Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-08-24


as am now to the forefront, I am i'm
PEELED to an acceptance of the obi
cation by sense of gratitude to my
fellow workers, and the hope that
may be able the better to assist in re-
storing to power that party whose
principles and past history guarantee
safe, wise, economical and constl.
tutional administration of the govern
ment.
81 find it, therefore, a great pleas.
ure, standing here upon the border
land of the two Virginias, to receive
and accept the commission you bear:
to send greetings through you to the
Democracy of the whole country' Is
it not significant of closer and truer
brotherhood among us, that for the
first time since the civil war a ncIa-
ination on the national ticket has
been taken from section of our COM
mon country that lies south of Mason
and DiXon's line-a happy recogni-
ton Of the obliteration Of all sectinoal
differences which led to and followed
that unhappy struggle.
GAS Introductory to the few remarks
shall make, desire to say that /
heartily endorse the platform upon
which have been nominated and
with the convention and its nominee
for President, regard the present mon,
etary standard of value as irrevocably
established.
4In the campaign preceding the
last election, much stress was laid by
Republican speakers upon the pros
pefous condition Of the country, and
forebodings were heard Of the Ill re-
suits, especially to the laboring man,
which would follow any change in
the political complexion of the gov,
ernment. 1t is true that the times
were then good, but 1t is no less a
fact that, while there has been no
change In the party in power, many
Of the evils prophesied have come
under Republican rule. Four years
ago factories, mills, mines and fur.
naces were in active operation, unable
to supply the demand, but now many
are closed, and those that ara open
are being operated with reduced force
on short hours. Then wages were
high, labor was scarce and there was
work for ALL Now work is scarce,
many wage earners unemployed, and
wages reduced. The apprehension
which now prevails in business circles
and the present unsatisfactory indus.
trial conditions of the country seem
to demand a political change.
"In the language Of our platform
the rights Of labor are certainly nc
less vested no lesssacred, and no less in
alienable than the rights Of capital.
The time is opportune to emphasize the
truth of this utterance. The most sa-
cred right Of property is the right to
possess and own ones self and the Ia
Dor Of ones own hands-capital itself
being but stored up labor. For years
worked in the ranks as a wage-earner
and know what it Is to earn my liv-
! ing in the sweat OF my brow, have
always believed, and my convictions
n
ence, that, measured by the character
Of work he does and the cost of living
man is entitled to full compensation
for his services My experience as q
wage-earner and my association with
labor have alike taught me the value Of
Democratic principles; for in them the
humblest has the strongest security fol-
individual right and the highest stimu-
lus to that independence Of spirit and
love Of self help which produce the fin
est private characters and form the
base of the best possible government.
"The receipts Of the government fo1
the year ending June 80, 1902, the first
fiscal year Of the present administra-
tion, showed a surplus over expendi-
lures of s91 100000, but for. the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1904, instead Of a
surplus there was deficit or S41, ,000,-
900. From the list of July, 1904, to
August 10. or for about a month an6 a
third of the present fiscal year, the
expenditures of the government have
exceeded the receipts by 321, Tie, 900.
There could be no stronger evidence
of the extravaganza into which the
Republican party has fallen, and no
more potent argument in behalf Of a
change to the party whose tenets have
always embraced prudence and econ
omy in administering the peoples af-
fairs.
"Our Republican friends are prone
to refer to the great commercial
growth Of the country under their
rule, and yet the census reports shows
that from 1850 to 1860, under Demo
cratic rule and the Walker tariff, the
percentage Of increase was greater in
population, wealth, manufactures and
railroad mileage, the factors which az
feet most largely the prosperity of the
country, than in any decade since.
Zine cost Of government has largely
increased under Republican rule. The
expenditures per capita for the last
year respectively of the administra-
tions given, taken from the reports OF
the Secretary of the Treasury, we're as
follows:
stIn 1860 under Buchanan, S201.
In 1893 under Harrison, S5.77.
in 1897 under Cleveland, $5.10.
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