Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-19
BIG AUDITORIUM AT DEs MONIES
CROWDED AT OPENING OF
CONVENTION.
HON. JOHN N. IRWIN'S
STIRRING ADDRESS
keokuk Man Acts as Temporary Chair
man Of Republican Convention and
in Opening Speech Makes Eloquent
Appeal for Sound Republicansm.

Des Moines, May Is. = Every seat
In the auditorium was occupied this
morning when Chairman R. H. Spence
OF the state central committee called
to order the republican state conven-
ton to select delegates for the nation
al convention. In the boxes were
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M.
Shaw, Senators Allison and Dol
liver and Iowa's delegation in
the lower house of congress. Rev. b.
b. Begler OF this city offered prayer
after which Hon. John N. Irwin, of Keo-
kuk was introduced as the temporary
chairman.
Mr.. Irwin's Speech.
Mr. Irwin is one of the prominent
republicans in Iowa He is a manufac-
turer and as such has made study
of the conditions of the country as they
affect the home industries. In his ad-
dress to the convention he made
strong plea for the continuation of the
protective tariff policy which has
brought this nation to it's present
high position among the worlds gov
ernments and he also talked eloquent
ly in favor of harmony among republi-
cans generally. His address was well
received and was often punctuated
with hearty applause from the audi
ence.
Ovations for Allison and Cumn,ins,
When the temporary chairman men
toned the DISTINGUISHED Iowans the
convention responded with cheers.
The whole body rose when Senator AL
llson's name was uttered and the ap-
plause was continued until he arose
in his box and bowed Governor Cum
minis was given an ovation when he
entered his box.
MIR. Irwin's address follows:
II there is any man here who inn
agines that have come upon this
platform to sneer at and fiout any re-
publican in Iowa or to sneer at and
fiout and ridicule the opinions of any
republican in Iowa, then that man has
very different conception of the du-
ties OF temporary chairman than I
nave. i am here as a republican, as
one rocked in the cradle of republican,
| ism, whose politica1>idea has been, and
is, to be true to what Lincoln taught
and Grant fought for, and to the les
sons laid down for us by the long line
| of illustrious men who have been lead
/ 49, ~ rCSh 81 Sos Ptbi ~ Oil hSIS DIS
republican, as one who has been
brought up on the teaching and the
literature of that party whose wise
laws and great measures have made
more people materially happy and con-
tented and prosperous than any other
civic organization since the world was
brought into being. And ! am here
also, not only to concede, but to de-
mand, that inside our ranks there
must be the most absolute freedom OF
opinion; that every man has the right
to speak and to think as he pleases
4 without fear and without denial. am
| here, as | trust you are here, from al
over broad Iowa, independent, free,sub.
servient to no one, master of myself
just as you gentlemen from ever,
| county in the state, are here, master.
Of yourselves and owned by no man.
! And, in this conception of the duties
] imposed upon me, l ask of republican
delegates, in a republican convention
the freedom of the floor and youl
hearty assistance in presiding ovel
4 your temporary deliberations. / will
always be with you in giving battle tt
our common foe, but, inside the ranks
:. of the party ] believe in and want ant
4 will work for peace and good will ant
Il statewide party harmony. In June
next we will all be invited to attent
the wedding feast, and I trust and be.
lieve that 'no funeral baked meat!
will coldly furnish forth the marriag,
tables"
1 It goes almost without saying that
am grateful to the state central com
mittee for making me it's choice fol
the temporary Craftsmanship of thi!
4 great convention; yet, after returning
4 my thanks to the committee. and tt
!, this convention for its seeming en-
dorsement of the committees action
/ cannot help thinking what choice
might have been made in other direc
tions much more worthy Of the occa
sion that has brought the representa-
tive republicans of Iowa here today
In recent years the party in stat
| convention has had the pleasure o
J, hearing from its platform the words o
wisdom and of eloquence of Davis
and a Smith, and Perkins; men no
surpassed anywhere in all our lant
for learning, for wit, for eloquence ant
for patriotic and party loyalty. AM
YOU might have had here today grea
successor TO those able and patriots
men. who will not complain, but WIN
might complain with truth and witt
Justice. that the gavel they laid dow
has descended to an 'unlineal hand.
No state in all the union has a create
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