Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-09-05

oily. The day of mad protection is over in
this country; McKinleyism will disappear
as dark and hideous blight from our stat
ute books. The fight will go on, not, it may
be, in such a general engagement and pro-
tracted struggle as We have just passed
through, but in that steady and resistless
pressure that will take one after another of
the strongholds of privilege until all shall
disappear before the advance. OF public
opinion and public emancipation.
81 have dwelt at some length upon those
phases of our tariff struggle which are nat
uraIly and properly uppermost in the mind
of every genuine Democrat We have
right to confess our own shortcomings as
measured by the high standard Of our prin-
ciples and professions. We have a right to
hold our own faithless servants to that re-
sponsibility which duty and party fidelity
placed upon them.
"But all this does not imply dissatisiac-
ton with our own party as whole or dis
trust as to its meanings and intentions. If
the closeness of the vote in one house of
Congress gave opportunity for few TO COM
bine against the people and against all the
rest of their party and obstruct its faithful
efforts to redeem its pledges, the overwhelm-
ing mass of the Democrats in the country
are subject to no Just criticism. They have
kept the faith. They have been true to
their principles. We may ourselves do
nounce or bitterly condemn those who fail
ed us in this fight. We are not, therefore,
subject to condemnation by our opponents.
If we have done less in the way of relieving
the peoples burdens than we had hoped
and promised, they would have done moth
ing at all. If we have anywhere uncovered
trust and found it too strong for our conf
plete dislodgement in the first attempt we
have never failed to find them sturdily and
solidly arrayed for its defense. The weap-
ons with which monopoly has fought us
they have forged and tempered and sup
piled. The intrenchments and fortresses
behind which privilege has shielded itself
from our attack they have builded for it,
stone by stone and stronghold by stronghold.
oruER srEECHEs.
Governor Oates was greeted with ringing
cheer as he stepped to the front of the platform
and the crowd caught glimpse Of his empty
sleeve. He referred to this as being his second
visit to Martinsburg His first visit, he said,
was in 1862, when he was with the peerless
Stonewall Jackson. The reference 10 Jackson
brought ont the old yell that was heard so
often in this region in the stormy days Of the
civil conflict, and that almost lifted the roof
To-day, continued Governor Oates. find here
apeople no less enthusiastic than those found
on my first visit. He referred to Mr.. Wilson's
career, saying lie was Democrat Of whom
his district ought to be proud. He has always
been able and Woodworking and had been
honorcd by being made the leader Of the
House. No man, he said could have done
better work for the cause of tariff reform. He
did this work at the expense Of his physical
strength and health. He needs rest. and
know that his appeal TO you to aid him in the
work he feels be ought to do will be Loyalty
and faithfully regarded and nothing will be
lost. He Dug ht TO be made 10 take care Of
himself, and live not only for himself and his
district but for the people Of the United
States. Governor Oates gave running re-
view of the Democratic position on the tariff
question, Endorsed the income tax, aud said
that while the tariff bill recently adopted was
defective in many particulars, IL was the best
that could be had at present. 1t will open to
tie American producer wider markets; II will
revive paralyzed industries and on the whole
will do grea things for the country. 1t will
resllt in an actual saving Of slJ0,0O00o0 a
year to the people by the reduction of the tax
on wooden goods and the placing Of wool on
the free list alone. II predict he continued,
'that the errors and benefits to trusts that the
present tariff bill contains will be wiped out
by supplementary bills, and that we will at
last get down to the kind OF a tariff law the
people want. The Republicans dare not de-
mand a return to McKinleyism. We viii get
down to the proper sort Of tariff and will
sweep the county in 1896. If the Republicans
dare TO declare for McKinleyism in the con-
test, It will be the worst beaten party that ever
put up ticket"
GENERAL TRAcEY's SPEECH.
General Tracey, of New York, was intro
duced as an original Cleveland man, and was
welcomed with a big hurrah. This conven-
ton, p" he said, sis the most important Of any
held or to be held this year, AID you of the
second district are to be congratulated in
having for your leader the captain Of the Dem
ocratic party Of the United States. In the
coming fight there viii be opposition most
formidable. You have here q man recog-
nized as the leader Of the fight for tariff re-
FORM and the Republicans viii regard IL as
great achievement TO accomplish his defeat.
They will leave nothing undone that viii lead
to this end. and it is to you thG country is
to look for the continuance Of his usefulness
in the House OF Representatives"
VOICE FROM MINNESOTA.
Representative Hall. Of Minnesota, was the
last speaker, and be aroused the conventions
enthusiasm to almost white heat. "What a
magnificent convention this is" he said.
Magnificent in its enthusiasm, magnihcentin
its personnel, magnificent in the district it