Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-10-11
WILSON'S WELCOME.
A Great Ovation to the Distinguished Tariff
Reformer by His Home People.
Last Monday was a great day f

man William l.. Wilson, the distin.
guished tariff reformer, who had Just
returned from trip to Europe, re-
ceived an ovation from his friends and
constituents such as few public men
obtain.
Mr.. Wilson arrived in New York
from London last Saturday, after a
voyage that gave to him the rest and
health that he sought A committee
of $50 prominent citizens had been
deputed to meet him at Harper's Fer
~. But the committee grew, and
when he stepped from the train short
" after one o'clock 400 or 800 en-
thusiastic Democrats were there to
give him a hearty and enthusiastic
welcome, as the band played Home
Again. \ train carried the cheering
throng to Charlestown, where the
whole town and a large part of the
county was at the depot to greet their
honored representative and fellow cit
lien. Bands were playing and multi
tudes cheered as the triumphal pro-
cession moved along the streets. 1t
was glorious homecoming.
The most striking scene was in the
courthouse at Charlestown. The
great hall was packed with men, wo-
men and children, enthusiastic and
excited. When Mr.. Wilson and his
friends entered the room cheer after
cheer greeted them. Col. Chew, the
chairman of the meeting, introduced
Mr.. Wilson. The distinguished states
man stood for several minutes to wait
for the enthusiastic applause to cease
so that he could be heard, but the
cheering went on. The band struck
up Dixie and men fairly went wild.
1t was a thrilling, stirring scene.
Gray-haired men were as noisy as ever
urchin dared to be. Finally the APP
plause died out and silence came.
Mr.. Wilson, who was deeply touched
by the wonderful welcome he had re-
ceived, began to speak. He said he
realized now, as never before, that the
pleasure of a visit TO other shores was
as nothing compared to the welcome
of the Homecoming He started to
speak of the kindly greeting and warm
hand-shakes of his old friends and
neighbors. Then his lips quivered,
his tongue refused to utter sound,
and a mist sufused his eyes. There
was a thrilling silence until he mas
tered his emotion, but every man there
loved him more for the feeling he dis
played.
Mr.. Wilson said that he had not had
opportunity to prepare a set speech,
but would give expression to the
thoughts that came to him. His speech,
which was frequently interrupted by
was in part as follows;
The issue in American politics is
Joined between those who desire to
hold on to whatever tariff reform we
have achieved, and continue the strug-
gle for its complete and perfect attain
ment, and those who wish to do away
with all we have gained and to return
to the policies that have hitherto pre-
vailed in this country. l do not be-
lieve l could speak to any audience
having greater interest in this question
than to an audience of the farmers and
working people and to the citizens
generally of the county Of Jefferson.
To rob man of the fruits Of his labor
by unjust taxation is robbery indeed,
but to deprive a man of the opportu-
nifty of toiling whereby he may secure
the fruits Of his labor is still worse rob-
berry and so far as you, fellow-citizens,
are concerned, this question, the tariff,
has become not so much question Of
taxation, because you could stand up
under taxation, as question Of mar
kets, wherein you are to sell that
which you produce whether upon your
farms or in your factories. We have
reached that stage in the development
of our country when we are compelled
to have larger and larger markets for
our surplus products, and such mar
kets through foreign trade are the on
" safe-valves for the health and the
prosperity of the American laborer in
the field and in the factory. Fellow
| do not believe that there
has been in this country, doubt if
there has been in any self-governing
such an uprising oc the peo-
pie as we have seen during the strug-
gle of the last ten years against our
present system of federal taxation.
1t has been a wonderful, it has been
an inspiring popular revolution, with
its persistent effort, with its undimmed
in defeat as well as in victory,
with its enthusiasm, with its patriotic
ardor, and 1 might almost say hero
ism. 1t has been a most notable pub
lie revolution and l for one do not be-
lieve it is to cease until the results Sc
cured have fully measured up to the
order and the enthusiasm Of the peo-
10 IT O,,1 o,plouCa \