Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-20
CAMPAIGN OPENED.
PROFESSOR puaYEAa ON THE po-
LITIcAL ISSUES or THE DAY.
Cleveland tho Truest Exponent Of De-
mocrscy Since Jsfferson--Pcnsioners
vs. Farmers-EHeets Of the Tariff.


Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.I
BoYpros, Va. July is.-The political
campaign opened here to-day. 1t was the
regular monthly court. and q large crowd
Of people Of all classes assembled in the
courthouse building to listen TO an adj
dress by Professor Bennett Puryear. of
Richmond College. on the political issues
now agltating the public mind. PROMPTLY
at high noon Judge w. z. Homes vacated
tho bench, and in graceful and forcible
speech introduced to the vast audience
the learned and venerable Professor, Just
from the classic scenes OF collegiate IN,
struction 10 enter the arena OF political
discussion aud enlighten the people OF
his native county upon the absorbing
issues of the day.
DR.. Puryear, for he IL an IL. D., and the
only person from this county who ever
had that honorable degree conferred upon
him. took the stand and announced that
he was not candidate for aav. political
Office and never expected to be, but had
supreme interest in good government aud
the proper functions of government. Inc
duty of government was TO protect the
people IN their rights, and the greatest
amount OF justice produces the greatest
good.
The Republican party believed in gov
eminent regardless of the rights of the
masses; the Democratic party in the ca
pacity of the people for government and
the greatest good to the many and not TO
the few. The enormous surplus reported
in the national Treasury was the money OF
the people. and did not belong to the gov
eminent to distribute aims and to appro-
pirate at the demands of the plutocrats.
USBoUspED APPLAUSE.
Grover Cleveland was the truest ex-
ponent of Democratic principles since the
DAYS of jefferson and the salvation OF the
country depended upon the supremacy OF
the Democratic party. His contrast of the
policy and aims of the Republican and
Democratic parties was terrific, end
when tho name Of Cleveland was
called il ellcited unbouDded APP
plause. The Republican party supported
o monster tariff which was sapping the
very lIfe's blood Of the republic. Public
sentiment had been expressed IN thunder
tones, and 1t was reflex OF what was
needed for good government. The I'M
mense expenditures for pensions was ap-
palling-given to an army on paper, and the
| further we recede from the war depletion
fills their ranks and deaths multiply their
numbers. Women and children with IN
creasing numbers were the recipients
of the governments bounty. Each head
of a family had S312.5O LAID aside
secured to the payment OF pensions tor
| every average voter. The interest on
S3.750. 900 at per cent. was required TO
paw the pension list. The pensioners were
debauched by the money paid to them:
Only one man in the supreme crisis had
the nerve to stem the tide, and with
moral heroism and courage worthy OF the
grandest men in ancient or modern times,
sacrificed himself to the honest conyic-
tons of duty.
THE FINANCIAL TROUBLES.
Farming. the basis-rock of national
prosperity. was now languishing. Inc
pensions and the tariff explain the hnan-
cial troubles. The protectlve-tariff Demo-
crat was as much an absurdity as iuni-
| nous darkness or holy wickedness. lie was
an original Cleveland man from the day ne
went out of the presidential chair until he
was again made our standaru-Oearer'
| The tariff works for tax and tribute. Inc
consumer pays the tax and gives tribute
to the monopollst. The property OF the
people was confscated TO maintain this
| immense drain upon their resources. Inc
! tariff increases the expenses OF the former
| and dimlnishes his income. The prices Oh
| sugar, blankets, quinine, clothing, Moh'
and steel, and all necessities oil lie MUS
trated this fact under the different cohdi-
tions of tariff for revenue ana one ioI
protection. The farmer should denanQ
protection from the crushing burdens Oh
taxation.
THE SUPREME ISSUE.
The tariff to the country at large was
the supreme issue. and all minor questions
sink into lnsignifcance. The people were
| taxed from the drapery of the cradle TO
| the hearse conveying the dead TO their
| last resting place. The tariff gives our
| farmers o smothered market. Germaiiy
seeks other countries for its supplies. We
! are excluded from foreign countries by
the duties placed upon, the products OF
other lands. We cannot buy from them
and they will not buy from US.
The tariff, he said, was unphilosophical.
| The laws Of nature and the laws of trade
were antagonistic TO it. A revenue tarih
was the only constitutional one. At least
! 95 per cent. of the people were plundered
by the government under the gulse of law,
where per cent grew rich and tat ana
| had their castles in different lands. with
Others under the incubus OF tarih oppres-
sion there seemed TO be no ray OF hope
while it lasted from AFFECT poverty.
now THE SOUTH Is AFFECTED.
Circulation was the law of nature. Air
and water exempliiied 1t. Tariff was artl-
| ficial, and' universal stagnatlon was its
! legitimate result. He felt confident OF the
| triumphant election Of Cleveland; and,
with Democratic House and Senate, he
will not allow this iniquitous legislation
to remain unadjusted. With the South 1t
was an issue affecting State autonomy.
| Cleveland was Enthusiastically committed TO
| free elections and opposed Federal inter-
yentlon. Under his administration the
| South was recognized for the first time
since the DAYS of Buchanan. Not man
had SO impressed his individuality upon
the American people since the days OF
Washington.
CLEVELAND A GIANT OAK.
Not as magnetic as Clay or Blaine but
| in his rough exterior he stood like giant
oak defying the storm, man who will
! lead the party of the people in this cam
paign for an honest silver dollar and
| for tariff and administrative re-
| form. He is statesman III whom the
people repose confidence, and I'M
moved bv popular clamor, but honest,
/ true, sagacious, and steadfast and
who like William of Orange may lnscrioe
upon his banner " Calm amid the waves"
| A man in whom conservative men every
where will see the promise OF country
| wholly tranauilized. sectional strife OBJ
! liberated by the benign influence of I'M
partial laws impartially executed, and
! prosperity following with equal step the
! triumphant march of toll.
The speech of DIR. Puryear occupied
/ over an hour, and was attentiyely heard,
! frequently applauded. and made pro-
1 found impression upon the people OF
| Mecklenburg. A great many were heard
| to say, THAT speech has put me 70 think
/ ing" One old man, and a true Democrat
! for over three-score years, remarked 10 the