinted States He missed the truth