The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-10-12
JONES VS.. CLARKE.
The Two Candidates for U. s. 5 enat0r
Speak Before a Critical Aud.
fence In Van Buren,.

their race for the U. senatorshlp TOOK
place at the new King opera house last
Tuesday afternoon. BY the hour an
nounced for the speaking an audience
which comfortably filled the lower hoor
of the house had gathered. Many la.
dies had come to grace the occasion, and
their presence was made the subject OF
complimentary remarks by both speak
ers. Both speakers appeared in good
health and the acoustic properties of
the house proved to be all that could
be desired 80 there was nothing to pre-
vent battle royal between these two
distinguished Arkansans.
The speakers were introduced by
Hon. H l.. Fitzhugh in few appro-
pirate words, and the debate was begun
by ex-Gov. Clarke. He was given the
closest attention throughout his ad-
dress, but it was plainly to be seen that
Crawford county cannot be counted in
the Clarke column, for his strongest
points elected but slight applause.
He started off by making a very fair
sample of protection talk, In fact
thrashed over the same straw that he
thrashed in his previous race against
Senator Jones and used by Remmel in
his race for governor. He denounced
the Wilson bill as passed by congress
under Cleveland s administration as a
fraud and a misfit, styling 1t no better
than the Mckinley bill, which 1t sue
ceeded, and attempted to lay the reason
of the amending of the original Wilson
bill, as passed by the house, entirely at
the feet of Senator Jones.
Another of his supposed strong points
was that Senator Jones, instead of ia
voring the original Hatch anti-option
bill, which proposed to break up dealing
In futures by taxing same to death,
had voted for one to make 1t crime
punishable with imprisonment for any
one to engage in this business.
Another point of his was that Senator
Jones had voted against the schemes of
the Maritime Canal company for the
construction Of the Nicaragua canal on
d loan of the government It's credit to the
amount of a hundred million dollars.
Then the ex-governor took his strong
est point, as he considered 1t, charging
Senator Jones with being member of
trust, In that he was a stakeholder in
the American Cotton company. He
went over the same grounds as the
"dlobe-D Democrat and other Repub-
Iican organs did during the late national
campaign, well known to all our read
srs. He portrayed In most vivid Ian
guage the horror Of allowing this COM
pany to obtain u foothold, how its OBJ
ject was to rob both producer and con-
sumer. and in this connection he made
a number Of statements which he must
have known to be false, and which In
his address Senator Jones proved no ut
terly without foundation as to leave no
doubt In the minds Of his hearers. One
point the governor attempted to make
In this connection was that under the
leadership Of Senator Jones, Mr.. Bryan &
vote fell off In the Southern states some
$50 900 and he tried to lay this to the
fact of Senator Jones connection with
the American Cotton company.
Mr. Clarke spoke for IN hour and a
half and while given the closest atten-
tion was unable to arouse any enthusi'
asm among his hearers. His delivery
Is poor and he speaks 80 rapidly that his
hearers lose much Of what he says.
Senator Jones followed the ex-
governor and on his introduction by Mr..
Fitzhugh was greeted with hearty APP
plause, showing the high esteem In
which he is held by the people Of Van
Buren, and Crawford county.
II will not be necessary for us to re-
hearse Senator Jones address at length
as with this issue we give In supplement
form the address delivered by him at
Searcy ut the opening Of the canvass
which contains the gist Of the principal
part of his address here last Tuesday.
The senator began by stating his con-
nection with the American Cotton com.
pany, and It's objects (which are at
length set forth In the supplement here
with. His statements were 30 plain and
convincing that many who heretofore
have been uncertain regarding the
standing Of the company. after hearing
them left satisfied that there was not
che slightest grounds for the trust cry
act up by his opponents.
He took up ex.Gov. Clarko's charges
regarding the passage Of the amended
Wilson bill and showed that even AZ
amended II was lower In every schedule
than the Mills bill which had been
framed by tho Democrats several years
before and received the endorsement 0,
che Democracy Of the entire country. Il,
showed that In presenting the bill TO the
open senate he simply acted ~ the dele
gato OF the Democratic caucus,
He showed that be favord the Nioara-
gua canal IA much IA anyone, but not
nt The expense Of ,eating another steal
on the order Of the Northern Pacific
steal. He stated the canal should be
built but built and owned by the gov
ernment OF the United States
His reason for not supporting the
Hatch antI-option blu as presented TO