The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-20
JUDGE W. R. STAPLES SPEECH.
A Stirring Address on Democ.
racy at the Old Opera House.


racy at the Old Opera House.
Large and Enthusiastic Audience There
to Greet Him and Colonel O'Ferrall,
Reviews the Record of the Party and
KNOCKS Holes In the PopuIists' Plat
form-The Next Governors Brief
Speech-J. Allen Watts Dosen't Con-
slider That He Has an Opponent.
The Democratic political apathy 80
long complained of in Roanoke is no
longer dominant. The masses OF the
people who have been stunt ering in in.
difference have shaken off their lethargy
and have entered the campaign that will
end In great Democratic victory on the
ides Of next November. One of the
greatest, If not the greatest, speech
ever made in Roanoke fell from the lips
OF Virginia's great jurist, Judge
House last night.
On the stage were the executive com
mitSee, Hon. Charles T. O'Ferrall, j.
Allen Watts, M. G. Thomas, S. E. Jones,
w. P. Dupuy. Col. Thomas Lewis, Hon.
A. z. Staples, John M. Hart, w. O.
Hardaway and others.
After several inspiring pieces of music
by the Roanoke Machine Works Band
John M. Hart on behalf of the execu-
tive committee, introduced Judge
Staples as man who for forty years
had been lighting in the ranks and on
the stump, showing to the world that
under all conditions he would cling to
the old Democratic party as the party
OF the people, for the people and by the
people.
Judge Staples spoke for nearly two
hours and made an address unsurpassed
in grand principles, pure and beautiful
language, elequence, lucid explanations
and enunciations of Democratic prin-
ciples and measures and exhibitions Of
the follies OF the opposing parties.
Tho following ls a brief synopsis Of
Judge Staples address:
~ am glad of the opportunity OF ap-
pearing before you and of greeting Col
onel O'Ferrall, the next governor of
Virginia. l will say to you in his pres
once that Colonel O'Ferrall WAS not my
lirst choice for governor. favored
Maj j. Hoge Tyler, citizen OF South
west Virginia and OF my own county, a
personal friend bound to me by the
strongest les of personal friendship.
that rendered it just that l should sup
port him, but L recognize in Colonel
O'Ferrall a man who has worked himself
up to the highest stations in life, a
brave man, and an honorable Confeder
ate soldier, an able and efficient repre-
sentative in the halls of Congress for
ten years whose battle flag, like the
white plume of Henry of Navarro, was
always in the thickest of the fight, q
man who has battled in season and out
OF season, in sunshine and in storm, who
has struck blow after blow for the
affairs, the homes and the firesides of
his native land.
81 greet him with the right hand Of
fellowship as the next governor of Vir-
GINA. l support him for another rea-
sor; he is the nominee OF great Demo-
cratic convention and l never 60 back
on Democratic conventions. / believe
in the Democracy that has stood like q
wall of fire for twenty-five years be-
tween the people of the South and their
enemies. But for that party we would
be sunk under by the onslaught OF ne
gro domination and carpet-bag rule,
crimson with the bloody prints of our
enemies hands.
1--WE nave two governments, ma
tional, which controls our currency,
finance. tariff and things of that char
acter, and State government, which
controls the railroads, the schools, tax
alton, police laws, oyster laws, etc.
When you elect your next representa-
tives, Watts, Thomas and Logan, as I
believe you will, they have no more to
do with finance, tariff and things of a
national character than men beyond
the Atlantic. When politicians come
before you to discuss the silver question
and currency they have sinister motives
to perpetrate fraud. The only CUES
the State in the hands of the Democ-
racy. We do not intend the people
shall be led astray.
I'm 1882 the Readjuster party swept
the State. Their only claim for sup
port was they proposed to quietly reduce
the State debt. They did not reduce
the debt. The bondholders refused to
accept their propositions. In 1S91-92
Democratic leaders in conference with
the commissioners from London repro.
senting the bondholders reduced the
debt from SEQ, 000,O 600 to S19,O 900, 600 and
the interest from per cent. to per
cent. for ten years and per cent. for
ninety years when the debt is to be
paid. A Democratic legislature ratified
that settlement and to day the vexed
question Is settled forever by Demo.
cratic staresmanship.
Here the speaker reviewed Democratic
State Legislation in regard to schools,
colleges, oyster taxation, asylums, in
crease of revenues, lower taxation and
then asked if the people would turn out
party that had done so much for the
people and place in power set whose
only objection to Democracy was the