Tonopah Bonanza

CAMPAIGN IS OPENED
BY THE DEMOCRATS
First Political Mass Meeting Is Held in
Tonopah, With Addresses by
Several Nominees.

The battle for political supremacy
in southern Nevada is on. The campaign
was opened in Tonopah by the
Democrats last night with a mass
meeting in Miners' Exchange ball.
The big hall was fairly well filled when
the speakers filed in and were assigned
to their seats by Chairman
McFadden. But there was a singular
lack of enthusiasm about the
proceedings throughout the evening,
and the speeches, which were for the
most part very short, were but
faintly applauded. If the reception
tendered the Democratic nominees
last night was an evidence of the
political status of Tonopah, the Republicans
have cause for great satisfaction.
But as the chairman explained it, this was merely the
opening skirmish of the campaign by
the right material, and we may
expect the heavier guns later on.
Besides Chairman McFadden, on
the platform there were Edward D.
Kelly, nominee for surveyor-general;
Andrew Maute, for state printer;
Dave M. Ryan, candidate for state
treasurer; Eugene Howell, for secretary
of state, James G. Sweeney,
aspirant to the office of attorney
general; Key Pittman, Clay Peters,
Frank Golden and Ed Huminel.
Chairman McFadden opened the
meeting with a few laudatory remarks
upon the general character of
the whole Democratic ticket, and
especially of the candidates present,
and then introduced E. D. Kelley.
Mr. Kelley spoke to some length
upon the discovery and wonderful
growth of Tonopah, and predicted a
great future for the camp and its
mines. He told of the great work
accomplished by our "grand statesman,"
Francis G. Newlands in "forcing
the irrigation bill through Congress,"
and said that we were all
indebted to Mr. Newlands for that
act. Mr. Kelley concluded his speech
by paying a few compliments to the
candidates present, himself included,
and took his seat amid feeble applause.
Mr. Maute and Mr. Ryan then
made a few remarks relative to union
labor, what they had done in the
past for the cause of unionism, and
what they intended to do in the
future if re-elected. It was really
remarkable what a number of friends
of labor there were present, but that
could probably be explained by the
additional presence of so many members
of the Miners' and Labor unions.
Eugene Howell was next introduced
by the chairman, and was
accorded a rather cool reception.
Mr. Howell stated that he was glad
to meet the people, wished Tonopah
prosperity, etc., etc. He then produced
several long columns of figures
demonstrating how economically the
office of secretary of state had been
conducted during his administration,
and how much more money he had
turned into the treasury than his
Republican predecessor, and that he
would continue to do so if re-elected,
but this was all very old and became
extremely tiresome. Mr. Howell
then turned to the subject the people
most wished to hear about. He said
"There is one other matter I wish to
speak of this evening. I understand
that a report has gone out and been
circulated throughout the state that
I am an enemy to union labor. I
want to state that it is absolutely
false and without foundation. I have
had no chance to defend myself. I
have always been the friend of the
laboring man."
Mr. Howell did not explain why he
opposed the use of the union label
upon the stationery of the state, or
how he came to be denounced in
such vigorous terms by Washoe
Typographical Union and the Miners
Unions, but then that was all right.
Chairman McFadden then introduced
the principal speaker of the
evening, James G. Sweeney.
Mr. Sweeney delivered a lengthy
address upon that old political football
of the Democracy - the silver
question - and the iniquity of the
Republican party in endeavoring to
divert the interest of the voters from
that issue. Mr. Sweeney is a good
speaker, with a forcible delivery,
but there was a lack of logic in his
remarks, and his speech was full of
those old time-worn arguments that
we have all heard so often.
Editor Dunham then gave a little
variety to the occasion by relating
some of his old-time tramp printer
experiences, and read some verses
written by himself.
Judge Clay Peters was the last
speaker of the evening. The judge
is a pleasant speaker. He threw
numerous bouquets at the candidates
present, the Democratic ticket, and
the Democracy in general. He said
he felt satisfied the whole ticket
would be elected; that there were
but thirteen Republicans in Tonopah,
all personal friends of his. He stated
that the Republicans of Nye county
hoped with the help of the Labor
party to elect the legislative ticket,
but that they would be frustrated, he
failed to state how. Neither did he
say anything about the Democrats
ignoring the Labor party at the
recent convention. Strange to say,
Judge Peters was the only speaker
during the entire evening to mention
the Labor party at all, but that was
probably an oversight.
At the conclusion of Judge Peters'
remarks, the meeting was adjourned.
There was no cheering, such as
usually marks the breaking up of an
assemblage of this kind. But that
was doubtless another oversight; it
couldn't have been for lack of enthusiasm,
certainly not. But the band
played, and that made up the deficiency.
Altogether the first political
mass meeting in Tonopah was a
rather amusing and enjoyable affair,
and it is to be regretted that more
of our people did not attend.