The Caucasian., 1896-09-03
FIRST GUN OF
THE CAMPAIGN
Fired at Wadesboro Las. Satur-
day-Befo.s an Enthusiastic
Audience.
GUTHRIE AND DOCKERY

Made = speech That Won Both 4 ppIAa,.
and Votes For The People. rarty-Th.
"Oid War Horse Of the Rec Dee" ID,
clare. Fer Bryan and Watson.
1t was a large crowd that assembled
in WadesbOro on last Saturday to hear
Hon. w. 4. Guthrie and Hon. .. Ii
Dockery, the Peoples Party nomi
nees for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor. speak. There was special
interest in the meeting for more reas-
ons than one.
First, it was known that these gen
tIemen were the ablest and most eIe-
quent speakers in the State, and that
the combination would present some
thing worth hearing.
Second, it was known that Col Dock
cry would have something of special
interest TO say on the great issue OF
the day. 1t was known that Col. Dock
cry had been life long Republican
and that he was the most influential
member OF that party in the state. 1t
was further known that he had come
to differ with his party on the finan-
cial question, and it has been hinted
that he would break the connection he
had held so many years as a member
of that party-nOt because he was leav-
ing the party, but because the party
Was leaving him and the principles
for which he had stood as a member OF
that party for SO many years. Those
who anticipated this latter course
were not disappointed. Col. Dockery
announced himself, in unequiyOcal
terms as Free Silver Republican,
declared he could not and would not
support the gold standard platform
advocated by Mckinley and Hobart
but that he would support Bryan and
Watson, the Peoples Party nominees
for President and vice-President, and
advised and pleaded that his friends
also support them for the good of the
country.
The crowd that heard the speeches
was estimated at from 500 to 1900. No.
body said less than 500. Many said
1900, and it is pretty certain that the
number equalled 1000. This throng
or the larger part of it stood before
the platform occupied by the speakers
for more than two hours. Few moved
out of their tracks, and it might be
said that not word of either speech
was lost.
MAJOR GUTHRIE SPEAKS.
We have not space to present the
speeches in full. A running repor,
is only presented here.
DIR. A. A. Maynard introduced Mai
Guthrie, who came forward.
He said: "Wadesboro is to-day like
it was 2S years ago. l remember al
that time cotton was 43 cents pound
and the tax on it was cents. At that
| time the labOring men and farmers
were prosperous. We were all prosper.
Gus and thrifty then. All were able tt
| employ lawyers, doctors and preachers
but now they are not. What has brough,
about this change? In those days
was Republican and proud to be
Then the Republicans were in power
and we had men like Grant. Where
are they now? Over the river! Wher
that party fell into the hands of baC
men | no longer followed it. In 1SS4
| was Blaine elector in my district
And Blaine had a heart in him tha
made him friend of the South as wei
as Of the North. When he fell, tel
years ago, l went out of politics. Blu
two years ago, when [ saw the chang,
in politics and the country tramplet
by the Northern goldbugs, and tha1
they were grinding down the poor O
both the white aud cOlOred races,
took the stump and tried to get tn,
POpulists and Republicans together
We got welding heat on the boys
| (Laughter.) You remember how tn,
Democrats cussed the Populjsts year
agO-worse than they did the Republi
cans in years past" AS the speaker
spoke the negroes stood around ant
said, YES" II am not here to stir u,
strife. But | am sorry for the old lin,
Democrats that 1 could go off and CT.
with an old line Cleveland Democrat
You don't care what man was; bu
you want to know what he is now.
(The crowd said, "That's rightly
The speaker read the Stanley Mat
thews resolutions, of 1878.
| These resolutions constitute tn
strongest declaration in favor Of tn
free use of gold and silver on record
Ihey were passed in both Houses O
Congress by an overwhelming majori
ty-the Republicans having control o
the Senate and the Democrats tn
House. and have never been repealed
We will present them to our reader
at an early day.
Matthews" said Major Guthrie
"was a Republican, No man eve
questioned that he was Republican q
He introduced this resolution tha
stands to-day. No goldbugs ever hav
tried to repeal it. Now listen. l will
show you how the Democratic part
and the Republican party stood on tn
silver question. Both parties the
stood up to this resolution" Then tn
speaker proceeded to read the Mat
thews resolution, declaring that silve
should be used in paying bonds, secu
rites, ETC., and said that this resolu
ton has been ignored for many years
MIR: Manning, in Cleveland's first ad
mlnlstration, is said to have threaten
ed to pay the governments obligation
IN silver, If the goldbugs should try t
draw the gold out of the treasury.
He then referred to the conditions o
to-day and said: Nov you see wha
mas been done by both these old par
ties. That is why the Peoples Part
was formed. This resolution wa
passed Is years ago and was favore
by Democrats and Republicans.
Then the speaker read what the Stat
of Ohio, "McKinley's State" said @
silver. 1t called for the restoration Q
silver. What has become of the me
in Ohio who instructed Matthews t
vote for this resOlutiOn?"
Now they say that because I am fo
Tree silver and belong to the People
Party that l have left the Republica
party. Why the party left me. l
left me when it began to be an agen
and accomplice of goldbugs and me
nopollsts. l hold to the same priu
cipies to-day l have always advocated
and have refused to 20 with a part
when knew it was going wrong.
, L cannot advocate that policy Whic
fayors the classes. The goldbugs ar
grinding the poor white man and ne
gro down, lower and lower, and fo
, four years past the Democratic part
has helped to do this.
What l want to do is to get The si]
yer men together. You goldbue Nc
kinley men who think we are going {
vote the electoral ticket for McKiu
ley are wrong. But if you want t
vote for industrial slavery roto fo