Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-01-15
GOV. moNrAeue,s NEW YORK SPEECH

;ov. MONTAGUE'S NEW YORK SPEECH
At the Democratic banquet in Newt
7 ork recently. Gov. Montague was
present. by invitation aud maze
speech which was well received ana
which was among the few speeches.
which purported To carry to the eoun
I y any idea OF The attitude OF the
South in regard to the approaching
cam paign- That speech has been com
men cd upon by various papers OF wioe
circ lIation and influence, and We give
telox a few extracts from some %
Them In part Gov. Montague sac:
" venture the opinion that the
south should not indifferently walt
upon policy of negatlon or the BIO"
moving tides Of public opinion or make
paramount, in anticipation. the avail
ability of candidates. but she should
affirmatively stand forth in behalf OF
the established and conservative prin-
ciples of democracy. She should not
only ask, but demand, that issues
which are dead should not be disturb
ed for our undoing. She should take
the initiative in the recrudescence OF
our party upon the principles which
heretofore and for SO long led us TO
victory and to the peoples service.
And the south should do this, not as
section, but az all integral part OF our
union, with an affectionate interest In
its welfare, growth and glory" ~
Of this portion of the speech the
Norfolk Virginia Pilot says: 5o-
THAT is sound. forcible and felici-
tous-perhaps. on the whole, the most
striking thing Governor Montague
has said since he came into the public
eye" 1t is quoted and comment
| ed upon by two representative
Southern newspapers, the Chatta
nooga Times and the Montgomery Ad
vertiser have commented upon this
speech, and their several views Of 1t
are interesting. The Times, after de-
cIaring that the speech was "nota
BILE onen and that it "yoices the senti
ment of the South in respect to the
coming Democratic campaign as no
other public utterance has done" and
that it answered effectively the I'LL
tempered criticism Of northern news
papers and Republican speakers upon
what they are pleased to call South
ern subserviency to Eastern and West
ern leadership adds'
"The policy that should control the
! southern democrats eould.not be more
clearly or more correctly outlined. Al
abandonment of dead Issues and thu
rehabilitation of the organization up
on the principles which heretofore ant
for so long led us to victory aud mani
, testify not those that led ustwice to de
feat are forcibly indicated rs demand
: ing allegiance, not only of the south
t ern, but of all democrats Of all sec
{ tions. s.s
'Conciuding bis address with specla
reference to a candidate, Gov. Monts
que declared that the south, althoug
a in no wise desiring to dictate any pal
n ticular Individual, had right an
d should exercise it to demand that who
= ever that candidate may be he shou
t be a pure minded, clean public servant
q courageous, but not venturesome; yea
a GUS, but not picturesque; sober in JUDI
Q ment, but not fanatical in faith
e 1T is a matter for congratulate
3 that so discreet, sensible and discrim
10 native representative of the south
d Gov. Montague was chosen to speak
It this important gathering. He has p'
n our rights and our attitude before tt
g country in the true light and in a maj
n ner altogether creditable, which migi
u not have been done by some polite
blatherskites we know of who by son
10 chance might have been chosen"
l. Says the Virginian Pilot: 1t was
u notable speech and, we think, demon
l trates quite clearly Hon. Andrew JAG
r son Montague's capacity to keep b
le head above water in whatever comps
u nv of his fellow citizens he may chan'
to fall.