The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-10-17
RALLY AT coRuNNA.
Speech by Hon. James O'Donneli--
John McCurdy Comes Out In a
Straightforward Speech for the Re-
publican p Party-Meetlng Good One
in Every Respect

publica Party Meeting Good One
in Every Respect.
The rally at Corunna Tuesday nigh,
found one more speaker in attendance
than had been generally advertised
The speech and the speaker added rather
than detracted from the pleasure of the
meeting, however, for the speaker
whose name was not on the bills was
John 7. McCurdy, and the speech was a
clear setting forth of his reasons for an
nouncing that henceforth he would be
found in the republican ranks The
speech of Hon. James, O'Donnell was
full of good material as his speeches
always are. 1t was well fortified with
statistics from latest reports and
compilations and enlivened with more
than mere sprinkling of Mr. O'Don-
nells latest and best stories told in his
own inimitible style.
The meeting was called to order by
E. Welch, who called Judga Mat
thew Bush to the chair as chairman of
the evening. The latter in a neat
speech in which he said enough but not
too much introduced John T. McCurdy
for the purpose of announcing his adj
vent into the republican party. Mr..
McCurdy took the floor and made a
very graceful speech, setting out the
reasons for his announcing his determi-
nation to be classed with the workers
in the republican party hereafter, He
believed that the republican party was
the best party because be believed it's
principles were the best. To show
that they were it needed nothing more
than glance at the history Of the coun-
try from the time when it emerged
from the struggles of the civil war to
the present time. When that war end
ed the nation was small and weak.
During the years since then with the
exception of short time the country
had been run according to republican
policies and during all of the time when
so run it had progressed marvelouslv
until today it was at the head Of the
civilized world on all matters of inn
portance He had been the son of q
staunch democrat and had been brought
up a democrat but for years his admira-
ton had gone out to the republican
party for the men who were in it and
for what it was accomplishing for the
country. His sympathies as man had
been with the republican party for
years and he had decided that he would
no longer make even the pretense of
remaining a democrat. He was re-
publican and considered the reputation
of being one of the republican workers
an honor. He should endeavor to
make himself regarded as one of the
workers in the republican ranks from
this time.
After stating his position Mr.. Nc
Curdy asked permission to speak briefly
concerning the county candidates and
took them up one by one beginning
with the candidate of Shiawassee and
Ingham counties for the state senate
Mr.. A. B. Cook, whom he affirmed was
known too well by all present to require
much to be said by him. He assured
his hearers. however, that they woul l
be electing senator who would do his
duty as he saw it after carefully think
ing it over if they elected A. B. Cook.
He also spoke in high regard of Chas.
E. Ward, the candidate for the house.
Both were young men, both ready
speakers, both to be depended upon, and
both would cast their ballots for Gen
eral Alger for the United States senate
He spoke warmly of each of the county
officers, declaring that better ticket
had never been presented to the people,
and that every individual man on il
was worthy in the highest sense. Con-
cerning the prosecuting attorneys work
he said that an attorney who wins
fifty-one per cent Of his cases is consid.
cred very successful indeed, but that
an examination of the records had shown
that Austin E. Richards had won seven
ty-one per cent of his. He made good
plea for the nominee for sheriff,
George w. Haskell, and an unusually
warm one for the candidate for treas
urer, Albert II. Northway, referring to
the length of time he had been known
and respected in Corunna, and to the
! unfortunate accident which all deplored
which deprived him of the use of one oi
his feet except by the aid of cruches
With the clerk and the register he in
, dulged in little joking, all, however
in a happy, complimentary way, and
, passed to the mention of the other
names on the ticket. The entire speech
was well given and well received. II
, was an unusually auspicious welcome
into the party which has made the ma
ton what it is today.
At the close of Mr.. McCurdy's speech
Hon James O'Donnell was intro
duced. sMr. ODonnell made witty ref
erence to the rhetorical bouquets which
the preceding speaker and the chair
man had thrown at him personally. re