Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-24
THE OPENING GUN IN
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.
Hon. Horace L. Chapman, Democratic Can
didate for Governor, Speaks at Column
bus--A Splendid Presentation
of Live Issues.

Special to the Register.
Columbus. O., September 23.-Hon.
Horace L. Chapman, Democratic candi
date for Governor of Ohio. spoke as
follows to an immense audience at the
formal opening of the campaign here
tonight:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men:-Our committee very properly
selected the 23d day of September as
the time to open our campaign, in con-
memoration of the patriotism and viz
tue of the three New York militiamen,
Paulding, Van Vert and Williams, in
honor of whom three counties in Ohio
are named, who refused to be brihed
and to sell their country lit years ago
to-day, for ten thousand guineas, OF
fifty thousand dollars worth of British
gold, offered by Major Andre, the spy,
an officer of the British army, who had
arranged with that traitor Benedict
Arnold, to betray his country and de
liver General Washington into the
hands Of Sir Henry Clinton. When
the brides were offered, and TIE
amount increased from time to time,
the firm reply came from the three
plain militiamen: 1--WE are Ameri
cans" They could not be bought with
British gold.
Having carefully read the speeches
of those who opened the Republican
campaign at three different places en-
September II, the only statement li.ade
by them with which l can agree is that
the coming contest is of great import
ance to the people of the republic; and
] go farther and say it is of importance
to the people of the world; for upon
the result may depend the stability OF
downfall of our form of government
and the rights and liberties of the peo-
pie.
In this contest, as in the one last
fall, we must rely upon the honesty of
the people and the righteousness of
our cause, and I believe the voters CT
Ohio will.spurn bribery in every form
at the coming election and vindicate
the honor and virtue of our Common
wealth as completely as did Paualing,
Van Vert and Williams.
Less than one year ago the people OF
the entire republic wem engaged in a
political contest such as the world had
never witnessed, upon two great ques-
tions of political economy: enc affect
ing monetary affairs-the other the
revenues of the country. Both are nee
essarily closely connected and affect
materially the interests of The whole
people. By reason of the positions
taken by the two great parties of Ohio
in their platforms this year, the same
questions are again to be discussed and
passed upon.
The contest last year was the most
remarkable in our history, by reason
OF the fact that the money power,
trusts and corporations of eve.y kind
were largely arrayed on one side, and
the common people on the other. Tn
der these circumstances six and half
million votes were cast for Mr.. Bry-
an in the face of the most powerful
corruption fund ever raised in the his
tory of any country, to prevenc all that
could be reached by such means from
voting with their convictions of right.
Intimidation and coercion were i'm
portant factors in bringing about The
results reached at the polls. People
were told all that was necessary to
bring prosperity and happiness WIS to
vote for Major Mckinley and the sin
gle gold standard.
1t was said if they succeeded, upon
the morning after the election the sun
would shine brighter and the burdens
OF life be made easier; thousands of
idle people were told that immediate
employment would be given them;
that wages would be increased and
steady work furnished where scanty
employment was then had, and that
thrift would come Immediately
throughout the land.
1t is now nearly eleven months since
the election, and what has taken place?
Nothing but broken promises and I'M
redeemed pledges on the part of the
Republican party. There are millions
of Idle men to-day begging for work
many having been discharged and
thrown out of employment; wages in
almost every branch of industry have
been reduced from 10 to % per cent;
thousands and hundreds of thousands
are in need. In many sections want
prevails for the necessaries of life, and
this in land of plenty, favored as no
other land ever was, by the bountiful
harvests which Providence has given
us. This ought to convince every
thinking man and woman that some
thing is radically wrong.
While the political doctors of the Re-
publican party last fall substantially
all agreed, from Drs Depew, Elkins
and Wannamaker down to the smallest
cross-road practitioner, no two of them
are OF the same opinion now, Senator
Elkins claiming that no prosperity can
come until the labor of the land is ad-
justed on lower scale of wages. and
DR.. Wannamaker says, that some
thing must be done with the financial
affairs before any change can take
place"
With this condition of things we are
told that prosperity exists throughout
the country; that labor is employed at
good wages. and business booming
caused by the advance in the price of
cereals, from the foreign demand. and
the advance in some other articles
from the effect of the Dingley bill. l