Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-08-19

bers both at Milwaukee and Chicago
and it is my honest belief that it needs
but little effort to accomplish it. No
one can saw that it will not be sue
cess for it has become proverbial that
anything Watertown man takes hold
of is q success from the start 1t will
indeed be pleasure for me and
think for every Watertown person here
or anywhere else, when l can step into
a well-appointed home, upon the door
plate of which is nscribed "Water-
town Club, )" and say to myself this is
the result Of a happy idea.
My friends, the Watertown club does
not claim the whole credit for this
days unparalleled gathering. We
would be wanting in judgment and
most ungrateful, if we did not offer our
sincerest thanks to his honor, the
mayor, and to the local committee,
who worked SO faithfully and harmon
iously on this end of the undertaking.
On behalf OF the club | offer them and
all the merchants aud people of Water
town unanimous thanks. I also take
this occasion to offer thanks to the
press OF the city and of Milwaukee for
their universal generosity in giving US
the notices they did. We could not
hope for this success without all this
united aid.
Mr.. Mayor and friends OF Water
town, We are here today to enjoy our
selves and to give you enjoyment; we
are here to tell you what we have done
in the years we have been away from
you, not in public speech, but in pri-
vate exchange of conversation. could
not tell, dare not, in fact, tell you all I
have done, or some others that know
of now listening. in public speech.
| We cannot consume the afternoon in
1 speeches. You must let us swap lies
in private. / know great many of
the boys did that this morning already
We do not need any keys to the city,
because the town is always open to us.
LII not. | tell you we have never lost our
duplicate keys. You will pardon US
for frolicking as much as We please.
assure you We will not stretch strings
across the sidewalk tonight for the
city marshal to fall over and we will not
take the undsrtaker's sign and place it
before DR.. Werner's house; we will not
go In swimming and leave our clothes
SO that the marshal can carry them
away and leave US in the river; we will
not lcck the doors of the school so old
Mr. Bernard can't.get out, but we do
claim the right to make merry in all
ways consistent with decency and we
assure you that when we pull out Of
the station tonight all of the people
will proclaim us fairly good representa-
tives OF Watertown and that you will
give us your kindest encomiums and
bid us come again.
The next speaker to address the
gathering was ex-Gov. Peck. 1t is
needless to state that not only
were his remarks appreciated but pro-
voked hearty laughter throughout, a
faculty for which the ex-governor is
noted. There was only one fault to
find with his address-it was too brief.
Everyone could have stood more of hi }
exuberant spirits. But then good
things always come to an end too soon.
He spoke somewhat as follows:
'When your committee first ap-
preached me on the subject of becom-
ing member of your club,' he said,
Il was in the position of the man who
was engaged to every girl in the
neighborhood. can justly claim that
| belong to every town in the ssate of
Wisconsin and if there are any reunions
I'm there. As to my right to pose as
a member of your stub / will explain
that my father settled in jefferson
county when | was three years old.
left there, learned the printers trade
and came to Watertown in 1860, where
I was offered the job of pressman, Office
devil, mailer, and in fact, everything
except publisher and editorial writer
on the Republican The publisher was
John Lawton and j. I. Moak, your
present postmaster, was editorial writ
or. 1t was in the midst of a campaign
that Mr.. Lawton told me that I would
have to carry a torch in the republican
parade. | demurred as I was demo-
crat. agreed to leave the matter to
! Mr. MnQk utop hiY,, a "a