The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-10-17
ADDRESS OF CONGRESSMAN
GARDNER. y
The Political Situation Discussed be-
fore Large Audience in the Armory
Saturday Night.

Saturday Night
The campaign in Shiawassee county
, is much farther along today than it was
a week ago. because, if for no other rea
son, Congressman Washington Gardner
of the third district, has been here and
addressed Owosso voters. 1t is needless
to say to any one who is acquainted
with Mr.. Gardner that the address was
good one, scholarly as all of his adj
dresses are, full of straightforward, con-
vincing common sense, and enjoyable
to the close. Owosso republicans are
always pleased to listen to Congressman
Gardner and the Michigan delegation"
in congress seems a much more real
thing to Owosso voters because of the
visit of the congressman from the third
district who told his hearers of his work
with their own congressman, Hon.
Joseph w. Fordney, and the other rep
resentatives from this state.
The meeting was presided over by
Odell Chapman who, in opening it spoke
of the present labor troubles and af-
frmed his belief that the only effective
way in which labor could contend with
capital was by organization-ad sing his
opinion that labor organizations should
be permitted to make their organiza-
tions as legal and their powers as well
defined as the organizations of capital
were permitted to become. He then re-
ferred briefly to the county ticket before
introducing the speaker for the even
ing, remarking that the democrats were
attempting to get republican votes for
their candidate for sheriff on the plea
that he should have the Office for a sec
ond term. Mr.. Chapman said that it
sheriff to take since only four years be-
fore he had attempted TO prevent re-
publican from having a second term by
trying to get the Office away from him
for himself. He also pointed out the
evident insincerity of the plea since the
democrats were trying at the same time
to defeat the republican candidates for
county clerk and prosecuting attorney,
against whom no charges could be
made, or than whom the county had
never had better officials, but both of
whom had had, like the democrat sher-
iff, but single term. Besides, added
] Mr. Chapman, the republican candidate
hasn't had even one term yet After re-
ferring to the county ticket Mr.. Chap
man introduced Congressman Gardner
and the latter addressed the audience
for more than an hour, some of the
main thoughts of his address being con-
tanned in the following partial synopsis;
Every campaign, said Congressman
Gardner, is an educator. Every cam
paign teaches the people civil govern
ment, and the return of the national
campaign is to be welcomed because they
do educate the people, It is good omen
to see so many people out to listen to a
discussion of the political issues Of the
day, and then the present campaign is
an important one. In this state twelve
members of the lower house of congress
are to be elected, and too, the members
of the legislature elected this fall will
have to elect a successor to the late
Senator Mcmillan, and there are great
international problems to be solved by
these two houses acting with the presi-
dent. The republican party is the only
party which has anything definite to say
about what it expects to do with these
questions. In the Michigan democratic
platform not one word is to be found
about Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, or the
Philippines. Not word is said about
finance. Free trade, the trusts, protec-
tion, all receive no mention. There is
not word in reference to the boys who
went to Cuba, the Philippines, or to
China when the eyes of the whole civil
lized world were turned upon the Pekin
garrison. There is not a word in refer
ence to a single international topic.
According to the democratic platform
one might well suppose that the "Re-
public" of Michigan were bounded on
the east and north by the British pos
sessions. on the west by Lake Michigan,
, on the south by Indiana and Ohio, parts
of the possessions of the government
known as the United States of America.
No one would guess that Michigan had
any relations with the other states OF
, the union. 1t might well be a republic
, by itself 80 far as the others were con.
J cerned. Congressman Gardner then
, brought down the house by rebukine
the chairman Of the evening with mock
solemnity for bringing in any reference
, to national issues-in local campaign
, in this Republic" Of Michigan.
, Inasmuch, however, as the democrats
had chosen to center their strength on
! the state ticket he asked what the re
! publicans of the state of Michigan want
) ed anyway, and answered that they
placed personal character above every
thing else in the make up of their tick
OTIS. But, said he, name any admins
. tration in the last thirty six years which
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