Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-08
Campaign Opened Monday
Flood and Lyons Meet in Joint
Discussion.

'AAtN'Not l(VAieiSee' WV 80
; and county court day. In anticipation
of the attractions large crow
assembled early in the morning, an
thronged the streets until the stree
parade at 1890 o'clock when most o
them followed the procession to thu
river, where the circus held tn,
boards
A good crowd, however, remained
behind for the public speaking as {
joint discussion haa been advertise
between Hon. H. ID. Flood of Apo
mattOX, Democratic II Ominee fol
Cong ress from the Tenth district, ant
Col. James Lyons of Buckingham
Republican candidate. The discus
sion took place in the court house
yard, where platform had beer
erected. The terms of greement be
tween the speakers provided that
Mr.. Flood should lead off in n speech
of 40 minutes, that Colonel Lyons
should follow in a speech of equal
length, and that each should occupy
10 nil utes in closing
From the beginning it was thought
that Mr.. Flood would be more than
a match for his opponent, and the
brilliant young Democratic leader
measured up to the occasion. He
was in good voice, enthused with his
cause, and encouraged by the
sympathetic attention of a large
majority of his auditors. His style
was direct and convincing and fire.
quently interspersed with flights of
eloquence which elected q cordial
res ponse from his hearers. Colonel
Lyons, on the other hand, labored
under the disadvantage of indis-
position. His utterance was some
what broken by hoarseness, and he
appeared embarrassed, either from
lack of self-confidence or on account
of his physical condition. He was
accorded respectful hearing. while
Mr.. Floods second appearance was
so interrupted by some of his
Republican auditors as to interfere
with his address, and only at the
earnest solicitations of Colonel Lyons
did the disorder cease.
Mr.. Flood was presented by Mr..
Greenlee ID. Letcher, County Dem
ocratic Chairman. After referring
pleasantly to the qualification it
afforded him of addressing the people
of Rockbridge, and recalling list of
those who had ever been staunch
Democrats, MIR Flood devoted some
time to the presentation of the adj
vantages of the new Constitution.
He recounted the struggles in the
eastern counties for white supremacy,
where hordes of he groes marched to
the polls and voted solidly for the
Republicans and against the interests
of the intelligence and patriotism OF
the community. AT last the burden
became too great to bear and the
white people of Virginia, rem embering
the traditions of the Anglo-Saxon
race, determ med to meet the issue
sQuarely and forever to insure to the
white man the rights and privileges
that belong to him by virtue of hun
dreds of years of training and edu-
cation. Observation-Disclosures
was called to rectify this grave error,
this crime against the white man.
And the issue, said the speaker,
was not peculiar to Virginia, nor
to America, but wherever a superior
and an inferior race dwelt together
the issue existed. How well we have
succeeded let the registration now
! going on in the various counties OF
the State answer.
Mr.. Flood then touched on ma tiOnal
issues and ar"aigned the Republican
party for encouraging and protecting
trusts, for eXtOrting from the people
their hard earned gains to be used in
extravaganza and corruption .Thenew
tariff law is simply another name for
new tax law The Democratic party,
said he, approved Legitimate corpora
tons. There are certain gigantic
enterprises beyond the compass CT
one man to conduct, hence it is neces
sary that large capital be concen-
trated for it's prosec ution. The key
note of the party is equal rights to all
and special privileges to none.
Colonel Lyons was introduced by
Postmaster McClung Patton, chair
man of the County Republican Com
mittee. Colonel Lyons began his
address in felicitous manner and
said that he was pleased to appear on
this occasion as the candidate for
Congress of the united Republican
party and that he accepted the trust
committed to him. The honor had
come to him unsolicited, and he
expected to present the claims and
carry the principles. of the Republican
party. into every county of the dis
trict. He then took up some of the
propositions laid down by Mr.. Flood
and attempted to disprove the same.
He said that his opponent had de-
voted Is minutes to the defense of
the new Constitution and his reply
would only be that the Constitutional