The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-10-07
PARK Meeting
Was fUlLURE
Speaking Postponed Until This After
noon When it Was Given
at the Dodge The
ater.
SMALL CROWD ATTENDED
Mr.. Williams and George tracy Made
Short Talks at the Park in
in Order Not to Disap-
point.

The speaking at Rand park this
morning was called off on account
of the crowd not showing up, the
speaking by Hon. John Sharp Will
liams being postponed until o'clock
this afternoon in the Dodge Theatre.
Shortly after 10 o'clock, headed by
the Fiftieth Iowa band, parade OF
three carriages was held on Main
street, taking the speaker out to the
park In order not to disappoint the
few who had gathered there.
In the first carriage were Mr.. Will
liams. George S. Tracy of Burlington,
candidate for congress, Mayor Pro
Tenn Charles Off, and John e. Craig.
The second carriage contained State
Senator E. P. McManus, Alderman T..
]. Hickey, Thos. P. Gray and Felix
Noelkemper. In the third carriage
were Thos. McManus, ]. F. Daugherty,
D. j. Ayres and VIM. H. Reimbold.
No preparations had been made at
the park, there being no benches for
people to sit on, or chairs in the
speakers stand. A bench and four
dusty chairs were carried into the
stand and John e. Craig announced
that Mr.. Williams would tell the peo-
pie why change in the arrangements
had been made.
Mr.. Williams said that the weather
was chilly, there were no seats for the
people and that the notice of the meet
ing had not been very good, but there
was quite a good democratic crowd
present He said that the speaking
would be held at o'clock in the
theatre and that it was impossible to
make a democratic speech which
would be effective unless it was a
long speech.
He could not refrain from express
| ing his pleasure at addressing the peo-
| pie of Keokuk and Iowa on the issues
of the campaign and promised in the
afternoon to give some of the reasons
why the liberty of the people the
rights of the masses, can be better
helped by voting for our William than
the other William.
Tracy Talked.
! Mr. Craig then introduced George
/ S. Tracy of Burlington who spoek for
few moments He said he was wait
ing to see what his opponent was go
/ ing to do. He has not seen fit yet to
answer the question of whether he
t,,,s1J fOr ~.
not and the speaker asked the labor
! ing men to ask him If he would sup
port the labor plank and the old sol
diers to ask him why he did not sup
port the Sherwood pension bill.
He declared that this was pecu
liar campaign and that the republi
| cans wanted to have an after election
campaign. Our republican friends, he
/ said, could see nothing alarming II
the trusts, but promised to look into
the matter after election. They
promise to publish their campaign
contributions after election and tt
! reduce the tariff after election. VIVA
! makes them so late?' he asked.
Mr.. Williams was surprised wher
he stepped out of his carriage at the
park to be greeted by Keokuk lad.
who was at one time his nurse in az
eastern hospital. They had quite ;
chat together before and after TIT
short exercises.
There were less than 200 people a
the park, proving that an open al
meeting away from Main street thi
week, will prove failure. The re
publican day program will likely b.
changed, although the present plan
are to have the speaking at the parl
in the morning.