The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-09-25

as honest elections by democrats.
We have redeemed every pledge made
to the people in the past, which is suffi-
cient guaranty that we can be trusted |
to do 80 in the future.
Free opportunities for free Americans
and an equal chance for all, in the race
of life, are the principles for which |
stand, and for which / speak and plead.
The secret ballot is the safest and
fairest of ballots, because the voter
goes into the booth alone, where neith-
er the bulldozer nor the bribe-giver
can follow him.
1t cost more money to run the state
government under republican rule thir-
ty-three years ago, during 1868 and
1869, than it did under democratic rule
in 1900 and 1901.
Every trust is a monopoly, either
partial or complete. No man or set of
men ever yet had monopoly OF any
business that they did not use it of
their own selfish purposes.
A high protective tariff is valuable to
it's favorites only because it hinders or
shuts off competition from abroad and
enables its benefciaries to charge high
er prices for their goods at home.
We come with no scandals to shame
us; with no reckless extravaganza to
apologize for, but with clean and hon
orable record of faithful, wise and eco
nomical service of the peoples interest.
Blot from the nations record the
pages written and the deeds reformed
by Tennessee's gallant sons, in peace
and in war, and you would erase some
of the brightest chapters and most brill
liant achievements of American history.
While we are all Americans, loyal to
the flag and true to the constitution of
the republic, we are, I trust, none the
less Tennesseans, rejoicing in the beau
ty and the richness of her imperial do
main and in the splendor of her patri-
otto history.
Iwant to live to see the day when ev-
cry boy and girl in Tennessee, whether
. living in country or city, whether the
child of poverty and toll or the child of
wealth and luxury, shall attend or have
the opportunity of attending a well
taught school for at least nine months
in every year.
Honesty and economy in public ex-
penses has been the rule of action in
sisted upon by the democratic party of
Tennessee in the past, and must con-
tinue to be in the future. Every dollar
collected from the people has been hon
estly and economically expended and
. faithfully accounted for. The books
are open, and we invite inspection.
; I need not tell you that education
|; and prosperity go hand in hand. l
need not tell you that the richest and
; most valuable asset of this great and
rich state is not its mines and its facto-
, ries, its forests and its farms, but it is
the 800, 900 boys and girls of Tennessee
!: who are to make its future citizenship
. and to build for it its wealth and its
power.
: I would rather risk the fate of the
children of Tennessee in the hands of {
{ so-called trust like this (the textbook
law, upon whose throat this great state
: holds its grip, than on trust unlimit
( ed as to life and unrestrained in III
{. power to destroy competition and ex
tort high prices from the people, sucl
: as are now Aourishing all over the broat
2 land under republican rule.
} II we really want to suppress tn
z trusts, let us stop talking about the ut
= terly impracticable proposition of
m constitutional amendment, and enact
law to tear down the tariff wall behin
trust-made goods, and, under the pow
1t or of congress to regulate commerce
prohibit the transportation of trust
10 made goods from state to state, and dc
ny them the use Of the mails, as we di
the Louisiana Lottery, and then elect
of democratic administration that will en-
force the law, and you will knock til
trusts into "kingdom come"