The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-09-16
ON THE STUMP.
HON, PAUL C. EDMUNDS FACES
HIS CONSTITUENTS.
A R0USIqG MEETING AT SALEM.
The Former Representative Wakes
fhc Echoes at the Ola County Seat
with II Rousing Democratic Speech
Against the Force Bill.

S1iein yesterday AFTERNOON. MIR. Ed
inunds stopped over in Roanoke Sun
day night and arrived in Salem yester-
day morning. at o'clock, when intro
duced by Colonel Robert Logan, a
large audience and continued ap-
plause greeted the faithful Represen-
tative and Democratic standard
bearer of the Sixth. A TINES reporter
was there and below is furnished a
large part Of Mr.. Edmund's speech,
which was received with evident in
terest and frequent applause.
Taking up the tariff first, he said:
The present tariff, with some slight
changes, was adopted in time of war
to meet war expenses, and to be only
temporary. AT the close of the war
the Understanding debt of the
United States was over two billions
OF this more than one half has been
paid. Tie annual interest has been
reduced fromS144, coo, 0OO to $44, 00O, 900
Still the war tax remains, and the
people beg In vain for relief. Year
after year promises have been made
that taxes should be reduced, but the
promise has been broken as offs as
made.
In 1850 the average tariff rate was
81 per cent, and In 1857 it had been
reduced to little oyer IS per cent.
Between 1862 and 1866 it was raised to
10 per cent. In 1853 it was little
oycr4l, but in 1SS5.after commission
had been appointed by Congress,
which recommended q reduction of "a
per cent, the average rate was in
creased to nearly is per cent. In 1885
it went to over AZ per cent, and
there it he's remained. The Mckinley
bill, as it passed the House, increased
it to 81 per cent.
The pension legislation of this ses-
sion of Congress is without parallel
IN the history of the world. Ii is eSti
mated that the cost Of pensions for
1891 will reach the enormous sum OF
S200,00l,000. This is more than twice
TIE amount paid for military pensions
by all the civilized countries OF the
world, and more than twice the entire
cost of the German army. 1t is more
than the entire cost OF the Federal
Government for any year. preceding
tie war. The pension cost is So per
head for each man, woman and child
in the country.
During the last year of Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration pensions
amo lnted to little over $SG.0co, pC0.-
With the obnoxious tariff taxes, the
South pays large part of the pen
sion money, and all of il is distributed
in the North.
a free government cannot long be
maintained when the wealth IS con-
ccntrated, for the concentration Of
wealth means the concentration of
political power, and when the polit-
ical power of q country is concen-
trated, the freedom takes fight This
is tie history of the world.
The Force bill, that passed the
House, is one Of the most dangerous
bills ever passed by Congress. It's pro-
visions are despotic and desperate. 1t
is worse than the force bill SO gallantly
opposed and defeated by Samuel j.
Randall and his associates in the For
ty-frst Congress. This is the result of
greed for Office and the desire to per-
petuate the Republican party in
power.
Never before has a Republican ma
jority so openly and BADLY attempted
to subject the rights OF the States,
and the liberties of the people.
This bill changes the methods of
election which the people have been
accustomed to since the days Of
Adams, Jefferson and Jackson. 1t
sets aside the rights of the States,
which have been sanctioned by a
century usage. There will not only
be q Federal control of the election
OF members of Congress and President
and Vice president but eventually the
same power will control the election
of State and county officials. Revo-
lutions never go backward. More
changes and entertainments will come
and the future will be filled with
problems, difficulties and outrages di-
rectly traceably to this bill.
The bill provides for the appoint
ment of Il chief supervisor for each of
the seventy judicial districts of the
United States by the judge of the
Federal court. Eight out Of ten Of the
judges are Republicans. Their ap-
pointments are purely political. In
the South, where this law is to be en-
forced, it is well known that the
judges are bitter and INSCRIPTIONS
partisans, who will embrace every OPP
portunity given to them by this bill to
select class of men who will use the
office for political purposes to count
out Democrats and count in Republi-
cars, and deprive the people of their
fairly elected representatives. The
supervisors hold office for life, are
amenable to no one, and are auto
Gratis in their respective districts.
These supervisors appoint three other
supervisors for each precinct, and
they have power to increase the num-
Der of election officers at will without
consulting Congress, and they are to
be paid without consulting Congress,
and no limit is fixed to the aggregate
amount.
The promoters of this bill know
that nine out Of ten of the chief super
visors will be Republicans if the bill
becomes law. They will appoint
three supervisors for each voting pre-
cinct, and it is absolutely certain that
two out Of the three will be Repuhli-
cans, who will have complete control
Of tile board. There are also TO be az
pointed at each precinct in the same
way, three canvassers, who are to can
vass and certify the returns of the
voting. Deputy marshais are to be
appointed, without limit as to num-
Der, to attend upon the voting aud
upon the registration The bill au-
thorizes.these Federal officers to make
IL house-to house canvass throughout
each district. The doors must be
flung wide open to these partisan
spies. No longer is the good old An
glo-Saxon doctrine thata mans house
! is his castle to be regarded.
Its purposes are wholly partisan,
and emanated from a handful of poll.
| t;o;,nc ,uhoco souI,s desire ia to Der