Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-11-05
Public Speaking Monday.

unusually quiet III hOchDTluRt, CloSeu
with public speaking Monday. AS
both parties were to be represented
that day a joint discussion was ar
ranged for which took place in the
court house. Acknowledgement VIM.
A. Anderson led off in speech of 81
minutes. followed by Mr.. X. A.
Fulwiler of Staunton in 30 minutes,
Senator w. p. Barksdale of Halifax
county in ID minutes, Mr.. Jacob Yost
of Staunton in one hour, and Mr.
Barksdale closed in - minutes.
The speeches were all we'll received
and at times considerable enthusiasm
was aroused by the respective parties.
Attorney General Anderson was dig
nified and masterful in the presenta-
ton of his address. Senator Banks
dale and Messrs. Fulwiler and Yost
adopted a style of delivery calculated
to catch the ear of promlscuous
crowd and at times they were viger-
ously applauded. The Democratic
speakers were introduced by Mr..
Greenlee ID. Letcher, chairman OF the
County Democratic executive com
mittee, and the Rem, blican speakers
by Postmaster McClung Patton, chair
man of the County Republican com
mittee. Mr. Letcher in presenting
the first speaker said he hoped the
Joint discussion of today augured
return to the political campaigns CT
the past, when representatives OF the
two parties could meet and discuss
the issues in q dignified manner
70
with the statement that 1t gave MIN
great pleasure to return to his nome
county after an absence of nearly
year, and speak to his friends and
neighbOrs. He declared that we are
on the eve of great national election
and that in Virginia two parties, yes
three. claimed our attentiOn-the
the Lily White Republi-
can and the Black Republican parties;
He then took up some OF the national
issues and discussed them in relation
to their bearing on State politics.
Prosperity, said he, is enjoyed by the
United States in remarkable degree,
and so is it in England and Germany,
yet the Republican party is not re
sponsible for that ST. te OF affairs IN
foreign countries although that party
claims the honor at home. The Re
publican party is not responsible for
the creation of wealth, but it has some
thing to do with the distribution OF
this prosperity. This party has
trusts and combinations
until we see the startling situation
that fifteen or twenty men have it in
their power to fix the prices OF even
the necessities OF life. The remedy, he
asserted, lies in the reduction OF
import duties on such articles. Re
terring to the Constitutional Con
Mr.. Anderson said that he
always voted for submission OF the
new Constitution because it was the
wish of his constituents that the
instrument should be sent back to
the people. There were, however, in
the convention, 80 or 40 members who
we're instructed by their people, if
deemed best, to vote for proclalna-
ton. The new Constitution ha
restricted the suffrage to the white
man and eliminated the negro vote.
The right to vote had never leen OF
advantage to the black man, and had
been used by the leaders of the Re
publican party only to advance
their own personal interests.
Mr.. Fuiwiler followed Mr. Ander
son and delivered characteristic
speech. His effort was we'll received
by his Republican friends. The line
he followed was an arraignment of
the Democratic party for ali the ills
in government affairs in general, and
for the proclamation OF the new Con
stituton in particular
Mr.. Barksdale was then introduced
and for forty-five minutes he enter
tanned the crowd with a speech
forceful, pathetic, and
by turns. With character
istic vigor of expression he paid his
to the Republican party and
that they were laying claims
to everything when they said that
the present prosperity was due to
their wise laws and good government
Mr.. Yost next appeared and for an
hour upheld the Republican cause. 1t
was observable, however, that his old
time vigor was lacking, although at
times he became vehement in charg-
ing Democracy with unfulfilled
pledges and incompetancy in govern
ing. He also paid his respects to the
new Constitution and the COnstitu-
tional Convention and charged breach
of faith in proclaiming the instru-
ment.
Mr.. Barksdale concluded with an
address of fifteen minutes. During
the most of his speech his remarks
were addressed directly to Mr.. Yost,
which elected round after round of
q nnlQucn