Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-10-22
TIE ISSUES OF THE DAY
A GOVERNMENT FROM THE BOT.
TOM, NOT FROM THE TOP.
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM A. WALLACE,
AT PINE GROVE PARK, SEPT. 27.

SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM A. WALLACE
AT PINE GROVE PARK, SEPT. 27.
Mr. President, and Felio,o- Citisens.-
come here to-day for the first tim,
in many years to talk to the people Of
Cumberland county. ] am to most Of
you personally a stranger. | do moi
doubt that | am well known to you IN
my political character; for il there
ever was man within the bounds Of
this noble State of ours who has been
well abused by his opponents political
ly, or thoroughly maligned by them
he stands before you. | am about the
best abused man in Pennsylvania
this Tor being Democrat born in the
faith, who has endeavored to servo his
party hitherto, and his country the
best he could.
| come now, the first time in the
history Of this political campaign, to
discuss the issues which present them
selves to the people Of Pennsylvania
and although this is an "off year" as
we call il, and although we have no
Governor or President to elect this
year, still the issues involved are those
that are momentous. Why2 Because
they affect the welfare of the State
they affect its purity, its future pros
perity, and those who are TO guide and
rule through the issues of the country
All these things present themselves be-
fore us, and it is our business to exam.
inc and discuss them dspassionately
and calmly, as we may, and reach a
conclusion as men gifted with educa.
tion, discrimination and Judgment can
best reach conclusions.
We are on the eve OF prosperity.
Our country, long harrassed and torn
long distressed and poverty-strcken,
cmerges from the cloud that embraced
and opposed her and labor once more
finds its just reward, and capital prof
table employment. We are now upon
the eve, possibly, of long era OF pros.
perity; and it is incumbent upon every
citizen to make it lasting and event.
ful one to us as people. We can look
back upon the past few years now
with a retrospective view, and thank
God it is over. But.w are to look to
the future, and we are to address our.
selves TO what is before us as intelligent
beings, remembering that we are the
governors of this Republic; that the
duty of the individual citizen is to take
care Of the government, and of him
self in taking care OF the government
Reviewing the past, we are made
aware that our late difficulties were
not brought about by legislation, nor
can the future be made IN that way
The past is history full of events. II
does not become me now to speak ol
it, further than it throws its shadows
upon the future. Suffice it Tor me tc
say Of those who claim that they hav,
Drought prosperity, now that its sun.
light begins to beam upon us, and who
preach the credit OF its coming, no. no
no. For TO the people, with theii
economy and their energies--to the
country as whole-to the people that
rule, is to be attributed the present
and future prosperity of this country.
Its coming has not been made by leg
islaton, but in spite of it. 1t has come
notwithstanding ill.timed, unjust and
improper Legislation. 1t has come in
spite of the utmost harrassing of Con
gressional enactment, and evil legisla
ton in every direction. As to this
evil legislation, we have not imbrued
our hands in il. 1t has not been ours
to have the power Of legislation for the
past fifteen or twenty years, though
at times our organization has lively
contended for the control OF the gov
ernment. Whatever there is of evil
legislation that helped to produce and
continue tho past depression and woe,
counts to the doom OF those in power
(Applause) Whatever there is ol
good in tho past, present and future
laws of those who had the power "a
cJ ''N"b"i 80 "so v" '"S
Tears that were aroused and the dan
ger involved II they dld not lest those
VINO were not IN power sho9ld come
into Position ana repeal ana purliy
iheir ieglslation'
LOOK AZ our great Ola Common
wealth., whicn mas s1ch vast ana mag
ninceht resources 1 speak not alone
10 you, out 10 al the people oi Penn
syivanla' LOOK at ner grand systems
oi internal Improvements. look AZ heI
IRON, ner coa', her oil, her products OF
tne SOIL all entering INTO the essen,
tials oil lie, ana mans comfort ana
happiness linen go oacK WIN me
nve years, ana not inc concentration
OF forces ana ine prouuctioh' ana com
pare WIN inc present. In Ihe pcg,n'
nlng Oh 'nese nve years we ma IN the
cltles ana towns that the people hao
empioymen1 II man were content
70 slay ana WORK, ne iounu u, inen
came cnange. men Wiling 10 lhOOf