Mexico Missouri message., 1918-06-20
WilAey's Speech
Let's Win The War
Opens Campaign Here To Succeed
Himself In Congress--A Stirring
Address.

1
Saturday at noon. Judge Alex Car
ter entertained him for dinner. At
$3.50 in the afternoon at the east
| front door of the Court House, after
warm and enthusiastic introduc-
ton by Judge E. s. CAN'T, he plung-
ed into his opening speech in Mis-
souri, in the campaign to succeed
himself in the United States Senate.
His keynote was that we must win
the war. That is the only issue be-
fore the American people at pres
ent. What the Senator said is given
here in full. We hope you will read
every word of it;
1 am here today to open by cam
paign for the reason that while the
city of st. Louis is my place of resi-
dence, Audrain County to me in a
popular sense means home. In this
county my father and mother estab-
lished the residence that was the home
of my childhood. There l was born.
To country school on the northern
border OF this county l went as a
barefoot boy to learn the earliest and
most fundamental lessons of life's
education. From my parents, my
home, and the good people of this
county, received the inspiration
which has enabled me, through mucn
of struggle and hardship, to attain
whatever measure of success and
achievement has come to me. I have
known the people of many communi-
ties since those boyhood days. From
the country school of this county, I
went in pursuit. of further education
to a preparatory school in Monitteau
County, and later graduated from Cen
trail College in Howard County. To
repay the money which 1 borrowed to
get an education, l taught school in
Sedalia. In St. Louis, l prepared in
Washington University for the prac-
tice of the profession in which for
twenty years 1 have been engaged in
the metropolis of the State. But l
am proud still to think of Audrain
County as my home. I am proud to
be able to say to you today with the
utmost sincerity that there are no
better people, that there is no better
citizenship in the State of Missouri or
in any state in the Nation than the
people and citizenship of Audrain
County. The most pleasant mission
that ever brought me to this county
was when came here about ten years
ago and took for my wife one of the
dearest, best women who ever lived
in your midst. I am proud of the fact
always lived in the State of Missouri.
1 am glad that to no other state do |
owe allegiance on account of either
birth or residence. I am glad that I
received my education in the schools
of this State. My pride in the state,
in its people and in its institutions in
creases as I grow older and know bet
ter the splendid people of this splen-
ibid commonwealth.
1 should like to continue to talk to
you of my feeling for this community
and for the State of Missouri and OF
the ties that must bind every heart
of proper sentiment to the home of his
childhood, but must turn from con-
sideration of the past TO the problems
of the present and future with which
we are all concerned. It is my duty
and privilege to speak to you today as
the representative of the State of Mis-
souri, in the United States Senate, and
as a candidate before the people OF
the State for nomination and election
TO that high and responsible office
You are less concerned with matters
of sentiment at this time than with
the important matter of choosing your
representative in the National Con-
gress. A little less than two months
ago, was appointed by the Governor
of the State of Missouri to fill the
vacancy in the. United States Senate
caused by the death of the late William
]. Stone, AS soon as was appointed
your Senator, went to Washington
and entered upon the duties of this
j.. great and responsible office, which has
been so ably filled by eminent Mis-
sourians. This generation remem'
Ibers we'll the distinguished service