Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-06
PARTlSANSHlP
in LABOR RALLY
NoN-PARTIsAN MEETING AT LA
Dor HALL SHOWS SIGNS OF
BECOMING PARTISAN
Various Candidates Express Thsir
Opinions on Questions Affecting
Organized Laborers Before Audi
ence Of Working Men.

What was to have been rlon-partt.
san discussion of the issues in which
organized labor is interested. by the
various candidates present at the rally
held Saturday evening In Labor hall,
came near to being partisan discus
sion after all.
The object of the meeting was TO
secure an expression of the various
congressional. legislative. and judicial
candidates on the three tickets, In re-
gard to the questions and legislation
in which organized labor had taken a
special interest. The candidates were
either present or, for the most part
responded with letters. The rally was
to have been held earlier in the cam
paign, but was postponed at that time
because of the small attendance. Sat-
urday evening the hall was we'll filled
by large audience.
The candidates present and taking
an active part in the meeting were:
Senator S. H. Harper and q. j. Moore
of the republican legislative ticket, e.
G. Moon and Clyde G.. Sparks Of the
democratic Legislative ticket, and Wal
ter G. Minnick, socialist candidate for
congress from the sixth district, and
o. G. Graves, socialist candidate for
state senator.
Sparks Starts Things Going.
Everything went off smoothly until
Mr.. Sparks began his remarks. In the
course of these, Mr.. Sparks saw At to
enter little more into partisan poll
tics than the previous speakers, had
done. This started the trouble. As
soon as the letters from the various
candidates, who were unable to be
present, had been read, Senator Har-
per asked permission of Chairman L.
L. Li-htner to take the floor for five
minutes, which permission was grant
ed.
He said. ~ am sorry that Mr. Sparks
has chosen to make partisan speech.
1t was my idea to leave partisanship
matters out of this evenings remarks
l regret very much that he should have
made the statement, that he could not
see how a man could claim to be a
friend Of the laboring man and be a
republican. Why men, the republican
party was organized by working men
and it's first slogan was free speech,
free men, and free labor 1t was
organized at a time when prominent
southern stateman said that there was
nothing in the north but mudsills and
greasy mechanics. I cannot tolerate
such statement as has been made
here and will not allow 1t to pass un.
challenged in my presence"
Socialists Attacks Both Old Parties.
When Mr.. Harper had finished his
remarks, Mr.. Sparks arose and adj.
dressed the meeting, defending the
position he had taken. The socialist
candidate. w. G. Minnick also asked
to be again allowed to speak and OBJ.
tanning permission attacked both the
democratic and republican parties.
The discussion was closed by ID. G.
Moon who made few brief remarks
in addition to his address made earlier
in the evening. i
Letters were read from Hon. John
F. Lacey, candidate for congress on
the republican ticket, D. w. Hamilton,
candidate for the same Office on the
democratic ticket, from republican
judicial candidates @. W. vermiliun
and D. M. Anderson and democratic
candidates for district judgeships W.
H. G. Jaques, John T. Clarkson. John
F. Scarborough and H. d. Valentine.