The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-12
DEPEW GREETS OLD FRIENDS
ONCE MORE on THE PORCH or
THE OLD PALMER HOUSE,
And stu lie Finds There Joe Hudson. Who
Makes the Motions. and WHY Travers.
who Carries Them-NeXt Year the Place
Win he Drowned In the Reservoir

who Carries 'FheN-SeNt ear the race
VIII he Drowned In the Reservoir
CRoroN DAM, n. Y, Oct. 1.-THE Re-
publican farmers of northern Westchester
county, making up the Third Assembly
district, had their annual Assembly con-
vantion and reunion to-day under the trees
In front of the old Palmer House here,
where they have been meeting and nom-
mating candidates for the last fifty years.
Senator Chauncey NJ. Depew was nomi-
mated forty-two years ago on the porch
OF the old hotel where the convention was
held to-day. and many of the old gray
boards who attended to-day's convention
were on hand at that time. As has been
his custom ever since then. the Senator
made his annual pilgrimage to-day over
the hills of Westchester from Peekskill
TO meet here with his old friends, tell them
how good the Republican party had been
to them since then and how much better 1t
was going to be, and to crack jokes with old
Willy Travers and Joe Hudson, chairman
and the secretary Of the convention that
nominated him.
Travers and Hudson filled the same
posts at to-day's convention which they
held at the convention which saw the launch
ing into political life of Senator Depew.
Travers Is IS and Hudson Ia "a. Years ago
all other Republicans relinquished what
ever rights they might, as delegates, claim
to have in running the convention, and
to-day, as they have lone for years, Hudson
made the motions and Travers did the
rest. It was even so when 1T came to
whether they should let youngster like
the Senator, who had got his first political
L I-,r hA- nnf
But the motion was carried and the Senator
spoke.
Special interest attached to to-day's
convention under the old trees because 1t
is probably the last that will ever be held
here. year from now the ancient hotel
In whose shade has been sounded the tocsin
many campaign will have been engulfed
by the waters OF the new Croton reservoir.
With the passing Of the old hotel and the
grove will disappear probably the form OF
convention maintained here for fifty years
delegates votes plus the votes OF whoever
else attends. For half q century the Repub-
lcans up this way have been making their
nominations at this form OF mass meeting,
s snd dried fondsy they ' aominate
Assernblyrnan Jimmy Apgar for the seventh
time In the same way. .
Although the convention began at noon,
by 10 o'clock the oavalcade OF farmers
vehicles began coming over the hills above
the Croton. Farmers tethered their horses
in Old Man Palrner's orchard, shook hands
with their neighbors and talked about the
crops until convention time. When this
came along Joe Hudson took his stand on
the leaders, while the rest OF the assenblage
sat In their wagons or stood under the
trees In front OF him. There were over
$50 In the crowd to-day. Because it was
to be the last convention held at the old
hotel nessy sveby the oonsy P%tb the
exception Of the master machinist. the
Hon Bin Ward. attended to-days oonven-
ton. There were many Democrats, too.
who came to have a last look at It. One
and all they joined IN cheering n the two
Joe Hudson started the ball rolling by
introducing "a young man widely known
to all Of you For forty years Joe has
cracked that Joke in introducing Travers,
and 1t was waited for as a matter Of course.
MI. Travers, when he heard 1t once more,
beamed at Hudson. and Hudson beamed
back again, and then Travers. standing on
the same old porch, made a speech: 1t
was a good speech. In 1t he talked OF the
who preceded the Republican party, and
Of how as Wing he had joined the Re-
publicans
Il was present a. delegate he said, -
his voice clearly audible in the little grove,
when that grand marriage ceremony
Syracuse in 1854. between the two parties
and when he wound up by saying. I decree
that the bridegroom shall take the name
Of the bride and be the Republican party
we gave three cheers.
After Travers made his speech. Joe
Hudson made the next motion on the pro-
pramme, following. the. custom of years.
Il move, you. Mr.. Chairman said Joe
that we adjourn until 2 o'clock to eat
Brother Palmer's turkey. dinner
old men grinned at the smoothness with
which everything went of. 7he dinner
was altogether similar to that served half
q century ago-turkey. potatoes. turnips
and pumpkin and rnince pie. Every one
They've done that every year, too. Senator
Depew said II beat anything he'd tasted
from Paris to Constantinopie,
After dinner Travers nodded to Hudson
and thcn Hudson moved that the nomina-
Wood, president OF the State Agricultural
society, then placed Jimmy Apgar in nomi-
nation Tor the seventh time. The farmers
ali said aye and the real business Of the
convention was over
Il move that Senator Depew be asked to
Travers and Hudson. Us the Senator
came forward on the porch to speak, took
up their accustomed stand on either side
OF him edpectantly.
When the Senator, speaking of his nomi-
nation, said that they. might have been
younger In appearance then, but In no other
way both Of them smiled and looked salts
fed at the way the annual compliment had
been paid to them.
there's only one place to live IN in the
United States said the Senator, "and
that's Westminster county and the only
place In that county is Peekskill. There's
no restaurant from Constantinople to
PaTis that I haven't tried, but with all the
wonderful cooking Of those places. give
me the roast turkey and potatoes We had
forty years ago and had again to-day. II
you want living examples Of what the re-
See and look at Joe Hudson. He drove
me over two years ago and got lost on the
way back. This year l tried Bill Cole
man, and Bill Coleman tried new road.
We got lost again and had to get an Italian
to show US the way Even then we were
delayed, because Apgar first Of all wanted
TO know II the Italian was naturalized.
That's how We make voters. Now, you
want to hear about the party. ! have
spoken at twenty-five meetings in az many
counties, and never in my whole career
of forty-eight years have met such con-
ditions before where the trend is all one
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