Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-20
ELOQUENT RHEA
Speaks to a Large Audience at
Elders Opera House.
Republicans, Third Partyites and Inde-
pendents Placed in the Same Boat
All Against Democracy.


The opera house was pretty wei
filled last night with a representative
Clarksville audience to hear Hon
Jno. 8. Rhea, of Russellville, speal
on the political issues ofthe day. Mr.
Rhea was escorted to the stage b,
Col. Jno. F. House, Judge MuHford
DIR. N. L. Northington and Frank s
Beaumont. DIR. Northington intro
duced the speaker and he was greet
ed with much applause. Mr.. Rhe.
began by saying that he had come t.
Clarksville in the interest OF pure De
mocracy, and he urged the people t,
see to 1t that its principles triumphet
In November. He said that tn,
campaign was fraught with most Sc
rious questions to the people Of thu
South and of the whole country. De
mocracy has but one enemy and thal
is the Republican party. Tie othel
parties were but aid societies for Re
publicanism. They were in league
with Republicans and therefore were
to be considered as Republicans. The
Republican party would hazard
everything on the throw of die
and would stoop to anything to carry
their point in this election. Aftel
showing what the Republican party
was in favor of in this campaign
Mr.. Rhea said: "The tenets OF the
Democratic party may be classed un'
der three heads. First, it believes In
local self government. Second, il
believes that the government has nc
right to take from the people one
mill OF money more than is needed
to defray the expenses OF the govern
ment economically administered,
Third, it believes in granting the
largest liberty to the people consis.
tent with the public welfare. On
these principles the Democratic par
ty stands and asks the suffrage of q
free people," Mr.. Rhea then went
into a discussion of the questions in
volved in the national campaign,
showing that he was entirely
familiar with them all. His argu-
ment against the principles set forth
by the Peoples party were as invin-
cibleas was his mastery arraignment
of the Republican party. He took up
the heresies promulgated in the ma
tional platform of the Third lparty
and dissected them one by one, and
he handled them in a plain, lucid
manner. Returning to the Demo
cratic party, he said that he had the
honor of being delegate to the con-
vention that nominated Grover
Cleveland for the presidency. He
was not for Cleveland as first choice,
and did all he could to defeat him be-
fore the convention. "But," said he,
"when Mr.. Cleveland became the
choice of that convention, he at once
became my choice" The speaker
then went into discussion OF the
characteristics of Mr.. Cleveland and
advised all to vote for him. The
mention of the national standard
bearers name was signal for loud
and long applause. Referring to the
application OF Mcdowell & Go. for
Federal supervisors at the polls, he
thought that their party blew hot and
cold with the same breath. They op-
posed Federal interference with elec.
tions in their national platform, but
called for il in Tennessee. He fur
ther said that this was done to defeat
Judge Turney, "the noblest Roman
OF them ALL" This had been told
him by one of McDowell's gang.
The force bill was then taken up and
riddled by the speaker. He grew
sublimely eloquent at times, and
brought the house down with tire.
mendous applause. Mr.. Rhea is q
brilliant young man, and is one in
whom Russellville should take "a par.
donable pride. His coming to Clarks'
willie was treat to all who heard
him, and should he ever in the future
see fit to visit the city he will be
given hearty welcome.