The Republican journal., 1904-09-15
HON. WASHINGTON GARDNER.
The Address in Belfast by the Eloquent Con-
gresham from Michigan,

The Address in Belfast by the Eloquent Con-
gresham from Michigan.
The journal does not usually report po-
litical meetings held just before election, as
they lose their interest when the votes have
been counted. The Republican meeting in
the Opera House last Saturday evening was,
however, sufficiently noteworthy to call for
recognition and comment. although we shall
not attempt to report the address by Hon.
Washington Gardner of Michigan. The
Congressional Directory contains this brief
biography:
Washington Gardner, Republican, of AL
bion, was born in Morrow County. Ohio
when 16 years of age entered the Union
Army, serving in the ranks of the Sixty
fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry from Octo-
Der, 1861, to December, 1867 was severely
wounded in action at Resaca, Georgia
graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan UniVer-
Boston University, 1901; graduated from
the Albany Law School, 1876; practiced
law one year i'll Grand Rapids, Mich, and
then entered the ministry of the Methodist
Episcopal church, in which he served
twelve years; was commander OF the De-
partnent of Michigan, Grand Army of the
Republic, in 1888; was made professor in
and public lecturer for Albion College,
1889; was appointed by Governor John T.
Rich Secretary of State, in March, 1894, and
was subsequently twice nominated by ac-
clamation and elected to succeed himself !;
was elected to the Fifty-sixth Congress and
reelected to the Fifty-seventh, Congress,
receiving 25,99S votes, to 2l,306 for Stephen
ID. Williams, Democrat, 1,022 for Oliver H.
Perry, Prohibitionist, and 496 for George H.
West, Socialist.
Hon. L. I. Carleton OF Winthrop, an elo-
quent and effective speaker, was to have
addressed the meeting, and was in the city
in the morning, but was unexpectedly called
home. 1t therefore devolved upon Mr.
Gardner to entertain the large and repre-
sentative audience, and for one hour and a
half he held their close attention and
evoked their hearty applause. In his
opening remarks he spoke of some of
Names distinguished sons--Hamlin, Blaine,
Milliken, Reed, and later of Fessenden, and
then said that he should not discuss local
issues, concerning which those present were
better Informed than himself. He then
took up the national issues and outlined the
past history Of the two parties, showing
that every good measure and the legsla-
tlon under which the country has prospered
is due to the Republican party and has
been secured against the opposition of tie
Democratic party. In a very dramatic way
he described the monuments which each
four years the Democrats have erected to
their dead issues, and closed with advice to
young men as to their party affiliations. If
any doubted the statements he had made he
advised looking these matters up in our
public library. There is no occasion to do
that for the facts and figures he presented
are well known. 1t is worthy of note that
the address contained no harsh criticism of
our opponents. lie spoke kindly of Bryan,
but suggested that probably the eloquent
champion of Ii to l now realized that he
had been mistaken.
Ex-Mayor Clarence O. Poor presided and
number of citizens occupied seats on the
platform. The Belfast Band, always an
attraction Of itself, gave two selections in
post office square before the meeting and
played in the hall before and after the
address