The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-08-21

keep an open door in the orient
for the commerce of this coun-
try and especially for tho
product of our cotton mills.
He took Mr.. Stribling to
task on his Interpretation of the
declaration of independence that
"all men were born free and
equal" Mr.. Stribling applied
this to all races and conditions of
mankind. lie thought it only APP
piled in the mind of Jefferson,
who wrote it and the convention
which adopted it, to the Anglo
Saxon or white race, for at the
time jefferson wrote the Declara-
tion of Independence he, himself
was Il STAKEHOLDER, and the Con-
stitution of the United States
which was subsequently adopted, ,
recognized the right of holding
slaves in the United States. DR..
Smith closed with hand clapping
and applause.
Wyatt Aiken Of Abbrvillr, was
the next speaker. lie felt at
homo in all tin" counties of the
eighth Judicial circuit, for as the
official strungraphrr of the circuit
for the past eighteen years, he had
met nearly all the citizens, and in
the crowd before him he knew
one half personally and the other
half by sight. He discussed the
taritf question very intelligcntly
and gave some very good lllustra-
tions of its robbery of the people
by Indirect taxation. He Il SO Np-
posed the colonial Nr lmpHrlal
policy of the government aui
thought some scheme could Ne de-
vls"d to stop the war ~ ,;,I t':,I-
llplnrs and save the ,NHS ~ WI
soldiers and the vast rNYHWr.tUrH
of money to hold the natives II
subjection. Ho made II good
speech and closed with applause.
MIR. Strihling, of Oconnre coun-
ty, was the next spakcr. He start
ed out with the stntment that he
was an optomist and predicted
that this Piedmont section would
be in the course of time, the most
prosperous and important section
of the United States, and the
South would be the greatest coun-
try in the world. He vigorously
opposed the Philippine policy of
the government and in reply to
DR.. Smiths structures on his posi-
ton about the declaration of in-
dependence he said that he be-
licvcd that the declaration meant
just what it said, that all men
were born free and equal,
not socially or morally, but hc
believed it meant political
equality, though he was a
member Of tho Constitutional
convention which practically dis
franchised the negro, he did not
mention the fact. He thought
the abolition Of slavery had prov.
ell to be a good thing for the
South, for if slavery had not been
abolished we would be today Just
where we we're forty years ago.
w. N. Graydon was the next
speaker. lie opposed the Philli
pine policy of the government. HI
gave q history of his work in the
State Senate, said that he intro
duced resolution in the Senate
which was passed, requiring thu
Attorney General to investigate
the Carollna-Vire, ia Chemica
Company and see if they were no
violating the antitrust laws o.
the State. The result was tha
now the company was in the cour
of the State, but to crush then
and all other trusts out of exist
ence he thought national legisla
ton was necessary. He favored
tariff reform and made O 600,
speech. He closed with some ap
plause,
Hon. 7. II. McCalla, of Abbe
vile was the next speaker. II
t based his claim for tho votes o
, the people OH the ground Of hi
being farmer. He opposed tn
PHILIPPINE policy and dinghy tariff
and told some good anecdote
, which brought forth laughte
| from the audience.
Hon. George e. Prince of An
dorson was the next speaker. H,
was glad to be with the people O
Easley once more, where he die
his first work for himself, as {
teacher. He is a good orator ant
took pretty much the same posi-
l ton on the leading issues of th'
; day as did the other speakers. H,
believed the United States in due
time should annex, Cuba, Mexico
Canada and Central America, es
pccially the country adjaccnt tc
the Panama canal, the govern
mcnt should own it absolutely
He was an expansionist on the
American continent, but was op,
posed to crossing the ocean.
| Hon. E. M. Rucker, of Ander.
son county, was the last speaker