The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-24

Issues of the Day Discussed
in Woods County.
MCGUIRE AND M'NEAL
Receive an Ovation by Large
Audience. at AIva.

AIva, o. T, Oct. 23.-Regardless Of the
fact that there was another political meet
ing being held in The city, the district
court room was entirely too small 10 &C
cornmoGate the crowd Of persons who had
gathered to hear Bird 5. MCGUIRE and j.
W. McNeal discuss the issues Of the
campaign. The day was really political
day in Alva. Little else but politics
were discussed. The Democratic COM
mittee secured the opera house and the
Republicans engaged the court room The
Republicans had the Alva band for the
evening, and the Democrats had-none-
Early in the evening there was intense
interest shown in the good natured test.
Bird S. Mcclure, the Republican candl-
date for congress. and J. W. MeNeal Of
Guthrie were the Republican speakers,
and Democrats and Republicans wanted
to hear them. ". D. Cardwell Of Wealth
erf0rd practically unknown 10 the citl-
zens here, and the county candidates on
the Democratic ticket were to address
the audience at the opera house 1t was
claimed that the Democratic meeting was
arranged solely for the purpose Of keep
ing Democrats from hearing Mr.. Nc
CURES convincing arguments on the
statehood matter. For whatever purpose
the meeting was held, it did not prove
TO be the success anticipated. Many DEM
ocrats were in the Mcguire audience
They were not 20 be kept away on ac-
count of the Democratic meeting and as
one Democrat expressed it, I never heard
OF the Democratic orator, and it would
not make any difference If 1 did know
him / desired to hear Bird Mcguire
and did hear him and l want to say that
! like his stand on the statehood ques-
ton"
There Is practically little difference in
the seating capacity Of the two audience
of the opera house, but this building was
not filed by any means. People were
turned away from the district court room
and the persons fortunate in securing
seats were those who went early. The
Democrats had their meeting, closing be-
fore the Republicans had concluded AS
many Of the Democratic audience as
could get close enough to hear. gathered
around the doors TO listen TO the congress
sional candidate speak
The audience in the court room was
composed of representative people. 1t
was a gathering of thinking men and
women and they were present 10 be in
formed On political topics 1t was an en-
thusiastic assemblage. It demonstrated
that there is not the political apathy
in Woods county that characterized the
campaign IN other portions Of the terri
tory Both speakers were heartily ap-
plauded and every point OF argument
was Immediately noted.
The han was crow ded before the speak
ers arrived. Mr.. McNeal came to the
city early in the afternoon. Mr.. Mcclure
drove across from Augusta, where he
spoke during the afternoon. Shortly az
ter O'Clock both men appeared in the
court room and they were vigorously ap-
piauded c. II. Eldred. one Of the prom
inenU men of the county was chairman
OF the meeting. Mr. McNeal was the
nd q q
tory speech, was presented to the audi
ence Mr. McNeal is well known in
Woods county. he is called Joe Nc
Neal by all who know him and has host
OF friends who knew him in Kansas. Ihe
Guthrie banker has studied the issues or
this campaign from the standpoint OF a
business man and his conclusions are
clearly drawn. He wasted no time in
his speech here in mystifying oratory,
but every sentence was filled with sub
stantial logic and argument
Mr.. McNeal considers statehood the par
amount question Of the campaign. He
has been in Oklahoma since the inception
O. the territorial organization and is per
fectly familiar with the agitation for
statehood lie freely discussed this is
sue from the standpoint OF the man who
sees things as a business man and his
speech was forceful and effective
Mr. Mcclure when presented to the au-
cience, was enthusiastically received In
spite of his tiresome work during the
day. he was in good condition and made
a speech that took with his hearers. Mr..
Mcclure is not a stranger by any means
in Alva and his friends and those in the
audience gave him undivided attention
as he elucidated upon the stand Of the
Republican party upon issues confront
ing the people Of Oklahoma at this time.
After complimentary remarks relative 10
the state Of Woods" the speaker took
up the statehood question Mr.. Mcclure
has kindly feeling for Woods county
for the support of its delegation of thir-
ty-five members at the Enid convention
and never fails to show his appreciation
every possible time.
The determined work for statehood by
all parties prior TO this time was set
before the people. showing that there
was no division on the question Of state
hood until recently. The speaker stated
that even now there was a difference Of
opinion among old line Democrats and
that the Democrats OF the territory were
not in lire with the Democrats in con-
gress The candidate explained the vote
OF the members of the house OF repre-
sentatives on the Flynn bill. which was
practically unanimous. despite the fact
that vigorous protests were made by the
Democrats in the territory against the
ra assa ee Of the Flynn bill The fight
made upon this b. was told OF and the
speeches made by the Democrats before
the committee on territories were referred
20 Extracts were read and after this
q comparison of the conditions in
Oklahoma was made with the con-
ditions in the Indian Territory at this
time.
The division q the school land OF Okla
homa was a thing that is not pleasing 70
the people Of this county. They are
proud Of their splendid institution, the
Alva Normal. and any attempt u di-
vide the fund supporting this school IS
not looked upon fsvOrahly by Woods
county people, regardless OF party afiili-
alton.
No phase Of the statehood question was
overlooked by Nj Mcclure and every
clause Of the Flynn bin was explicitly
set forth By him.
The benefit Of immediate statehood to
the school land lessee was shown uQ ard
there were many in the room. The les
sees have ben requesting q settled policy
Tor school land. and according 10 the ar
Euments set forth there is no better plan
than immediate statehood along the lines
Of the Flynn bill. which leaves the sale
or the retention OF the land with the
legislature Of the future state.
Nj Mcclure touched upon the negro
plank in the Democratic platform and
read extracts from Cross speech, show
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