Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-17


II think. gentlemen, that may
say on behalf Of the whole COM
mlttec that this case has been
presented, under all the circum-
stances with greater care and
ability than election cases are Of
ten presented to this committee
or any other committee"
The report Of the committee, which
seated my client. contained the fol-
lowing statement:
Although taken within shorter
time than usual, the testimony is
more complete and more intell-
gently taken with reference to the
actual points in controversy than
is usual in election cases. Ii is
very voluminous. conveying more
than 1900 closely printed pages
in addition to the exhibits. Your
committee has also been very ma
terially assisted by elaborate and
exhaustive oral arguments. as
well as by briefs of able and dis
tingulShed counsel"
refer 10 this case here, not because
It was the most important one in which
| was ever employed. for it was not,
but for the reason that | was selected
as the attorney best fitted to make
this contest, from among 1000 or more
attorneys by, among the foremost Re-
publicans of the country. men Of large
business experience, several Of them
distinguished lawyers Of more than
statewide reputation. and all whom
knew me socially, politically and as a
lawyer. have also the additional
reason that the complete printed tran
script Of this contest case, in three
volumes, can be found in any large H.
brary TO speak for itself--and for me.
Larger Politics
Leaving my personality and candl
dacy out of sight. may | not speak Of
the need for greater Republican in
terest and a larger Republican voice in
our national affairs, a need that seems
to me, to be as wide as the nation and
as deep as the waters of the sea?
A strip of country beginning near
our National Capitol and extending
along the Atlantic to the Gulf and
thence westwardly to New Mexico, q
strip eneverated for century by the
curse of human slavery. and that
maintained long and bloody war in
its effort at the destruction or our Re
public and our Flag, strip that in
area, population, industries, progress
and wealth, is not comparable with
our great Northern, Central and West
ern States, is today in direct. sweep.
ing control of all branches of our ma
tional government, control that be-
yond all contradiction. in many most
important respects. is beng exercised
by and in the interest of that South
land strip and its partisan Democratic
inhabitants. Every great committee
Of the American Congress has for it's
controlling Chairman citizen Of that
strip, and now in the elections that
are upon us, we are called upon from
Washington. to elect to membership
in that Congress, not men Of our own
choosing. not men of our own political
faith, not men in whom we have the
highest confidence, but men selected
by Southern leaders, for example, in
our own state, the Whip" of a politi-
cal party to which we do not belong.
that is as we think unmndful OF our
Just rights and interests and that dis
eliminates against our greatest gen
erals and ablest civilians for the mere
partisan reason that they are Repub-
leans.
When in pursuance Of State and
Federal Constitutions We are getting
ready as now, to hold our elections
and wisely discuss the respective mer-
its of the men who are candidates for
national preferment and the platforms
upon which they stand, ! respectfully
submit that there is Time for Poll
tics" and that Time" is now.
| have the. greatest faith in the in
tellgence Of the Republican party
believe in its devotion to Liberty and
in its abiding love for our Flag. IL
has the capacity to meet, understand
and solve the staggering problems
now hotly pressing on the best intel
! ligence of this great age and ! conf
IDENTIFY and devoutly believe that the
welfare Of the American people and
their posterity, on the whole, will be
safest in the watchful care and keep
ing of the Republican Party--a party
made up Of all the diversified interests
and widely separated classes OF voters
who ignoring all small differences be-
tween them, are now firmly united for
success. Faithfully yours.
FRANK E. RICHEY
X. F. y. No. 3, La Sale, Illinois.
August 2, 1918.