Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-08-13
GENERAL WATTS APPEARS.
The Committee Brought Him to the Stage
4 L


At twenty minutes past eleven O'Clock
the Committee appeared upon the sage
with General Watts, who was greeted
in the most enthusiastic manner.
He was introduced by Chairman
Johnson, and said:
MIR. Chairman and Gentlemen Of this
magn.fio mt COnventiOn:-WordS are
absolutely useless 10 NE on this occasion
I to express the emotions that well up from
NV neart-to express TO you my feel
ings and my gratitude for this honor
you have confded to me tonight. II
IS not often that one meets with a re-
sp6nsibility so great as tbs, AND at tna
same time with an honor so h!gA. l
realize, my friends, that this IS a great
responsibility and high honor, con-
fetrred by your generosity and your
Judgment here ton ghJ, and l would not
eyade The one while gratefully tank
ing you for the other, and | pledge 10
you. that in tbs campaign TO come l
Win strive TO bring 10 lis full iruition
tie splendid work you nave begun.
Four months ago the Democratic par
ty OF West Virginia began to take an n
ven,ory of its losses and gains, and It's
assets and It's liabilities. Dhe found her
forces scattered and her hosts dis
persed, yet still defiant. Her ship rode
on rough waters on high sea, and as
she took her bearings she saw IN front
OF her a bold, blatant foe, eager fer
another contest for supremacy. | VIII
nc. detain you with the origin Of my
candidacy. Suffice it to say that | saw
the Old ship batting n distress, and l
could hear her timbers creak in the
gale. l heard the drum beat in the
morn, and | knew that behind that re-
ve.Ie there stood a host of Democrats,
ready to redeem the State from its de-
fe2; Of 1894. When my opponent at
Parkersburg compared the Democracy
TO the poor, who We have always with
Us, he little thought that his jes was
solemn truth. Nearly a century ago
Thomas Jefferson founded in this coun-
try . parry whose principles viii l@st
IS long as liberty lives and the people
RUE. In 1892 ne drafted into law the
money of the Constitution, and that
law and that money was endorsed by
Hamilton, advocated by Jefferson,
championed by Hamilton and approved
/ by Wash .ngtOn, and so long as the
Democratic party was in power ii was
g0ode enough for this country and for
all the countries and people Of the
world. Ii remained for the Republican
/ party in 1873, backed by Wall street
and Lombard street. to strike dawn
tbs money Of the Constitution.
shall not take time at this late hour
tC take up tia, question. It IS sufficient
tC say that the storm, rising in lis ma
5J-sy. and gathering fore by the de-
.eTminalCn CT the people to have the
silver dollar Of the Constitution, 10 TO /,
independent CT the rest Of mankind. has
sw pit like tornado all across this
broad land, and tonight Hon. W. J.
/ Bryan IS speaking in New York, TO
! thrCng so vast that they cannot hear
/ bis voice | Jahe it as an ausp.ciOus
| occasion tonight, WI Wall street has
! been invaded by the champion Of the
people. that the people will rule. This
/ IS a fight between the milliOna.rs and
/ the masses. and whether th-s Republic
Of jefferson is 10 be preserved or giv-n
over TO- The money power whether Wall
I stree; or the p-opie shall control the des-
t.nes Of the country.
viii not lake up any more OF your
Gme. I have already been n many
paris of the State, and have grasp5d the
hands Of many Democrats and some
good Republicans. I find tia, the
farmer Republicans are coming, sep by
sep and SHOULDER TO shoulder, in favor
C. the mond-.zation of silver, and West
! Virginia will rcll up q safe majority FOR
| Democracy and silver. When you go
home. do not relax your efforts. Re
| member that eternal vigilance is the
prics of liberty. Speakers cannot win
this fight. If 90 into il, you must sus-
tain me. and then it VIII be an easy
matter TO win. Tor | WI travei with the
tide. But if I go forward, and you lose
f interest. | cannO, win. l want 10 80
into every county. and want the peopla
at their homes to support me. and l beg
to say. in conclusion, that | am most
profoundly grateful for this honor, and
| evidence of regard and faith, and hope
we shall hay- a ticket which from top
10 bottom " command the support OF
| The people of the State. l thank you,
my friends.
At The conclusion of General Watts
sreech be was given a spl ndid recep-
| ton on the stage. scores OF men shaking
| him bv the hand