Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-08-24
DEMOCRATIC MEETING.
Remarks by Capt. John y. Opie, Hon. jas.
L. Gordon, OF Albenis,rle, and Hon. john
4. Harris. of nckinyham.

|
Remarks by Capt. John y. Opie, Hon. Ja'
L. Gordon, OF AIbenn,rle, and Hon. John
T. Harris. of Rockingham.
| There was Democratic speaking at the Cour
house last Monday. Between II and O'Clock
Capt. John N. Opie, Chairman of the Count
Democratic Committee, took the stand to IL
troduce Hon. JAS L. Gordon, of Albemarle
but before doing so, he made few remark
ON the importance of this canvass and the dut
and necessity of the Democrats 10 STAN
shoulder to shoulder in support of the Demo
cratic ticket. Sixty days ago, he said, the par
ty was threatened with disruption by beinl
divided into Cleveland and anti-Clevelant
men who had each other by the throat, bu
since the nomination they have patrioticall,
become united in the support of Cleveland
and Stevenson.
| A party, which is called the peoples Par
| ty," is in the field threatening to divide the
Democrats and make way for the success Of
the Republican party. The Democratic party
is the true Peoples party as its name signifies
and its character has established. 1t has la
bored for the relief which the Farmers Ali
ance seek. The grievances of which they COM
plain are not due to the Democratic party
which has not had the power for thirty years
TO pass any laws, and they should attach the
blame to the party which has been ruling the
country to its detriment and the oppression of
the people. The legislation of the Republican
party has been in the interests of the few at
the expense of the many. He felt no appre-
banSiops ahout tho Farmers, Alliance m on in
this county-he knew they were true, and be-
ieved they would give 800 Democratic ma
jority in this county; but there were those in
other counties who would vote for the Third
party ticket, and thus weaken the Democrats
and as every vote would count in determining
the result, he urged upon every Democrat the
importance of voting right for this is the
most critical campaign we have ever had
There is war now in three of the States. The
man who fails to vote for Cleveland, or votes
for any other ticket, is aiding to elect Harri-
son. The anglo-saxon race should rule this
country. He then introduced Hon. Jas l..
Gordon, whom, he said, was a gentleman of
culture and ability who had made national
question study, and who was also an orator
HON. JAS. L. GORDON.
Then Hon. Jas L. Gordon took the stand
and for more than an hour held the delighted
attention of the audience with a speech of
ability and eloquence. 1t was strong in its
statement of facts and arguments, which were
expressed with good diction in eloquent terms,
and delivered with great impressiveness. 1t
was addressed to the reason, good sense, and
patriotism of the audience, and made an i'm
preston which cannot fail to be productive of
good. His appeals to the audience to rally
unitedly to the support of the Democratic tick
ct to avoid the horrible doom impending were
truly eloquent. We have not the time or
space to give such report of his speech as it
deserves. We can only notice in general
way the main line of thought presented.
He acknowledged his thanks to Capt. Opie
for his HIGH extravagant, and, he feared, I'M
deserved compliments He was no great
statesman, no great politician, and no great
orator, but simply one of the people, plain.
private citizen, anxious to do his duty to the
State and the constitution. He wished to ad-
dress the farmers of Augusta county, who
make their bread by the sweat of their brows,
but not on the question of farming, for he
was not a farmer; but would seek to unite
them in the support of their highest interests.
The importance of the issues involved should
be considered without passion or prejudice, but
with calmness and judgment. The farmers
felt that they were carrying unequal burdens;
that they sowed but did not reap, and they
were justified in banding themselves together.
They were conscious that something was
wrong, though they could not know what it
was. They knew that fortunes had been
amassed with the balance on the wrong side.
The Republicans have been in power since
1851 and have blocked all Democratic legisla-
ton, and the American flag now waves over
farms mortgaged to the amount of 50, 500, 00O,-
900; over great fortunes and extreme poverty;
over debauched ballot-box, and foreigners
who cannot speak our language.
Last year the cost of running the govern
ment was $3.50, 100000, and the next year it
will be $500, 900, of which $3.50, 900 will
be required to pay Federal pensioners This
is great country and a great wheat-growing
country, but all the wheat in the country
would not pay it; neither would all the gold
and silver and other metals pay it, nor would
all the cotton, wine, and tobacco pay it. 1t
costs more than the costly monarchical gov
ernments of Europe. This vast sum of money,
annually thus expended, comes out of the
pockets of the people, by means of the tariff
1.-The direful spring of all our woes taxing
everything we wear or use in any way. 1t is
in such way that the people do not know
how or when they pay it. but they pay it all
the same. This was illustrated both instruc-
lively and amusingly, by giving the case of "a
Mr.. smith who was a high tariff man till he
read carefully and made an application to
himself of the items of the Mckinley Bill. He
was man who had
"a little farm well titled
And little wife well willed,"
and who, in former times, was prospecting in
very satisfactory way-laying up something
every year. Latterly he found that such was
not the case in spite of his industry and econo-
my, and was at loss to understand it till he
gave the Mckinley bill careful examination.
when he found that everything he and his
wife wore, all they had in the household, in
the chamber, in the parlor, in the kitchen,
and all the things he used on his farm, every
thing. great and small, he could lay his hands
upon were taxed by the Mckinley tariff,
The farmers need the world as market,
and should not be restricted to the home mar
ket, as high tariff has tendency to do by
putting obstruction in the way of trade with
other countries Mr.. Blaine in his look
Twenty years in the Senate says that the
people were never SO prosperous as during the
period of low tariff. Wages are not control
led by the tariff, but by the supply and the
demand. They are higher in England than
in the protective tariff countries of Europe,
which shows that the tariff does not increase
wages. 1t is not a protection to American
labor, but to monopolies. Yet, strange as it
is, farmers and laborers have voted to keep
the Republican party in power, and are now
called upon again to vote for Harrison or
Weaver. 1t is difficult matter to dislodge
the Republican party. The Democrats have
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