The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-09-30

Hon. JAS. NJ. Beck EntertaIns . Crowded
House.

came here from Charlest0Wn YESTERDAY
and was most Hospitality entertained.
In the evening this distinguished gen
tleman was escorted by the City Band
to the Opera House where a large as
semblage of Berkeley citizens were III
waiting. Stuart Walker, Esq, intro
duced Mr. Beck who in quiet and
convincing manner unfolded to the
audience the issues Of the day, not
evading the Force Bill which he says
the Republicans are making a silent
issue in order to secure another admin
istration and then they will spring it
upon the people. lie spoke Of the tar
iff as at present imposed and proved
beyond contradiction who the benef-
Charles are-the rich manufactures and
capitalists. He frequently referred to
,Harrison's message. Mr.. Beck argued
that under the present administration
we never could get relief in the way Of
taxation and spoke Of the enormous
amount paid out in pensions. AT tie
conclusion of his address the speaker
was presented with several beautiful
boquets. Mr. Beck's speech was a fin
ished piece Of oratory and abounded in
straight facts and not perversion Of
them, such as has lately been given
from a rostrum in Martinsburg. Stir
ing it was in patriotic sentiment and
the speaker was many times appauded
especially when he referred to that
Cicero Of Democracy, Senator Faux
ner. The handshaking that followed
,tf nd Il
was enjoyed and appreciated.
We regret exceedingly that we can
not give this excellent address entire.
The following are extracts
There is another and most signifi-
cant omission in Mr.. Harrison's letter
to which reference must needs be made.
There is absolutely not word of it in
relation to his pet hobby, the Force
Bill Our people will not soon forget
the sense Of insecurity and apprehen-
sion which prevailed at the undoubt
ed attempt of Mr.. Harrison and his ad-
visors to make revolutionary change
in our existing laws. The Constitu-
ton of our country had provided by
Article Section 4, The times, places
and manner of holding elections for
Senator's and Representatives shall be
prescribed in each State by the Legis-
lature thereof While it is true that
the same article gave Congress con-
stitutional supervisory power, yet the
obvious meaning of the section was to
provide Home Rule for the States in
the vital matter Of their elections. As
the franchise is the right preventative
of all other rights obviously there is
nothing in our institutions in which
the thoughtful man must so sincerely
deprecate increased Capitalization as
in the matter Of elections. For one
hundred years our people have been
content to leave to the States the regu-
lations of the times, places and man
ner of holding elections for Senators
and Representatives.
The Force Bill, drafted by John l.
Davenport, of infamous name, pro-
posed to forever sweep away this poll
cy of Home Rule, so that while we
were sympathizing with the English
Liberals in their campaign for Home
Rule for Ireland, an insiduous assault
was made upon our own. This was
the policy at which after Mr.. Harri-
son was elected, Mr.. Quay had grimly
limited, III saying that the policy of the
Republican party would be the Email
ed Glove A mailed glove it certain
ly was, heavy as iron and hard as steel.
It's object was tersely expressed on the
eve of its introduction in the house by
Mr.. Reed at a banquet in Pittsburg
when he insolently said We, (there-
by meaning the Republican party pro
pose to do our own registration, our
own counting and our own GER
tification. Its purpose was to
forever destroy the ability of our
people to resist higher taxes and contin-
ued tariff bills. framed in the interest of
monopoly, for had not the organ of the
Administration, the New York Tribune
significantly said that the Force Bill
would = carry hundred Mckinley
Bills in its embrace" 1t will be hard
ly necessary to remind you of its many
provisions, all of which were framed
with such devlish ingenuity. to de
stroy the rights of the people in the
vital matter of their elections. After
ali, Mr. Reed, with Cromwellian terse-
ness and bluntness had stated it in the
words just cited, for Federal officials,
owing their tenure to the party in pow
er, were to say who should vote by its
registration. A returning board of
three, the majority of whom were like
wise to be Republicans and owing their
tenure to the party in power, was to
admit or reject and to finally count the
votes. Finally instead of the official
head of the State certifying to the
Clerk of the House of Representatives
what members were elected by the peo-
pie, the returning board was to certify
as to such result and the Clerk of the
House ofRepresentatiyes was compelled
under threat of fiyeyears Imprisonment
TO accept the certificate as prima facia
evidence to the seat.
Said the Hon. William Mckinley at
Kalamazoo, October II. 1890 cheap
never liked the word: cheap and