The leader., 1895-10-17
A TRIP TO LAWRENCE.

n
DEAR LEADER:-As the nominee of
the Prohibition party for State Sena-
tor, early Tuesday morning, the Sth
inst, / left Brookhaven to spend the
balance of the week prosecuting my
canvass in Lawrence county. Try Us,
Hooker, Silver Creek, Hebron, Red
House, Blountville, Burkitt's and Oak
Vale were visited in the order named,
and from the latter place l returned
via Silver Creek and Monticello, reach
ing home again late Saturday night.
At Silver Creek, Hebron and Blount
Vile joint discussions were had with
ex- Congressman Thomas r. Stockdale,
representing the Democrats. Our
young friend Z. p. Jones, Democratic
nominee for Representative in Law
renee, also spoke at Silver Creek and
Blountville; like most Democratic
speakers these days, taking Frank
Burkitt and the Populists for a text.
The idea seems to prevail among the
Democrats of Lawrence that the local
nominees can't successfully cope with
the opposition in debate, and hence
outside speakers like Col. Stockdale
are called in to scotch" for them and
pull the ticket through. Whether even
this will save it, remains to be seen.
took occasion to remark not long
ago that "the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth stands no
more chance with the modern Demo
cratic stump speaker than lightwood
knot in hades." This painful fact was
freshly illustrated in the speeches of
Col. Stockdale. The Colonel presents
only the Democratic partisan's side in
glowing colors and it takes Prohibi-
ZIONIST or Populist to supply the miss
ing links and expose his sophistry and
misleading assertions.
The Populists of Lawrence having
at the outset endorsed me as their
choice for State Senator, found many
who were avowedly dissatisfied with
the action of their party in Lincoln in
suffering itself to be dominated by a
small whisky contingent fresh from
the Democratic camp, and they will
vote their first choice all the same in
November, scorning to be dictated to
by this anti-reform element in Lincoln.
Many Prohibition Democrats distrust
Mr.. Weathersby on the liquor ques-
ton, are suspicious of the ardent sup
port given him by the whisky men of
his party, and hold it against him that
he helped nominate and support a
known drunkard for Congress last
year. Will such men rise superior to
partisan bonds and vote their honest
convictions on this great reform ques-
ton in November? / believe they
will.
One of the most encouraging and
reassuring facts observed during my
trip was the readiness shown by the
people to hear Prohibition discussed
from the political standpoint. At
every place l spoke, l was given the
, most courteous and respectful hearing.
In fact, in no instance did | meet with
aught but kindly and courteous treat
ment from the Lawrence people,
whether political opponents or friends.
To many feel indebted for courtesies,
but to Mr. and Mrs. M. d. L. Crawford,
of Try Us; Messrs. III. r. and E. B.
White. of Joel; Rev. and Mrs. q. w.
Brown, of Grange; Mr.. Ed. Ross, of
Hebron; DR.. and Mrs. j. B. Magee, and
the Messrs. Berry, of Blountville; Mr.
and Mrs. Wilkes, of Burkitt's, and Mr..
and Mrs. w. j. Armstrong, of Arm, do
l feel especially grateful.
Crops are fine in the sections of the
county visited. Enough of home sup
plies have been raised on nearly every
farm and cotton planted as surplus
on the basis of and 5 cents per
pound. AS result the rise in price
is so much net gain. The acreage is
said to be fully 25 per cent. less than
usual, with the yield on what was
planted little less than an average.
| Fully two thirds of the staple is al
ready open and picked. The well inn
proved farms noted, spoke volumes for
the thrift and industry of the Law
renee people.
The county has fortunes in its tim
Der as we'll as in its farms, Thousands
after thousands Of acres of the finest
pine forests were passed, which an ak
has scarcely SO much as touched, and
which will one day furnish vast
amount of the finest lumber in the
world. B. T. H.