The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-20
BAILEY HELPS SWANSON.
He Denounces Republicans for Issuing
War Bonds-Silver Not Mentioned,

DANVILLE, VA. Sept. l9.-Consress-
man J. w. Bailey OF Texas, spoke at
Chatham, the county seat to-day. IN
the interest Of Hon. G. A Swanson. Dem
ocratic nominee for Congress from the
Fifth District. People for miles around
were in the big crowd to hear the Texan.
Hon. James l. Tredway. judge Of the
Pittsylvsnia County Court, introduced the
speaker shortly before noon.
In his speech Mr.. Bailey made II plain
that the Democrats meant 10 make the
present campaign an aggressive one.
Among other things OF similar import.
he said
For months Republican politicians and
Republican editors have talked and writ
ten necessarily about the mistakes OF the
Democratic minority In Congress: but
now that they are required 10 specify our
mistakes in order to divert public atten-
ton from their own, they find 1t impossi-
BILE TO make good their repeated and
reckless asserts. In order 10 escape the
Just and universal indignation which has
been aroused against them by the suffer
ing inflicted upon the volunteer army
through the Incompetence or the ais
honesty of those whom they have placed
in power, they have been searching the
congressional records and racking their
brain TO find some damaging accusation
which they can sustain against us. But
they have not found It.: and they will
not find 1t. The record of the Democratic
party throughout the last session OF Con-
gress is absolutely above criticism. l
DO not say il with the purpose of claim
ing any credit for myself. but as a mat
ter OF simple justice 10 my Democratic
associates. / declare that in all the his
tory Of this Government no minority
party ever passed through war session
OF Congress with so much credit as did
the Democrats of the present Congress.
The only important vote which we be-
ueved at the time We cast 1t, could ever
become the subject Of reasonable contro-
yersy. was our vote against the war rev.
enue bill and events have completely
indicated our course in respect to that
measure We opposed the passage OF
that bill because We believed that II au-
thorized an unnecessary sale OF interest
bearing bonds: ana the condition of the
treasury proves conclusively that we were
right When Congress convenes in De-
cember next, II will find that the surplus
In the treasury above the one hundred
million gold reserve will exceed the
amount received from the sale Of bonds;
thus demonstrating that there was no
necessity for the government to sell its
bonds.
our Republican friends cannot excuse
themselves by saying that they could not
foresee the early termination of the war,
because every man who was reasonably
well informed about the condition OF
Spain understood that IL was Impossible
for her to continue long and expensive
struggle.
with an adversary unable to raise
money by taxation and powerless TO bor-
row Il. the end OF the war was In sight
before Il was begun The Republican
leaders in Congress knew this as well as
we did. or II they did not know IL they
are not wise enough TO be entrusted with
the administration OF this government
but with the knowledge that the war
must soon end and knowing that with all
their wastefulness and extravagsnce II
would probably not cost over two hundred
million dollars. they proceeded 10 enact
law which imposes one hundred and fifty
million dollars in annual taxes upon the
people and authorizes the contraction of
A I'VE hundred million dollar debt. Upon
that monstrous proposition almost every
Democrat IN Congress voted No" and
our only regret to-day is that there was
single one Of us who felt called upon by
hts sense OF duty 70 support It,.