Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-26
RAIN DRIVES OSS.
AUDIENCE INDOORS.
BUT CROWD STICKS
SENATORIAL hSPIRANT AD-
DRESSES GOOD SIZED AUDI
ENCE IN CIRCUIT COURT ROOM
TELLS OF HIS WORK DURING
TWENTY YEARS IN CONGRESS.

Rain slightly interfered last night
with the meeting of Ottawa Republi
cans who were assembled 10 hear
George Edmund Foss. Senatorial as
pirant, recite his platform and tell Of
his past twenty-five years in Con-
gress. When the dampness came the
audience which had gathered on the
court house lawn, repaired to the cir
cult court room OF the county build
ing, where Mr. Foss addressed about
TWO hundred voters. He was intro
duced to the assemblage by County
Superintendent OF Schools W. r.
Foster
The senatorial candidate said in
part
I Il have always believed in the
principles Of the republican party
and | believe even now that the PEG
pie OF America are turning to the
republican party as the great recon
,structive party after this war Is over.
Il was not one of the first to an.
pounce my candidacy for this office
There were two other candidates un.
der consideration, one of them. not.
ably Ex-Governor Deneen After he
had announced that he would not be
candidate for the place, a number
of my colleagues at Washington came
10 me and urged me to enter the
race, They pointed to my experience
in congress and TO my record as
chairman OF naval affairs. They be.
lieved that this record would ap.
peal to the republican voters of Hi
nois. They said that the other
men, who had offered themselves. did
not meet expectations
Gives His Record.
"One OF the things | ask you to
take into serious consideration is my
record. | was elected in 1894 and
served on one Of the important sub.
committees on naval affairs Presi-
dent Mckinley afterwards offered me
the assistant secretaryship of the
navy, but | refused, feeling that
could be of more service to my con.
stiuents in congress, | was chair.
man Of the committee on naval al
fairs for twelve years, being removed
upon the advent of the democratic
party in power AT the close of twelve
years. however, we had built up a
navy that stood second only TO that
OF Great Britain, which was the larg.
est on the face of the globe
Il was candidate for congress in
1872, when the republican party
suffered split in its ranks. The
progressives urged me to become
their party candidate, but refused.
Il was defeated by 5000 votes. In
1914 was a candidate again and
was elected by a plurality of 5000.
In 1916 | was given the greatest plu.
ral1ty Of my career, - 500 votes.
Wishes to Serve.
Il am in this contest for no Interior
motives. but in all sincerity and with
desire to serve you in the office. |
am within my rights in asking for this
office and there has arisen only one
source of objection One of the prom.
lnent Chicago newspapers is disputing
that right because it has a candidate OF
its own
That candidate has wrapped him.
self in an American flag and with a
newspaper in one hand, a barrel OF
wealth in the other. is asking you to
vote for him. The newspaper has
SAID that my candidacy would split
the loyal vote OF the state.
In 1908 when ran for United
States senator, | carried Chicago by
10000 votes. This was in spite of the
fact that Mayor Busse was using all
his great machinery against me. |
expect to carry Chicago this time by
even a bigger plurality.
My friends, | am willing to match
my loyalty against that of any man,
] don't care who or what he is. NV
loyalty did not begin when this war
started and | can truthfully say that
] did not like one great metropoli.
tan newspaper, offer to surrender
American rights to keep out of this
war
ANY man or newspaper which says
the loyalty vote of the republican
party will be divided is presupposing
that one.third of the republicans of
Illinois are disloyal.
THE republican party was born in
the throes of loyalty. And 1t has ever
lived aud grown through an engender.
ing OF the loyal spirit.