The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-10-08
BRILLIANT AND CONVINCING
Was the Address Of Col. Wood
at Academy Hall
TO the Enthusiastic Democrats.

at Academy Hall
To the Enthusiastic Democrats.
The First Democratic Meeting Of the
Campaign in Morgantown Harmon
i0us and Successful-The Largest
Crowd In Attendance that Has Turned
Out This Year-Plain Facts without
Sophistfy or Miscenstructiou Marked
the Entire Argument, and the Demc.
craey Well Pleased and Encouraged.
In interest, in enthusiasm, in at
tention, in attendance, in fairness,
in truthfulness and in all things
which go to make up successful
political meeting, the initial Install
Inent Of Democratic oratory in the
present campaign in Morgantewn
was marked indeed, and at variance
with the dissatisfaction by their own
people incident to the flash light,
gingerbread, horsehair and woody
meetings that the opposition have 50
striven to make effective this season.
On Saturday evening our people
were treated to plain ergument. a
telling speech, instead of conglom-
crate of stereotyped phrases, mixed
with concert hall slang and vulgar
ity.
Col. j. <. z. Wood, a prominent
attorney of Frederick, Maryland. was
here on Saturday evening by arrange
ment Of the committee to address
the Democrats of Morgantown and
vicinity. Academy hall was secured
for the purpose and by 1880 all the
seats were filled with ardent adher-
ents of Jeffersonian Democracy Elk
ira chairs were brought in, and the
hall became packed and crowded with
patriots. The attendance was by
far the largest that has presented
itself at political gathering here
this year.
Hon. Joseph Moreland introduced
the speaker in brief and fitting ad-
dress, and Col. Wood was received
with an ovation in applause. He
spoke for three hours and 10 minutes,
although it did not seem so long on
account of his success in holding the
interest and attention of his hearers.
No one was tired. Such splendid ar
gument could have been listened to
much longer without that crowd ex-
periencing the sensation of WEAKNESS.
Col. Wood embraced in his speech
argument for the Democratic posi-
ton on the tariff question, the force
bill, party history and history of
pension legislation, vetoes and bills
granted.
He maintained by plain illustra-
tions, which were easily comprehend
ed, the assertion that the tariff is a
tax and the consumer pays it, His
argument was unanswerable. He
showed how the trusts are fostered
by the Mckinley bill and how the
tariff on certain articles had been
fixed word for word the way it had
been written by protected manufac-
turers, showing that when Mckinley
introduced his bill there was no
change of phraseology from the ad-
vice sent to him by representatives
of the favors of class legislation. The
fact that these men worked so siren
uously and with such assiduity for
the continuance of that law, Col.
Wood argued, should be sufficient
cause for the laboring man to vote
against it.
He gave a glowing picture of the
danger of such measure as the
force bill, how by the appointment
of negro supervisors of elections in
the South the white Democrats would
not be allowed to cast their votes,
and the partnership between million
aire manufacturers and Republican
statesmen would become more bind
ing, and oppression more and more
result to the laborer. His denuncia-
ton of the force bill met hearty
endorsement.
He told what the Democratic par
ty had been, what it is and what it
intends to be, are in accord with the
ideas of good government promulga
ted by Jackson and Jefferson and
Cleveland. No menace to our free
institutions and to American liberty
is threatened by Democracy, as is
the case in the Mckinley law, which
the people of the country are already
regarding with great disfavor.
His speech was replete with we'll
timed illustrations Of he differences
of the two parties on important is
sues, such as have been noted, and
was delivered clearly and eloquent
ly-a thoroughly Democratic spe sch
by thorough Democrat. The more
of such speeches that could be heard
by our Republican friends the less
would their prejudices become. A
great deal of the objection to Demo
cracy (by the masses) is prejudice.
but this could be overcome if the
war enthusiasts and bloody shirt
wavers would but remember that
there were as many if not more Dem
ocrats as Republicans in the Union
Army.
He showed that Mr.. Cleveland DUR
ing his term of four years had gran
ted more pensions than any three of
his predecessors in the presidential
chair, Harrison included.
NOTES.
The Morgantown brass band and
the Usage martial band, under the
leadership of Taylor Martin, made
splendid music
The knot of Republicans near the
stove could only comment on the
plain truths of the speaker by say
ing, That's lie, that's lie" This
is all they could say, but its frequent
REPETITION made up for variety of
expression.
Mr.. Grant was very anxious to be
seen, and he succeeded in his desire.
There were more people in the
hall when Col Wood finished than
when he began.
Uncle Mike Cbalfant occupied a
seat on the platform, and his smile
of satisfaction proved his indorse-
ment of the theories expounded and
added to his serenity of soul. 1t is
interesting to know that in the chill
dren and grandchildren of Mr. Chal-
FAINT there are rs good Democratic
votes.
Mat Larkin was another happy
individual. Responsive chords were
repeatedly awakened in his breast
to which he would give emphatic
oral ayerciSp Ha won't oway hon