The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1904-10-05
The Great Barbecue at Monarch Park,

Uuquestionably the greatest event in
political annals that has ever taken place
in Northwestern Pennsylvania was the
of last week, when barbecue of roast OK
and hurgoo soup was intersperced with
music, fine speeches and general gala
dag for all who attended. The crowd was
immense, being estimated at from 10000
TO 1000 people, the street car receipts
showing an attendance of nearly eighteen
thousand during the day. All this vast
crowd was amply fed, net one on the
ground but that was filled to the extent of
his or her capacity with the choicest of
juicy meat, soup, coffee, grapes, ETC., and
all within the space of an hour or two, so
thoroughly and systematically had all ar
rongements been looked after The order
aud good feeling was perfect, not sign
of intoxicatioD or rowdyism, such as
might be expected on an occasion of this
sort, being apparent. There were two
speaking stands provided, either ofwhich
was surrounded by vast and attentive
audience, while the speech was
in progress. A number of the Nations
most notable men were there, friends and
colleagues of MIR. Sibley, and all bore
highest tribute to his great worth as a
representative in the American Congress.
AS the Oil City Blizzard properly states
it, every man who spoke made an excel
lent Speech and those who were so fortu-
nate as to be present and listen to the ad-
dresses were enteri- ined in most excel
lent manner by flow of wit and humor
such as is rarely encountered at a politi-
cal assemblage. The meeting was in the
nature of family gathering, the speak
ers being warm personal friends and as
cociates of Mr.. Sibiey, who, when they
heard about the barbecue, sent him word
that they were coming whether he invit-
ed them or not. They came for the pleas
ure the visit afforded them, and as a
mark of friendship for the man they all
like so well. While there was no strain
ed effort in the direction of calculating all
the more complex political problems, the
speakers We'd with each other in telling
stories of "a nature to amuse and illustrate
the points which they endeavored 10
bring out. 1t was indeed a feast of rea-
son and flow of burgoo. Each of the
speakers bore evidence to the esti-
mate which our popular Congressman is
held in Washington. The sentiment of
al was voiced by Congressman James S.
Sherman, of New York, when he said:
"We have learned to know him and love
him as you know him and love him. We
love him for his kindness of heart, his
genial disposition, his broad generosity
and his charming personality. But let
me tell you more, my friends, and you
ought to know that in the distinguished
the most distinguished, l believe, legisla-
tive body in the world, your representa-
tive couples position of force and innu-
ence second to none in this broad land of
ours, and he occupies that position not
merely because of his lovable and genial
and generous disposition, but because he
has in him intelligence, force aud the
courage OF his convictions. No matter
what these convictions are, he has the
courage to stand up and declare them,
and he has the ability to defend them"
The attendance from this section was
large, numbering in the neighborhood of
three hundred people who boarded the
special train at Tionesta and Hickory,
and everybody had good time and
"wouldn't have missed it for anything"