Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-18
Address by Hon. E. w. Saunders,
of Franklin County.
THE POLICY OF THE PARTY.
In n Speech of Ono and Half Hours the
Speaker of the House of Delegates De-
Tended the Platform, of the3 National
Party and Exposed the venality and
Corruption of the Republican Hanna
Mckinley Administration An Able Adj
dress.
dress.

The Hon. e. W. Saunders. Speaker of
the House of Representatives,, adj
dressed the Democrats of Portsmouth
last night at Maupin's Hall. He was
introduced by Major J. f. Croker. who
also took occasion TO announce that the
Hon. w. A. Young who was to have
spoken, would not be heard owing to
his voice having failed him TO such an
extent that speaking would have been
a painful effort.
Mr.. Saunders spoke for one and n
half hours, the burden of his speech
being an exposition of Democratic
party policy. He compared the atti
tude of Bryan in refusing to sink the
issue of 16 to l, his honesty and ability,
with McKinley's policy. so vacillating
that it had become a subject of jest.
He said Imperialism was the par
amount issue of the campaign, and
that such a policy was a reversal of
every tradition we have held sacred in
the past.
Mr.. Saunders ventilated President
McKinley's record on bimetallism, his
Porto Rican tariff bill and Philippine
policy, and said his vacillation showed
him to be an unfit leader. He referred
to Roosevelt as a firebrand, and to his
statement that the Kansas City plat
cowardice abroad as unjust as it was
untrue. He cited the Kentucky scan
dal and said no Democratic Governor
had ever refused to honor cXtradition
in order TO shield an assassin. The
Democratic party does not stand for
that any more than it stands for trea-
son. He declared Il colonial policy in
consistent with American ideals. We
do not need colonial possessions, espec-
tally we do not need the Philippines,
where we have no right. Better With
draw the flag, he said, than to lose any
more lives in an unjust cause, and any
nation might have the islands who
cared to take up the burden. In re-
gard to the purchase of the islands, he
said we bought no title, paying at the
rate of $3.50 per head for the inhabi-
tants.
Mr.. Saunders next spoke on the
trusts. He snid If Bryan was defea ted
it would be because the great mono
poles believe he will make such legis-
lation as will put an end to trusts.
The Cuban frauds came next In his
sCathing denunciation of the admins
tration. He explained the full dinner
pail by saying that the country had
borrowed and spent millions of dollars
during the late war. moreover the
South African war and the India
famine helped to make times more
prosperous. Conditions were already
improving when McKinley's admins
tration began, and conditions would
have been just as good had Bryan been
clected-would have been more prosper
Gus. because grounded upon conditions
more in unison with our traditions.
Mr.. Saunders said 1t was highly i'm
portant to control the next Congress,
and he. therefore, urged that the can
didacy of Hon. II. L. Maynard receive
the united support OF the Democracy
of the Second District.
Mr.. Saunders is fluent and logical
speaker and held the close attention OF
his audience from the beginning TO the
end of his address. He was frequently
interrupted by bursts Of applause.