The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-06-26

/ Dla on It's grand advance within the pas
five or six years. lie spoke of his ia
u miliarity with Columbia and her trial
and trlbulations and referred to III
presence in Columbia in 1876 whcl
the great Hampton redeemed tn
State. lie declared the people of Go
lumbia had sacred trust committed
) to- them-the remains of the grandcs
man Of the country, Wade Hampton
(Chcers and applausc.)
} Col. George JOhnstonc made pa
thetic reference in the opening to ,
Confederate soldier boy who camo into
Columbia soon after Sherman's van
dals left, and had been witness of
that terrible devastation which had
been visited upon the city. From that
day he had determined TO aid the
stricken inhabitants in regaining their
homes and property. AS time went
on and he had larger opportunities he
knew of nothing that he had done
which was not TO the interest of COlum-
bia. He had voted for the college,
for the canal and in other matters for
The advancement of this city, and he
| rejolccd with her people al the marvel
ous development. Mr.. Johnstonc was
quite literally applauded. lie then
proceeded to discuss the isthmian
canal, which he favored, arguing that
it would build up the South Atlantic
ports. The completion of that canal
would give the control of the Asiatic
trade, for cvory railroad line from the
interior would be compelled by com
petition to do business through South
Atlantic ports. Build that canal and we
will not have to ask for the Investment
of Northern capital, for 1t must come.
Where is Columbia in this matter?
If the canal is built the Congarec will
become necessity and we will have
capital coming here to invest and ask
to be allowed to participate in our
prosperity. The improvement in
river navigation Will be bound to fol-
low. AS to the ship subsidy, he op.
posed it, on the ground that the sub
sidized ships would still run to the
ports north of us in order to keep the
trade in that section, and would thus
still keep us in financial subservlency.
Our mission in the PHI lippincs
should bc one of peace and liberty and
not of despotism. In concluding he
said that in our prosperity now it is
easily seen that in the near future this
city will contain 100000 Inhabitants,
with her business increased hundred
fold. In this increased prosperity he
would rejoice with her people.
Col. William Elliott made q vigOr-
ous speech, touching his own record,
and declaring against the ship subsidy.
lie had signed The pledge and would
hp ri i1Iyo 1,n nj A Of ho
party. He complimentcd the people
of Columbia greatly on the material
progress made in the city. lie re-
ferred to the fact that he had once in
a while taken a trip down the Congaree
and he was struck with the adaptability
of tho river for navigation. He went
somewhat into the history Of the at
tcmpts to inaugurate boat line on the
river and the physical and other OBJ
structions to successfully carry out the
the idea. He next took up the spien-
did advantages of the South and of
this State especially. He also spoke
Of his great interest in the river and
harbor bill and showed what great
benefit 1T brought to people living in
coast ports and cities on the rivers.
Water transportation III many instances
is the only one available. lie declared
that since boyhood he had always done
his duty to his State, III war and in
peace, and he had succeeded in ridding
the coast Of negro domination. Look
at the condition of the coast now in
comparison 10 what 1t was twenty
years ago.
Mr.. Hemphill was the next speaker,
and humorously referred IN the outset
to the bouquets thrown at the ladies,
saying that he thought il was conceded
that the Columbia ladies were the pick
of the flock of the country, and that
Columbia was prosperous, and that the
only drawback to New York was it's
distance from Columbia. He treated
the subjects of expansion, retention
of the Philippines, tariff and trusts III
a most entertaining manner, saying
that following the theory underlying
these questions if adopted would lead
us away from the time-honored prn-
ciples of the Democracy.
Ex-Gov. Evans said that he had
been in the campaign for the Senate
against McI.aurin and had told the
people that McLaurn was Republi-
can. They had taken four years to
find out what he had told them was 90
He had known that he Was right. lie
had been q reformer from principle
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