Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-09

L
The prominence of the speakers, the
fact that it was the opening of the CAM
paign, and the industrious advertising
which the meeting was given, should
have attracted "a larger audience to the
Opera House last night. The band
played for an hour in front of the en-
trance to, the theatre, and the music
was excellent. When the meeting was
called to order about one-fourth of the
seats were occupied. The Opera House
has a seating capacity of less than
900. AT no time were there more than
750 inside, including the twenty-five
or thirty vice presidents, who occu-
pied chairs on the stage.
Senator Burrows did not arrive from
Pittsburg until after nine O'Clock. The
opening speech was made by Romeo II.
Freer, of Ritchie county. said to be
more popular with the masses than any
Republican leader in West Virginia.
Congressman Freer spoke about one
hour and his talk was largely made up
of war "reminiscences. and frequent al
lusions to the flag. He did not enter
into any specific discussion of cam
paign issues, combining his talk almost
exclusively to general statements with
4 frequent exhibitions of sarcasm. in the
use of which he us an adept. 1t was a
speech calculated to stir up the crowd,
and it had the desired effect.
j Senator Burrows is a man of impos-
ing appearance. large head covered
with iron gray hair, and massive frame.
His voice is clear. resonant and pene-
trating. He is a very forcdble. earn
est and entertaining speaker. He dis
cussed the tariff and money question
at length, but touched very lignuy up
on trusts and Imperialism.
If the addresses made last night,
may be regarded as keynote speeches,
it is evident that the two leading par
tiles are going TO discuss diHerent
questions during the campaign. DEM
ocrats declare Imperialism TO be the
paramount issue; Republicans insist
uson the comparative importance OF
the tariff ana money questions.
The meeting was called to order
about 8: Is O'Clock by VIM. H. Hornish,
who named Mr.. George A. Laughlin as
chairman. Mr.. Laughlin made a brief
speech, in which he asserted that pros
perity has succeeded business and
Industrial depression during the last
four years. He defended President Nc
Kinley and his administration, men
tioning specifically the sending of ma
tive Cuban school teachers to America,
and the measures for improving the
sanitary condition of the island. lie
said cleanliness and health have taken
the place of dirt and disease in Cuba
and Porto Rico, and that the Demo-
Gratis call this Imperialism. He asked
his hearers If they could afford to take
the risk of turning down the tried Nc
Kinley for the untried Bryan. He
accused Bryan of fomenting discord
between the masses and the classes,
| between capital and labor, which are
Joined together by a bond as holy as
the bond of wedlock." He introduced
Hon. Romeo H. Freer, Republican can
didate for Attorney General.
Col. F'reer was well received when
he arose to speak, many of his friends
in the audience cheering Justify. He
said he was simply plain Republican
from down in the sang district"
He said Wheeling furnished all kinds
of statesmen for any kind of a pur-
pose. He announced that Senator Bur-
rows had not arrived, but was expected
on a later train Col. Freer said he
had been over many counties Of the
State and he assured his hearers that
he could give them glad tidings of
great JOY" Continuing, be said it was
a great thing to be a Republican in
West Virginia. There are many va
cant seats here tonight, but l can re-
member the day when this meeting
could have been cut in two and made
two respectable Republican conven-
tions."
He said the Republican party is the
child of inspiration, dedicated to lib
erty, to equality and to law. He said
the party stood for one country, one
flag, and one destiny; for progress and
development. Three-fourths of the
first voters of 1896 in his district, it
was ascertained by careful canvass,
said Col. Freer, voted the Republican
ticket
The speaker passed to the money
question and declared it to be one Of
the proudest. moments of his life when
last winter in Congress he voted for
the gold standard. He criticized the
Democratic leaders for their disinclin-
alton to discuss the financial question,
and declared it to he th> real issue in
this campaign. Thtre never was =
more fallacious argument than that
governments can make money. Our
government is pauper. 1t collects
money, harassing and deviling the
people, when all this could be avoided
of the government had the power.
Four years ago the cry was, not enough
money. The per capita of money in
| circulation has increased in that
period from u to 26 dollars
The Republican party, Col Freer
said, stands for protection of self
interests projection of American labor
| and American life everywhere There
was no more prosperous year in the
country's history than 1892, unless it
is 1900. The speaker dwelt at some