The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-18
COL. KIEFER AND j. j. LEIGHTON
CHIEF FUNMAKERS IN COM
ICAL PERFORMANCE
ROGERS EvADEs TAX QUESTION
Chairman York Has Troubles with
Enthusiasm of Juvenile Au-
dience Which Greets Re
publican Orators.

The Republican rally at St Francis haII
in the Fifth ward last night was lit
orally bowling success Opening with
all the recognized indications OF a pro-
found frost, it developed in a few min
utes into circus The drectors-in-chief
Of the circus were Col. Andrew r. Kiefer,
sometime mayor of ST. Paul. and that
aspiring and altogether promiscuous per-
son, John w. Leighton who would be-
but probably never will be- mayor, save
in what he is pleased to call his mind.
After the purely spectacular character
OF the occasion had developed. the audi
ence rose to the occasion. 1t was COM
posed of several rows of small boys who
managed to ensconse themselves on the
front seats, and had evidently come ex-
pecting to be greatly amused. But there
were others there besides boys There
were gccd many Of the candidates. an
old gentleman who had cast his first vote
for Zachary Taylor. about twenty Demo-
Gratis who had evidently been forewarnCd
of the circus developments, and enjoyed
them to the fill, and, in addition Just
twenty-seven male adults who showed
some serious interest in the proceedings
These latter numbered "Chippy" Davis
and a dozen Republican office holders,
or known aspirants for office.
AOEAS AGOuDles GOlnme mence.
The interesting aggregation was presld-
ed over by Thomas York whose open
ing address sounded something like this-
Fellow Republicans Of the Fifth ward:
We are assembled here tonight to hear
the principles of the party set forth bv
able orators. Nov you boys win have to
behoVe yourselves. This is no place to
make a noise. Every one of you VIII
have to keep still or else steps will be
taken TO eject yOu.-I have now the honor
to introduce to you our distinguished fel-
low citizen, Col Kiefer."
The first number on the program was
the reading by the colonel of what was
intended to be an impressive essay on
taxation, but which, SO far as the en-
thusiasm Of the boys would allow their
elders to follow the gist of it, was a
somewhat disjointed and altogether
Macchiaveldian discourse on the certainty
with which T. b. DOran would, by his
inherent popularity, bring about the cleo
ton Of the entire ticket, from himself
the grand old man. to my friend whom y
see sitting here behind me. Mr. Gaines"
Whereat Mr.. Gaines showed signs Of not
enjoying too keenly the honors thus
thrust upon him.
kiefer Wakes Impressive.
AS the colonel warmed to his subject
he was heard exclaiming with his usual
impressiveness and more than his usual
vehemence-"Po-lees Po-lcesi Po-lees"
Whereupon the boys in the front seats
rose in a body and turned their atten-
ton to the front entrance evidently in
alarm over the possible appearance OF
the cops. But seeing that it was really
a false alarm, they sank back I'm their
respective chairs, breathing a combined
sigh Of relief. Shortly thereafter the
colonel bowed with deep humility ana
said: Gentlemen; my friends, ! thank
you so much for your deep attention"
and thus left the opportunity open to
the latest aspirant for the toga Of the
reform statesman-Mr Leighton.
Like the distinguished ex-mayor Mr..
Leighton had his manuscript in reserrr;
but as he had no eyeglasses to maIip-
ulate, he found 1t an easier task to Ia-
vote bis attention to its mysterious ana
not overconvincing arithmetic.
Occasionally Mr.. Leighton would D eal6
out : a raphsodicaI declaration. such as.
"Gemn: I am so infused with this grlui
Republican party that I-I-see victory in
the air" Then the scant audience wOulf
rise to the occasion and show its appryyaT
mostly by a chorus Of youthful falsetto-
There was no disposition on the part lf
anybody but the speaker himself to take
Mr. leighton seriously. When that gem
tleman declared, in something OF the
stentorian tones Of the gentry who oc-
cupy the street corners Of East Seventh
On Saturday evenings: ct doesn't ma ter
whether it is a Republican or a Demo
crat; l have my friends in both parties
Continued on Third Page.