Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-10-11
party, and each time they have turned

We had Keifer Congress in 1881,
and we had the Democratic tidal
wave in 1882 and a Democratic Pres
ident in 1884. We had the Reed
Congress in 1889, and we had Dem
ocratic tidal wave in 1890 and Dem
ocratic President in 1892 The Re-
publican party was called into exist
ence by the people to achieve one
great, and as we are all now ready to
admit, one grand reform, and that was
the destruction of the institution OF
slavery. That was the purpose, the
great single purpose, for which the
people called that party into exist
ence, and when it had achieved that
result it was a party without an object
and party without any definite prin-
ciples. So far as those principles are
concerned which the American people
in their sober moments and their un-
biased thoughts have always affirmed,
the principle of economical govern
ment, the principle Of the just measure
of local self-government, principle of
low taxes and equal rights say, SO
far as all these principles We're con-
cerned, the ground was already occu-
pied and there was no possible career
for any new party, except to fall back
upon the old discredited doctrine Of
the early federalists, which exalted the
government at Washington and de-
based that of the States.
There is today no reform that the
people in this country desire carried
out that they can turn to the Repub-
hcan party with any hope of securing
it. When we entrusted them with
the Congress in 1890 they squandered
the surplus, they ran up the expenses
of government and made other great
inroads upon the peoples treasury.
Not only this, but they voted subsidies
and they voted bounties to producers
in this country and they tried their
utmost-and were only foiled by the
Intervention, almost, Of Providence-to
fasten on the people the odious force
bill, by which the elections held in the
States, and by the authority of the
States, could be controlled by parti-
san intrigues. Have the people such
short memories that in the lapse of
two years they forget all these things?
Have they forgotten the squandering
of their money, the raising Of their
taxes, the increase Of the pensions for
partisan purposes, the fastening upon
them of the Mckinley bill and the
well-nigh successful fastening upon
them of the force bill, that they want
to repeat the experience of Mr.. Reed
in the chair? No, no, no, from the
audience. l know that sometimes
men forget very Quickly-that pin
scratch seems 10 enrage them in the
present more than the memory Of a
very severe wound few years ago.
When Mr. Cleveland took the chair
in March, 1898, the sky was all dark
ened and the sea was all roughening
to the coming of the financial panic.
Neither he nor disparity was response
bic for its coming, and he and his party
have done all that they could to tenn
per it to the American people. When
you are stricken with disease do you
demand of the doctor that on his first
visit he shall restore you to health?
Do you expect that he is to perform
miracles not within the power Of hu-
man invention to perform? Neither
the Democratic party nor any other
party taking control Of the govern
ment when the panic had already be-
gun could do more than try to allevi-
ate the effects of that stringency and
start the country on the way to indus
try and prosperity. From our advent
into power we began to lessen the
amount we would have to pay for the
support of the government, and from
that day we began our sincere and
honest effort to release the people from
the burden of taxation.
You must have patience, you must
leave it to time to cure these great
evils and restore to you the prosperity
that has departed from YOU in the
past two or three years. There Is no
greater piece of machinery in the
world than the government of the
United States, and it takes a long
time to turn that piece Of machinery
and get it upon the right course when
you wish to change the direction of
the Iaw-making power and admins
tration of the government
As | said in the beginning, l now
close by thanking my friends and
the people Of my old home
and of my native county, for the well
come accorded to me today and for
the promise that it gives me, as | have
had on Six previous occasions, OF their
overwhelming support at the polls at
the coming election,
After Mr.. Wilson had concluded,
Congressman B. +. Myers, Of Pennsyl-
vania, made solid and practical ad-
dress that was listened to with close
and much enjoyment. Then
Col. John T. McGraw was called for,
and the chairman Of the campaign
responded in an eloquent
address that captured the audience
and stirred up the enthu-
siasm to fever heat. He was followed |
oy short but entertaining talks by
Col. Henry Kyd Douglas and Col.
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