The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-07-06
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

celebrated at this place US liz
has been celebrated in years. From
the time when the first rosette tints
painted the gray canvas OF heaven
with the crimson and gold Of the dawn
of a new day, our people began the
preparations for what proved.to be a
day of unalloyed pleasure and happl-
ness. From early morn to dewy eve
our streets were filled with handsome
women, beautiful bellies and gallant
beaux bent upon observing the day
as became the children OF a patriotic
ancestry who sealed their devotion to
their country with their lifes blood
upon liberty's altar; Or, VINO pur-
chased the priceless boon OF freedom
with the endurance, pri7atlons ana
suffering of an eight years unequaleo
war. The red, white and blue-the
colors of freedom and independence
graced the charming person OF fair
women, graceful lasses and sweet
childhood. The brilliant colors OF
a nations glory. Proudly III
the summers breeze from the hea7lng
bosom of gentle woman there waved
innumerable tri colored flags with
their harmoniously blended colors,
kissing the crimson blushing cheeks
of their happy wearers; circllng
many graceful waist the proud en-
blem of the grandest country this
world ever gave birth to, sashes were
drapped in charming effect; shapely
shoulders were gsily decorated and
snowy necks twined in ribbons OF
patriotism mingled with lsces arA
frills. In fact everywhere the ma
tional colors were displayed in rich
profusion.
The leading feature Of the day was
the elegant barbecue given by the
Woman's Aid Society of st. Ste
phen's as q means of raising money
with which to complete the new
church edi6ce. To provide for the
amusement of the people who were
expected to gather, prominent speak
ers had been invited to address tie
people on the issues of day, and they
promptly responded and contributed
in a large measure to the enjoyment
of the day.
A beautiful banner made by
the deft fingers of gentle women
was presented to the White Star
Brass Band, which discoursed patri-
otic airs to the delight OF the large
Gre I'd of people and DR.. Blue Mount
ain Joe wore a happy smile all day.
As only the two candidates for
Congress addressed the meeting on
the political issues we shall briefly
give an outline of their views. Be-
fore dinner DR.. Stokes was intro
auced but yielded the floor to his
competitor, Mr.. T. F. Brantley. He
opened by referring to the glorious
memories which cluster around the
brilliant past in our nations history,
and paid glowing tribute to the
heroic part woman took in the strug-
gle for political and civil liberty and
her zeal and activity in the religious
and moral welfare of the country.
After which he branched off on poll
tical issues by announcing his candi-
dacy for Congress and touched on
the leading questions which are now
prominently before the people. he
was in favor of the free coinage OF
silver at the ratio of Is to l. He
said that he had burned the midnight
oil pouring over the delicate intrica'
cies of this question and was conf
dent that he had solved the problem
and only needed fitting opportunity
to apply the remedy. He denounced
the pension system of the country
as the monumental fraud of the
Nineteenth Century. He claimed
that the goods of the rich manufac-
turer of the North were protected
by tariff, then the raw materials of
the poverty stricken farmer of the
South should receive like protection.
He showed the inequalities of the
present tariff schedule and how it
operated against the indast:,es OF the
South and promised that should he
be sent to Congress he would use his
best endeavors to have this evil COR
rected, and closed amid great ap-
plause, with an earnest appeal to the
young men of the country to come
to the front and take their position
in the political history Of the coun-
try.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Brantley's
address, Chairman J. Brooks Wing
srl announced that the dinner which