Newport daily independent., 1903-08-25
CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR
 AT ARKADELPHIA.
Sentiment of Crowd Strongly Anti Davis Wood and yandeventer
 Well Received.

candidates for governor spoke here this afternoon at the court house be- fore large audienceArepresentative of Clark county's citizenship. Judge Carroll D. Wood was given cordial reception on his arrival at am. He was escorted from the depot to the city by large number of Clark coun- ty citizens, the procession being four blocks in length. Gov. Davis and MT. Vandeventer came in on the same train. There were twenty five or thirty vehicles in the Wood and Van deventer procession and two or three in the Davis column. The sentiment of the crowd was strongly anti Davis.
 Clark county circuit court opened here this morning and Philadelphia, always attractive and interesting, was impressive with the prevailing popu- lar interest shown in the presence of the three men who seek the high honor of being governor of Arkansas. The farmers were noticeable in the gathering of citizens attracted by the announcement of the discussion.
 At o'clock p. m., the hour desig- mated for the speaking, the court house was filled to it's utmost capacity with an audience which reflected credit upon Clark county. Many ladies were present and perfect de- corum prevailed. Circuit Judge J. D. Conway acted as chairman and intro duced the speakers
 Judge Wood led off in a speech of one and quarter hours and was liberally applauded, as it was evident from the start that the audience was strongly anti-Davis. He defended the supreme court in their decisions and scored the governor unmercifully for dereliction of duty in not follow ing up his suit against the trusts after the court had pointed out the way for him to proceed. The governors par don record was vigorously assailed, and it was declared that he had set aside the work of courts and juries in turning loose murderers, "blind tiger" men and criminal assailants. He ac- cused the governor of violating the law that he had asked the legislature to pass, governing pardons. Judge Wood received a shower of handsome boquets at his conclusion.
 The governor next spoke for the same length of time and was applaud ed by some of the crowd who came from adjoining counties. His speech was almost entirely a defense of his record while governor and attorney general. He defended his pardon record by saying that as long as mothers came to him with petitions aDl. tears he would continue to pardon convicts. In regard to the Johnson pardon he said he had been imposed on, but rave no particulars. In de- lending his clemency in criminal assault case, the governor evoked ex- pressions of disapprobation from the audience, hisses being noticeable. The governor alluded to the legisla- ture in no complimentary terms.
 It was during this phase of the gov ernor's speech that there was 8 sud- den storm, which threw the speaker into eclipse for about five minutes.
 "Now, I'm going to show up that mans record (pointing to Hon. L. c. Newberry, one of Clark county's rep resentatives), and his vote on the ways and means committees re- port" the governor had said, dramat- ically.
 "All right, sir" shouted MT. New berry.
 For fully five minutes the crowd shouted enthusiastically "Hurrah for Newberry," and the high esteem in which Mir. Newberry is beld by the people of Clark county was given substantial demonstration Governor Davis waited until the storm of en- thusiasm for Newberry had subsided. Then he passed on to other subjects.
 Mir. Vandeventer spoke next and he assailed the governors record without mercy. The attempted pur- chase of the Altheimer farm, the way he treated Col. Monroe and the uses of his contingent fund were dealt with at length. His free pardon of bling tiger men in particular was dwelt on. Mir. Vandeventer related how he and Judge Wood were re- ceived by the large crowd of law abiding people at the depot, while the governor was welcomed by three or four, one of whom was man who Lna Lln., nc,nrrintnl nr,I G,noI 4rrrin1,