Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1898-11-01
Hoods Pills s fsss, t ssss tbs q os ss : to
JUDGE D. B. LUCAS

Mr.. Lucas said he came at the
invitation of the Democratic County
Executive Committee to have Il
plain old-fashioned political talk
with his friends and neighbors. He
had no new doctrines to advance,
and no new issues to discuss. The
standard of the ~Jefersonian Democ
racy was still emblazoned In letters
of light, with the true principles of
liberty, which lie at the Foundation
of popular government and free in
stitutions. He was still following
that banner, which he found torn
but flying!
Nobody would expect him to deal
in small personalities about candi-
dates. For example, what differ
ence did it make how often Mr..
Dayton was absent from his seat
while in Congress-if his principles
were wrong, the oftener the better.
The people were now going to give
him a chance to stay away alto
gether.
But the speaker was here to, night
to discuss principles, not men"
What were the great principles at
issue between the two main political
organizations into which the coun
try was divided-the Democratic
and Republican?
The issues are the same-so far
es party lines can be drawn-as they
we're in 1S96:-neither can they be
in any wise different until these
great issues are settled. The Demo
cratic party must triumph on the
Chicago pldgorm, or 10 cannot tri-
Wmph at al Free silyer-and a
tariff for revenu only-these are the
two pillars upon which the arch of
Democracy rests-while protection
for projections sake, and a single
gold standard, were the corner stones
of the Republican structure.
Mr.. Lucas then proceeded to dis
cuss the condition of the country,
and the great avalanche ofprosperi.
ty which was to follow the election
of Mckinley. Had the Republican
policy of protection and monometal
ism corrected the monthly deficit in
our Federal revenue? No! but ag
gravated 1t. Had it increased wages?
He denied it, and pointed to the ri.
OTIS of Yirden in Illinois where, not
withstanding the increased duty on
coal, the miners were slaughtered
because they would not work for %
cents a ton-the lowest price ever
paid or offered in this country:-
more men killed and wounded in.
this Republican attack upon labor,
than In any battle of the Spanish
war, except on the plain and heights
of Santiago!
Were the farmers more prosper
ous? Was wheat higher2 On the
contrary, it was lower by five cents.
Was cotton higher? On the contrary
it had fallen from seven cents to
four and q-Aa!-the lowest price
eve paid in this country. Had pen
sions or public debts been redu.ed2
On the contrary, 5000, 600. 900 had
been added to our bonded indebted
ness.
Had taxes diminished? So far
from this being the case. the inter
nal revenue taxation had more than
doubled, and we were consoled by
the reflection that the authorities
evince no purpose nor desire to abol-
ish or ven to diminish the war
taxes!
Tariff tax, war tax, revenue tax
all taxes which fall upon the poor,
the Republican party has increased;
while an income tax, which would
fall upon the rich. they have steadily
resisted, and even refused to enforce
when enacted by a Democratic Con
gress; and this in spite of the fact
that their great financial leader,
John Sherman, had declared such a
tax the fairest that was ever levied
upon the people.
Neither can these great issues and
responsibilities be obscured by the
smoke of battle, nor by the glamour
of military glory and foreign con
quest. We all rejoice in the gallan-
try of our soldiers, and arc proud of
their achievements by land and sea,
but while we may be confronted with
new problems, their solution will be
controlled by the same maxims of
government, and the same princi-
pies OF constitutional construction,
which, from the beginning, have
been cauvassed and discussed by
the American people. When the
clouds of war shall have cleared
and the sun of peace resumed
his sway, the same old issues, cham
pioned by the same gallant le&ders.
will challenge the consideration of
the sovereign people. Our great cap
tain who led the First Battle in
1896, will lead US in the Second
Battle" o f1900, for Free Silver, Rev
enne Tariff, and the Constitution!
We can safely trust him not only
with the solution of these questions
OF domestic policy, but likewise to
guide the ship of State through for
eign waters according to the ancient
charts ~bequeathed to US by the old
Masters, who laid the keel and
wrought her ribs of steel. We can
safely trust him to avoid foreion
complications and entangling ALT
ances, undisturbed by imperialistic
dreams of expansion, the lust of con
quest, or the love of power.