Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-09-19
RHEA MAKES A
STRONG SPEECH
10 a Represent a tiv e
TazeWell Audience.

A"@e"eii cohnty citzenS, including
number OF ladies', in the Court House
on Tuesday. The court room, which
is large one was packed, many peo-
pie being compelled TO stand The
speaker was introduced by Douglas H..
smith, wellknown young lawyer OF
the town, In short but fine and ap-
propriatc speech, which was highly
complmented.
MIR. Rhca was in fine trim and voice.
and made characteristic address. full
OF sound, practical sense IL would
Go useless to undertake, in n short
space, TO give more than mere out
line of this flne address.
The speaker said, in part, that. al
though handicapped during almost the
entire time OF his two terms In congress
10y contests, he had, nevertheless, done
more for his constituency than any
man heretofore elected from this dis
trict, in several directions.
He had secured the establishment OF
Thirty Rural Free Delivery routes in
the district, which Is more than any
other district In the State has, except
one, and has now one hundred and
fifty petitions on file for other routes.
which will be established as rapidly
and as soon, as possible The value Of
the free delivery is fully appreciated
only by those who enjoy il. The ed
ucational benefit Of the daily delivery
Of mails IN the country districts Is
great. The only opponents Of the
system, said the speaker, are the
Fourth Class Postmasters, who fear
losing their jobs when these routs are
established
IL connection with free delivery IL the
matter ofgood roads. Mr.. Rhca rein
troduced bill in congress, which was
framed by the late congressman Otey,
just before his heath, approprating
one hundred million dollars for road
building In the United States. II the
four hundred million dollars spent in
the far of PHILIPPINES had been divided
among the states Of the union for road
building, who ean estimate the bless
ings it would have brought TO the
sountryl
Mr.. Rhea said that experiments are
now being made In the United Statcs
IN road building rs partial result OF
this agitation.
The speaker discussed briefly the
evils of the tariff and the trusts, and
showed that the Republican party was
doing nothing TO relieve the burdens OF
the taxpayers. American products
sell higher here than in Europe Wire
nails, S2.26 per keg here; In Europe
$l.30. Wire rope here ~, there .O5
per pound. Lead, here .O4, there 90
per pound. Shovels, here $3.50 per
doz., there $3.50 Axlegrcase, here .Os,
there .04, Barbed wire, here $500.
there S220. Fruit jars, here 80, there
.55, etc, and this, too, after paying the
freight across the ocean.
The Republicans are opposed 20
goods made by trusts coming in free,
because the party could not live at all
but for the money furnished by the
trusts.
The speaker discussed the suffrage
law OF our new constitution. He said
the object OF the suffrage law was TO
get rid Of the vicious corruptible
negro vote, "and we intend TO do it, let
the Republicans howl as much as they
please"
Mr.. Rhea spoke highly Of Mr. Slemp,
his opponent, saying that in his former
campaigns Col Slemp had always
come TO his aid, and he was sorry the
Republicans had nominated him, and
even il elected he could do but little in
congress at his time Of life. He was
beginning too late.
Judge Rhea closed his fine speech
with an exhortatiou TO every democrat
to do his duty. His speech was fire.
quently applauded, and at its close
large numbers Of people were present.
ed to him who desired an introduction
to the distinguished congressman.