EMERSON CALLS FOR GOP UNITY; MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE ATTEND ANNUAL LINCOLN DAY DINNER

Jo Ann Emerson, elected last fall to succeed her late husband in Congress, sounded a call for unity Saturday night and challenged the more than 500 people in attendance at the Cape Girardeau Lincoln Day Dinner to work together to lead the nation into a brighter future.

As keynote speaker at the 27th annual event, Emerson told the crowd that "we must work together to make sure that we -- as a party -- pull together and not apart."

Emerson's address capped a full evening of remarks by other elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.), U.S. Rep. Jim Talent (R-Chesterfield), State Sen. Peter Kinder (R-Cape Girardeau), state Rep. Mark Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff), and State Rep. Mary Kasten (R-Cape Girardeau).

Emerson said she believed a world of decency, economic and spiritual growth were possible for the children of today, but only if members of Congress remember that people are more important than the spotted owl, and that it is more prudent to listen to small businesses than to government bureaucrats.

"That world is only possible if we return our country to its original foundations," she said.

Emerson won two elections in November 1996 to represent the 8th Congressional District. She won the right to complete the term of her late husband, Bill Emerson, and then won the general election for a full two-year term.

"I was elected to carry your message to Washington," said Emerson, the first woman ever elected to Congress from Southern Missouri. She pointed out that she was a victory based on her gender, but a victory based on ideas, philosophy and service.

Washington won't lead, she said.

"We will lead, not from Wall Street, but from here on Main Street, not from big business, but from small business with local owners and local workers," she said. "We will lead not from Congress, but from the city councils, from the chambers of commerce and from the board of education rooms."

She added that the Republican Party must, as a party, put people before politics and ideas before ideology.

Emerson also made some other noteworthy observation during her address:

-- She said it was time for the government to have less, so families, children and grandchildren can have more, so families can be stronger and vigorous and build for the future.

-- She also reiterated a statement she has made before:

"Somewhere between 1776 and 1997, our country failed to continue recognizing the need to acknowledge our Creator," said Emerson. "Somewhere along the way, it became okay to take parents and prayer out of school and put liberal national teachers unions in. Somewhere between Philadelphia and the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. abortion became acceptable and life was no longer a right. Somewhere between Thomas Jefferson and William Jefferson Clinton, moral values and being responsible were thrown out of the window and replaced by a `what's in for me' and `whatever feels good, do it' philosophy."

The American people have elected a Republican majority to carry a message to Washington and the country, said Emerson.

"We were elected to fix what's wrong with the government, so that `We The People' can build on what's good, strong, decent and right with our nation."