Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-08-26
The Campaign Opened.

On Monday, county court day, the people
of Augusta met and ratified the nomination
OF Bryan and Sewall and H. D. Flood as the
candidate for Congress for this district. The
day was rainy, but the downpour did not be-
gin until after the people who had made up
their minds to come to town were here.
The democratic silver people were out ID
force, and the court house was obtained IN
which to hold their meeting. Hon. IL. d.
Flood and Col. Marye were on hand and
promptly at eleven o'clock Mr.. r. S. Kerr,
the county chairman called the meeting to
order and introduced the Hon. II. st. Geo.
Tucker who in turn introduced Hon. ID. -.
Flood. Mr.. Flood was warmly received and
after thanking the people for the reception
launched into the merits of the campaign.
and for more than an hour held the close at
tention of his audience, eliciting hearty and
generous applause. His speech was timely
logical, free from partisan invictiye or abuse
and was one of the most admirable to winch
our people will listen during the canvas. lie
told the people how the eastern Virginia
counties had always stood for the nominees,
how their majorities had run up at each cleo
ton, and how they had long and consistently
voted for man from west of the Blue Ridge,
and asked that the counties west of the Blue
Ridge return the compliment. He answered
the denunciation which is now being heaped
upon those who advocate silver, in being
called anarchists and communists. lie tolo
the people that the election of Mckinley ana
Yost meant no change of present condltlons
except to make them more hard and grinding
on the people, that the campaign fund which
they are now raising would all have to be re-
paid to them, and with interest, that gold
standard had produced the present conditions
and a gold standard could bring nothing else
and would bring nothing else that when ag-
riculture was sick the nation was sick, and as
it was the basis of all wealth that it must
prosper or every thing languished. He was
not opposed to corporations, they were bene-
fetal, and had their rights and all such rights
would be by him protected, but 1t was the
wrongs he was after, the money power hao
committed wrongs and unrestralned woulo
commit more and when these were commit
ted they were committed on the people, they
were aimed at the people, and no corporate
crime could be committed except upon the
millions of toilers whose labor they used or
whose products they carried or consumed.
He demonstrated how futile it would be to
elect Bryan and not elect Congress IN SYM
pathy with him, a Congress who will aid Inn
IN rn1a adontion of wise and bsneiicient legIs-
laticn. ard without which Brysf-fs election
would be byword and a mockery. tie
showed the falsity and fraud of the Repuoli-
cans in their statement that they want silver
if obtained by international agreement. MI
Flood made fine impression on our people,
and his clever logical candid way OF handling
the subjects at issue has made him many
friends outside his own party. After MI.
Flood had closed his remarks Mr.. Marye
spoke for about an hour in his usual able and
eloquent manner When he had closed loud
calls were made for Mr.. J. Lewis Bumgardner
and in response thereto be spoke in the en-
thusiastic clear manner which always char
acterizes his efforts At the time that Mr. j.
L. Bumgardner was addressing the democrats
in the court house, his father Capt. JAS Bum
gardner, Jr., was addressing republican
meeting in an empty warehouse on the oppo-
site side of the street The meeting adjourn
ed after few well timed and most sensible
remarks by Capt. Jno N. Opie.