Chautauqua

BROWN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/19/2007 at 13:18:36

Jackson Sentinel
July 4, 1907

CHAUTAUQUA.
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A Series of Great Meetings Succeed One Another.
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GOV. HOCH, U.S. SENATOR BROWN, MONSIGNOR TIHEN, CONGRESSMAN CHAMP CLARK MAKE FINE ADDRESSES.
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MORE CELEBRITIES THAN MAQUOKETA EVER SAW BEFORE IN SIX DAYS.
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A Great Program For Next Year.

The Chautauqua season in Maquoketa is over. It was the first we ever had and it was for the most part very good and satisfactory to those in attendance. Some evenings the tent was crowded to its utmost seating capacity and afternoons the attendance was usually good. The weather was ideal and the management have reason to feel that they made no mistake in selecting Maquoketa as one of their towns for annual Chautauquas this year and for many years hereafter.

The address of Gov. Hoch Wednesday afternoon on “A Message From Kansas” was a strong expression of a man who has been in the thick of the light with the Standard Oil trust and other grasping corporations in the Sunflower state. He told of the wonderful growth of his beloved commonwealth and the blight put upon some of its industries by the trusts. How the people had struggled and what they had achieved in the face of many obstacles. His theme is certainly a magnificent advertisement for the great state of Kansas and he is certainly earning his salary as both governor and Chautauqua lecturer. But it is all instructive information for good American citizens.

The Wednesday evening program was made up of a concert by the Hungarian orchestra, and an exhibition of moving picture by Robert Goss, with a song and piano accompaniment by Miss Barbell. All very good.

Thursday morning a very interesting address was made by Rev. Geo. C. Rheinfrank on the subject, “An Interrogation.” It was a logical argument in advocacy of accomplishing something by incessant and untiring perseverance. It was a good stimulus for the worker, and all who heard it pronounced it excellent.

Thursday afternoon U. S. Senator Norris Brown of Kearney, Neb., was on hand and so was a large audience to hear him. Hon. W. C. Gregory, with due pride, had the pleasure of introducing Mr. Brown and clearly stated who Mr. Brown was and how he had attained his high honors by acting in good faith and unswerving honesty for the people of the great state of Nebraska. The Senator is an attorney at law, a man of handsome face, chunky frame and slightly below medium height. His voice is clear and he speaks easily. He was born in Maquoketa and is but 44 years of age. Before taking up his subject he declared the day had been to him one he could never forget. He had on arrival sought out the scenes of childhood and his first days in school in the “Little Brick” on the hillside. He found the little building still standing on Eliza St. and used as a dwelling. He rapped on the door, told the lady who he was, and Mrs. Bradley invited him in and to his surprise learned she was one of his first cousins. He then sought out in the neighborhood his first teacher, Miss Adele Barnes, and had an enjoyable visit with her. He also told the audience how she treated him on his first entrance into her crowded school, where he had an improvised seat on the platform which consisted of a half bushel measure upside down, which he had brought from home. He also had a distinct recollection and great fear of a shouting and profane man who used to live east of town and disturb the peace of people on East Platt street nights, when going home intoxicated. His name was Pfizer. We know of several of her boys who in those days feared the same man. But inasmuch as the Senator expects to be with us Home-coming Week, he cut short reminiscences and plunged into his subject, “The Government, Who Owns It?” For many years the people of his state have contended with the railroads, the Union Pacific management more especially, for control of their own affairs. It has been a tremendous fight as the U. P. for years has had a death like grip on Nebraska, but the time came and the people rose in their might and the people there have come into control of their own. Senator Brown has been one of the uncompromising leaders of the people’s cause and the foe of the avaricious corporations and he tells a story of the contention similar to the struggles which have been going on in many states and cities of the Union. He believes that the power of state which creates theses corporations has the power and right to control them, and has fought to a final success in the courts, this issue. The great trouble is the corporations have grown so huge and corrupt they want to control our government, and if not by fair means then by foul means. He pointed to Abe Reuf of San Francisco, a young attorney, a university graduate, the pride of his parents, honest to start with but ruined by the bribery of great corporations. He believed our government was truly menaced by these great combinations and only the fearless action of patriotic citizens would save it. His address was good.

The jubilee singers and picture program in the evening was not overly pleasing to the large audience that had assembled.

Friday morning’s lecture by Thomas Brooks-Fletcher on “Fools” was pronounced a gem.

The Friday afternoon program consisted of jubilee singing and a lecture by that eminent Catholic divine, Monsignor Tihen, of Wichita, Kan. He was very cleverly introduced by Rev. J. F. Bowen who briefly told the large audience who and what the man was who stood before them. The great prelate took up the subject “Footprints on the Sands Today” and in words of wisdom and prophecy gave fair consideration to the social and political conditions as they now exist in this country. He insists that the rush for the mighty dollar is ruinous to many and the tendency to great combinations is detrimental to our republic. He thought the masses of the people do not have sufficient voice in control of affairs and personal and individual effort was fearfully curtailed and hampered by great organizations.

The Friday evening entertainment consisted of jubilee singing and stunts by the juggler and magician Geo. E. Garrison. Neither were satisfactory to the audience.

Saturday morning Rev. Mr. Galor gave a very factful and instructive lecture on the subject “His Point of View.”

Saturday afternoon was the time set apart for one of the strongest attractions of the whole Chautauqua series. The Hesperians, a quartette of splendid male voices whose harmonious melody was charming, and in striking contrast with the colored singers, made their appearance at 2:30 and in all their numbers were heartily encored.

At 3:00 Hon. A. F. Dawson of Preston, congressman from this district, introduced the distinguished Congressman Champ Clark of Missouri, in a happy vein. Mr. Dawson’s personal observation in the House of Representatives convinced him that Champ Clark was well calculated to be the leader on the democratic side of that great parliamentary body and was without doubt one of the wisest legislators in the house. He was a man, in his (Dawson’s) opinion, broad-minded, worthy and great enough to be made the democratic nominee for president. He was serving his seventh term in Congress and by reason of long service was a very valuable legislator and committee counselor. Congressman Clark stepped to the platform and thanked Mr. Dawson for the nomination for the presidency and remarked that “Barkis was willin’,” but he feared that things were not going that way. If he was permitted to make a guess he would say that W. J. Bryan would be the nominee of the democrats and Theodore Roosevelt of the republicans and a right smart fight would take place too. But as he was not here to talk politics, Mr. Clark soon took up his subject matter on the greatest men in the greatest parliamentary body in the greatest republic and the greatest government in the world today. He gave much of his personal observation of these men. In the category were Senators Culbertson and Bailey, Speakers Joe Cannon, Tom B. Reed and numerous others. He also took up the witty men of congress, but he holds that their fame is not enduring. He declared that we never had but three scholarly presidents of the United States and they were Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and James A. Garfield. After an instructive analysis of the make-up of the two houses of congress, the orator could not tell what it would be 25 years from now when Porto Rico, Cuba, Sandwich Islands, Alaska and the Philippines were all accurately numbered. He credited the fame and greatness of many congressmen to the smart things the newspapers said of them. Mr. Clark certainly succeeded with his numerous narratives of incidents in Washington in bringing his enthusiastic audience to the belief that there were more good, honest American citizens in congress, than they had heretofore thought where could be on account of some legislation. All in all Champ Clark was good and we hope to hear him again next year.

Saturday evening was made enjoyable by the Hesperian quartette. The slight of hand man did no better than the previous evening.

Sunday morning union religious services were held in the tent, Pastors Boomershine and Dana being present, Dr. Rheinfrank having charge. The Hesperian quartette produced some beautiful sacred music. A solo was sung by the tenor with Mrs. J. Nitzsche as piano accompanist. Dr. Galor delivered the sermon and lectured those people who thought to gain peace of mind they must withdraw from society and activities of life and seek seclusion and retirement. This he condemned and held that peacefulness did not mean inaction.

Rev. Carl D. Thompson, a member of the Wisconsin legislatures, spoke in the afternoon on the subject "Common Folks." It was excellent and made us all feel glad that we could be numbered among the plain people who believe in the simple life.
The Hesperians gave their last delightful concert in the evening and by a hard drive and a long walk, Dr. Peter MacQueen was able to get through from Monticello in the evening and just in time to put on his timely illustrated lectures on "Panama and the Phillipines". With his quick spoken Scotch accent and humor, MacQueen greatly pleases an audience and gives out lots of information and instruction.
Dr. Rheinfrank, manager, thanked the Maquoketa people and the people of Clinton and Jackson counties for their patronage and said the Redpath Lyceum Bureau would be here in 1908 with the best of this season's besides new and very costly attractions. To put on the Chautauquas this season it had cost $80,000 and this their first week out, they had lost $1,000, which is not more than they had expected as it takes a first year for the people to learn the real value of a Chautauqua. Cards were distributed and a good many people pledged themselves to take season tickets next year. It is a good thing and has come to stay.