The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-30
Columbus. O. Sent. "a.

Columbus, o., Sept. "a.
The Democratic opening meeting Of
the campaign was a grand success. In
spite of the fact that the people Of the
city have been treated to all manner Of
meetings and speeches for the last few
weeks, they turned out with good will
to the meeting Thursday night. A con-
servatiye estimate places the number
of the people in the hall when the
meeting was opened at five thousand
1t waa nearly s o'clock when Chairman
Ben Harmon, of the county executive
committee, stepped 10 the front of the
stage, and introduced Hon. Allen w.
Thurman, as the chairman of the meet
ing. MI. Thurman made a very good
speech indeed, in accepting the honor.
Mr. Thurman's speech was punctuat-
ed by applause, and the audience
showed itself thoroughly appreciatiye
of the many strong points of the utter
ance. At the close he introduced Hon.
H l.. Chapman, the Democratic candt-
date for governor who was greeted by
a perfect uprOar Of applause. The ap-
plause lasted several minutes, and the
Democratic standard bearer was COM
PEELED several times to bow his ac-
acknowledgements before the tumult
could be stilled.
Mr.. Chapman said:
Mr.. Chairman La lies and Gentlemen:
Our committee very properly selected
the 23rd day of September as the time
TO open our campaign, in commemor-
alton of the patriotism and virtue 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 bribed and to sell
their country III years ago today, for
ten thousand guineas, or 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 deliver General Wash
tngton into the hands of Sir Henry
Clinton. When the hrbes were offered,
and the amount increased from time to
time, the firm reply came from the
three plain miltiamen-"we are Amer
leans" They could not be bought with
British gold.
Having carefully read the speeches
of those who opened the Republican
campaign at three different places on
September II, the only statement made
by them with which / can agree Is that
the coming contest Is of great import
ance TO the people Of the republic; and
/ go farther and say 1t Is Of Importance
10 the people of the world; for upon
the result may depend the stability or
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 / believe the voters of Ohio
will spurn bribery in every form at the
coming election and vindicate the honor
and virtue of our commonwealth as
completely as did Paulding, Van Vert
and Williams.
Less than one year ago the people OF
the entire republic were engaged in a
political contest such as the world had
never witnessed, upon two great ques-
lions OF political economy; one affecting
monetary affairs-the other the rev.
enues of the country. Both are nee
essarily closely connected, and affect
materially the interests OF the whole
people. BY reason of the positions ta-
ken by the two great parties of Ohio in
their platforms this year, the same
questions are again to be discussed and
passed upon by the voters of our COM
monwealth at the election in November,
together with other questions of i'm
portance, taxation and the purity Of
the ballot" affecting our state govern
ment, municipalities, counties, even
down to townships and school districts
The contest last year was the most
semarkable in our history, by reason
u the fact that the money power, trusts
and corporations of every kind. were
largely arrayed on one side, and the
common people on the other. Under
these circumstances six and a half
million votes were cast for Mr.. Bryan
I'm the face of the most powerful cor
ruption fund ever raised in the history
Of any country, to prevent all that
could be reached by such means from
voting with their convictions OF right.
Intimidation and coercion were import
ant factors In bringing about the results
reached at the polls People were told,
all that was necessary TO bring prosper.
fty and happiness, was TO vote for Major
Mckinley and the single gold standard.
II was said II they succeeded, upon