The Russellville Democrat., 1888-05-03
Gov. HUGHES

came forward amid loud cheers, the
band playing Hail to the Chief"
He said he would commence where
the last speaker left off,--the peni-
Tertiary horror. Rector says | am
to blame for the Coal Hill troubles.
| am not as much to blame as he is.
Everybody admits that the trouble
was caused by the lease system which
allows the convicts to be worked out
side the walls. / called the atten
tion Of the last Legislature to the
lease system and told ii change
could be made if the Legislature
would pass law to that effect. |
could not make the law-I could ex
ecute it But Rector was in the leg
islature and he could have intro
duced bill and had the system
changed. Did he do it? o, did he
do it? Did he try to do 1t? Did he
open has mouth about it? No. He
was as silent as the grave until he
became candidate against me. He
says he had the geological bill pass
ed, and If he could have that bill
passed why not bill 10 change the
penitentiary system, after | had
called attention to it. He is to blame
more than me, but now he joins Allis
and the Gazette in abusing me. The
Gazette misrepresents public sentl-
ment, but the press of the south is
speaking out on this subject. | have
letter here from Coroner Blythe,
who investigated the Coal Hill troub
les, which fully exhonerates me from
all blame, and says | could have
known no more than | did if had
been at Coal Hill. The doctor did
not know of the cruelties, and of
course one visiting the camp occas
ionally could not find out anything.
The Gazette has always defended
the lessees of the penltentlary.
Worse crimes than those of Coal
Hill have been charged by members
of the Legislature from this part of
the state and the Gazette defended
the lessees all the time. But now it
| fights me, not the Coal Hill cruel
| ties.
Most of you know my course to-
ward the railroads and my recon-.
mendations concerning them. |
recommended the law to prevent the
railroads from giving free passes to
state and county officers. | recon
mended that the charges for trans.
porting freight and passengers be
regulated. 1t was partially done.
The legislature fixed the fare for
passengers but not for freight Mr..
Rector tries to make you believe
there is no danger from the railroads,
and that they ought to be encour-
aged and all such talk, but l tell you
the railroads would deprive you of
yonr rights if they had the power.
1t is only by close watching and de-
termined effort that their encroach-
ments have been stayed. They
would control this government they
could, and | could tell you to day that
they are planning for a governor that
will be friendly to them. They
will dictate the man to fill that office
if you let them. am not an enemy to
the railroads, but | believe in keep
ing them under control instead of al
lowing them to control the country.
And it is for this that they are seek
ing my overthrow. | favor states
rights and am not prepared to sell
my blrthrlght for mess OF pottage,
hence | am opposed to the Blair bill,
But ! am in favor of a good school
system such as we have, do not
think we need a new constitution.
We have a good one and might lose
some of its good provisions without
gaming a corresponding benefit /
favor immigration, as my record
shows. recommended the geoiog
ical bill. which became a law, and
which is now in successful opera
ton. | recommended a reduction OF
your taxes from to 1 mills and it
was done. recommended that
steps be taken to pay our just depts
and | mill was levied and over $500,
600 Of undisputed debt has been
paid. The expenses OF the state
government have been met promptly
besides building the blind asylum,
the deaf mute institute addition, the
lunatic asylum addition, the build
ings IN the penitentiary walls and
the dormitories at the state uuiyers-
ity. No such improvements were
ever made within SO short = time and
yet so economically was II done that
your taxes were reduced during the
time and one tenth OF the public
debt paid Ny opponents say "Well
il we can't get rid OF Hughes any
other way, let rs shoot it to him on
the third term" The constitution
and laws allow third term. 1t is
democratic for Virginia, the mother
Of Jefferson, of Madison and Monroe,
elected one man four times and an
other nGe three times. Georgia
elected one man three tiInea. North
Carolina elected one three times. |
Tennessee elected the same man six
times
The governor vas cheered heartily |
and the meeting closed.
After tea the governors were sere I
naaed at the White house by the 4
band, and each responded 10 appro 4
...4a al an... ~ ~. ~, 4 $50 stay. rzs q