Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-10-07
THE ROANOKE RAIDS.
A SMALL MEETING AND MUCH SUR
PLUS GAS ESCAPES.

A SMALL MEETING AND MUCH SUR
PLUS GAS ESCAPES
ADDRESS OF COLONEL PARSONS AND OTHERS
| THE BOSS MUST Goa COMMITTEE
OF ONE HUNDRED APPOINTED
| PLATFORM.
| Especial telegram to the Dlspatch.l
ROANOKE VA, October 1.-The conven.
ton of disaffected Republicans here TO-DAY
| was not largely attended. Colonel b. q.
Parsons, of Natural Bridge, the head centre
Of the new movement, arrived here last
| night, and when the convention was called
to order in the Opera House at O'Clock to
day there we're probably about fifty white
and colored Republicans from the Vale
and Southwest Virginia, while the remainder
of the gathering was made up Of local Re
publicans and curious Democrats
THE OFFICERS.
Colonel Parsons was elected permanent
chairman Of the meeting; W. A. Pattie and
]. W. Camper, of Roanoke, vice-presi-
dente; Yardley T. Brown, of Loudoun cuun.
ty, secretary, and Robert Hopcroft and r.
L. Gregory, of this city, assistant score
taries. The Committee on Resolutions re-
dred, ten from each congressional district,
to control and direct the action of The party
during the ensuing canvass and spec ches
we're made by number of delegates.
THE TWO PARTIES.
Colonel Parsons on taking the chair de
livered lengthy address, in which he con-
trasted the work done by the Republican
and Democratic parties in the upbuilding
of this nation. The former, be said, was
conservative and centralizing, while the lat
ter commended for the least power to the ma
ton and the largest liberty for the individ-
ual. He said the settlement of the State
debt rosted with the Democrats and it was
of vital importance that it should be settled
at once. He denounced the present cleo
tions law as full of peril and demanded that
it be changed. He protested against the
declaration that the State was given over
to anarchy, and said it was for this conven-
ton to show that the Republican way to
success was not through unopened mines
and abandoned furnaces.
THE SPEECH MAKERS.
The meeting at night was devoted loyalty
to speech.making, among those delivering
addresses being J. W. Hartwell. and Judge
T. B. Claiborne, Of this city, and William
Christian, (colored). of Lynchburg. Among
those present we're: d. s. Lewis, OF Har-
risonburg; E. o. Hines, G.. G.. Arthur, E.
J. Northrop, and G. E. King, Of Fairfax;
G. P. Nair and G. r. Burks, Of Rockbridge;
]. B. Behrman and Judge b. F. Mays. Of
Thomas Moore and G. A. Heermans, of
Montgomery; W. A. Russell and W. G.
Lester, of Floyd county, and Judge NJ. B.
Woods of Nv shiunt0r, oouuku
THE PLATFORM.
The following platform was adopted:
Whereas under tho present plan Of Or
ganization of the Republican party of the
State of Virginia the Chairman of the State
Executive Committee has full power to ap.
point and remove chairmen of the various
county committees at his discretion, and
without consulting other members of the
committee, and has exercised such power to
the detriment of the best interests Of the
Republican party of the State and against
the will of the people, thereby perpetuating
himself in control of the Republican organi.
cation of the State:
Reso.red, That it be left at the discretion
of the committees of each district as to
whether legislative nominations be made.
2. That we reafirm our allegiance TO the
principles of the Republican party, as an
inundated in the platform of the Rspubii.
can Convention at Chicagoin 1888.
That we protest against the present plan
of organization of the State Republican
Committee, which enables the Chairman of
said committee to perpetuate himself and
friends in control of the party organization.
4. That we protest most earnestly against
the surrender of the Republican party to
4 Irn - w. pE l.cI
factions, and that we appeal to the reason
of the people and not to their passions or
prejudice.
5. We believe in tariff for protection
and cannot consent that American labor be
lowered to that of foreign countries.
6. We believe in national aid to educa-
ton.
Z. In State affairs we favor the adoption
of stringent laws to equalizs taxation.
s. We favor such legislation IS will pro-
tect the people from every abuse of the
franchises granted torailroad and other cor.
perations.
9. We insist upon such legislation as will
secure to every voter in the State the right
to cast his vote freely and to have it count.
ed as cast, and We earnestly protest against
the Anderson. Mccormick electoral bill,
which we consider disgrace to the fairness
that has hitherto characterized the people
Of Virginia
10. We Condemn the Democratic party
for failure to adjust and settle the State
debt, and we favor such settlement as will
be fair and equitable to the State and its
creditors.
II. That we are in favor of enlarging our
educational facilities by providing oonven-
lent graded schools of high order 10 each
county and city of the State.
10. We have failed in the undeveloped
resources of the State OF Virginia, and we
invite and welcome to the State capitalize
tioD and emigrants from every section.
Elk Senator John F. Lewis, from Rock.
ingham, was elected chairman Of the com.
mittee of one hundred.