The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-09-10


Questions and ans-~,.-B.th sp.~aers
Win Generous Applause Harmony and
Euthu.iasm Prevail.
The first of the joint debates tween
for Governor, and ICY" Watson, the
Democratic candidate, was held at
Ru,herfordton last Friday, ard fully
| 600 people, representing the Popu-
lists, Democratic and Republican par
ties, turned out to hear these leaders
speak upon the vital issues of this
campaign. Much enthusiasm was man.
ifested throughout the discussion, in
spring each speaker to make an able
effort.
Mg. wATsoN's SPEECH.
By special arrangement, Mr.. Wat
son made the fret speech to-day and
spoke for an hour and fifteen minutes.
He was introduced by Mr.. NJ. II. JUS
tice, who asked that the audience
give each speaker patient and re-
spectful hearing.
"They are both gentlemen" said Mr..
| Justice, "and are entitled to the at
| tentiOn of this or any other audience
of North Carolina's law-loviDg and
law abiding people"
Mr.. Watson began by calling atten-
ton of the people, first, to the great
pc abilities of their country, to its
| natural wealth, its wonderful prOduc-
tiveness, its great past, its thrifty and
industrious people, the best and BRAY
est upon whom the sun ever shOne.
He reminded them that this country
was greater in the products of its
| fields, its forest, its mines and its men,
than any country on the face of the
globe.
You have had thirty years of pro-
found peace, you have been as indus
triOus as you ever were: you have
been as economical and perhaps more
so, and yet your own condition is get
ting worse every year yOn live. The
value of your products have gone
down and down until to-day there is
little hope for the old farmer, and alb
solutely none for the young farmer. 1t
has been necessary under these eX-
listing conditions and in this time of
profound peace for the officials of your
government to put a debt upon you
of some 1862 100000 for you and your
children to pay, to maintain a single
gold standard that the plain people of
this country had absolutely nothing to
do with enacting into law, and to-day
declared the speakers syndicate of
bankers are called upon to uphold,
with their gold wrung from you by
vicious class legislation, the credit of
your government, and they are now
placing in your treasury this gold,
receiving in return greenbacks and
coin certificates with which to wreck
again your treasury just as soon as
the election is over. They know that
if they force another bond issue now
; that all their money and all their syn
dictates and ell their combines could
not prevent the election of VIM. j
Bryan President of the United States
SO they have concluded to wait two
r short months, keep the reserve intact
until they can buy the election Of VIM
Mckinley, and then have everything
their own way"
Mr.. Watson discussed the tariff and
showed that the great panic came
4: while the Mckinley high tariff was in
, operation, and that Mr.. Cleveland's
t election in 1892 was rebuke to the
2 labor destrOyiDg, strike-breeding anC
st-breedipg law. The Democratic
: party he said, had never touched 8
> tariff bill since 1860 until 1894, and un.
3 der all the Republican protection laws
since the gold standard had been fas-
3 tened upon the country and silver
7 struck down, the farming classes snC
&. the laboring classes had been gettins
poorer, while the corporationist, tn,
e speculator, the money changer, TIT
S bond wrapper, the trust manipulato
e had been growing richer and richer.
: He then discussed the money ques
t ton at length and declared that inter
national agreement for free coinage o
silver was not only impossible but un
necessary. "America can establish it
: own financial basis and it is going t.
e do it," declared the speaker amid grea
3 applause.
He touched upon trusts and com
J bines, discussed the income tax, and hi
> time having expired he closed and tn
IS crowd gave him hearty cheer.
MAI. GUTHRIE's SPEECH.
Mr.. Albert Morgan arose aud intro
duced Maj. Guthrie, declaring that h
It would be elected Governor Of Mort
= Carolina next November by a majorit
l. of l6 to l..
j. Maj Guthrie began by saying tina
G. 1t had been a timehonored custom fo
is the candidates for Governor to com
ID before the people and in joint di:
cuss;on present their claims.
"Mr. Watson and myself are here
10 said the Major, land we have done a
D. we could to get Judge Russell, the RI
y publican candidate, here, but withu,
It success"
N Ihave started out in this campaign
10 said Maj. Guthrie, ITO do my duty full
and feariessly. | am going to preser
= the platform and principles of IN
IA party earnestly and honestly. and
~ shall not be my fault if, after th
If campaign is over, my Gistinguishe
of competitor and myself are not as GOO
friends personally as We are at the b.
ginning. l may have TO say things
Mt and in other parties that | wou
to probably rather not have to say.
H. shall ask questions that my cOmpetit,
Id will have to answer and he may as
some that l Will have to answer. b,
the campaign on my part shall be frt
" from personal feeling or uEnecessal
ne rancor."
Il Abiding to himself personally,
os said that " ben he came to the polls
m 1868 he cast a Republican vote az
voted and worked for that party unit
at he saw 1t drifting from safe and sour
O. political mornings. He had voted fl
at Hancock in 1880, he said, but in IS
he he had s'umped his district as an el-
tor for that graDdest and greatest
all Republicans, James G. Blaine. /
r. then saw the white people on one 81,
at and the colOred people on the othe
neither in the humOr to listen or o.
heed to the discussion of great polit
az Cal issues and he made up his mind
have nothing more to do with pOliti
until such time as the people cou
listen and study great political que
tiOns.
II followed the Republican par
Ate and WAS proud OF it," said the Majc
"but when see my old party fall
*lv behind Mark Hanna and mar
raI through wilderness to worship Il
~ golden calf, l beg to be excused"
ic- Here Major Guthrie was liberal
le- applauded, many Republicans joint
&C. in the applause. He read resOlutio
of Senator Nfap1Cv Matthew. ~