The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-07-18
Annual Picnic of Twenty-Second
Ward Republicans Ends DIFF
ferently Than Expected.
NOT MUCH OF A LOVE FEAST.
Invited Guests From Out in the
State Resent Dictation of st.
Louis Leaders and Voice
Their Sentiments.

What was originally intended to be a
love feast. to give impetus to the Wal
bridge gubernatorial boom. resulted in a
series Of brief addresses. which were most
distressing to the adherents of the former
mayor. who were instrumental in the ar
rangements for the annual picnic of the
Twenty-second Ward Republican Club at
Meramec Highlands, yesterday.
The Twenty-second Ward Republican
Club is strictly Walbridge organization
and Its leaders had much more in view
than a midsummer outing for the members
Of the club, and their families when they
summoned them to the banks of the
Meramec
More than dozen members Of the State
Committee occupied seats on the Platform,
and among those present included leaders
OF the party from all sections OF the State
and not few Of the friends of the family
rom st. Louis
The rank and file was not limited to the
Twenty-second Ward alone, for every
ward OF the city had at least one repre-
sentative in the audience of 5000 or more
When the first speaker announced the
purpose OF the gathering the backs of
the country visitors began to stiffen, and
as each of the succeeding speakers who
made the initiatory remarks Indicated the
plan of the programme makers, strange
mutterings were heard.
To the dismay of the Walbridge back
ers. the out-of-town leaders who had been
invited to witness a spontaneous outburst
OF enthusiasm for the Walbridge move
ment. took active steps to extract the
Viriiity from the same. and when they
were through they had succeeded to a re-
markable degree
COUNTRY AGAINST CITY.
1t was the old row of the country
against the city. and openly demon
strated the hostility which the country
leaders have against MIR. Walbridge and
theh city crowd.
The first speakers indicated that. St.
Louis lad decided to nominate Mr.. Wal
bridge for governor and would select the
remainder of the ticket to suit him, and
that element of the party which was so
completely defeated by the Atkins crowd
at the Chicago convention.
When the leaders from out in the State
came to but their resentment at the cut
and dried proceedings. the feeling was not
concealed. One of the latter declared that
the Walbridge boom was a move of the
anti-Roosevelt Republicans; was unde-
niably in the interest of Kerens and would
De met In the country by the unified
opposition Of the farmers and the men
who are opposed to the trusts.
Mr.. Waloridge was present when the
cold water began to trickle over his boom.
He was on the programme for an address
put cut It short when the band started
back to the dancing pavilion, taking with
IT. IL most Of the crowd. Among the speak
ers were Congressman Richard Bartholdt.
George c; r. Wagner. H. l.. Caulfeld,
John n. Ffannigan. who evoked the only
enthusiasm with a choice lot of his Fire
boutwell, IS FAVORED.
1t develops that one source of the op-
position to Walbrfdge comes from some
who who favor favor eo'h'"ell for Governor, and
Of which gth he th
president. as being tinctured too strongly
with the trust Within the last week let
teIs have been sent to every officer Of
souri, by. G. w. Schweer, an officer of an
Independent company, at Windsor. The
letter protests against the recognition by
Allied m waR she Bs TeIepone mac comPSny mha
which. the circular states, is attempting
to .exterminate the independent com
panies.
The letter ends: Nominate a candidate
who is as able as Mr.. Wa!bridge, and for
whom no apologies need be made
Among the Republicans present were:
bridge. Richard Bartholdt, Charles F. JOY.
G. p. r. Wagner. Judge Eugene McQuil-
lin. John A. Tally. Judge Leo Rassieur.
John H. Flannigan of Carthage. Charles
ericktown. John Schwanger of the Milan
Republican, Walter S. Dickey of Kansas
City: E; e En-. McJimSey Of St; Joseph:
Of Potosi General Cronje and his wife
were in the crowd.