The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-09-21
SWANSON OPENS
THE CAMPAIGN
In Speech at Hanover he Outlines
the Issues
NE ASSAIIS THE REPUBLICANS IN vIGOROU!
STYLE.

the voice OIL fdlilck ueulN ilttu oiNch "
sounded and where MIR. Swanson himself
made his maiden speech for the DemOc-
racy twenty years ago while a boy at
college. He was introduced 10y Congress
man John Lamb. The courthouse was
filed. and the address of Mr. Swanson
WINS heard with close interest. 1t was
intended as the outline of the campaign,
and it's lines will be followed by future
speakers.
After referring to time, a quarter OF
a century ago, when the Republicans
were in control of the State, MIR. Swan
son said there was wisdom in Judge
Lewis, the Republican nominee Tor gov
ernOr, making an appeal TO the younger
generation, since the older voters, who
had felt the oppression of RepublicanisIn,
who were acquainted withits corruption
and the dsgraces il brought upon this
State in it's four years rule, could never
be induced to vote again to put this
party in power. He said Republicanism
had not favOrably impressed those OF
the South who knew of it's record. Re
publican power had almost invariably
brought disaster and ruin to the South.
WOULD RESTORE NkGRO RULE.
He.then discussed the claims presented
by his competitor that the Republican
party existing in Virginia today was a
new party, with new blood. and com
posed of new material He had eXamined
the delegates to the RoanokecOnvention,
he said, and was impressed with the TACT
that nearly all of them Were men who
sustained Republicanism inits iOuryears
of disgrace. and who Were Republicans
of the old and radical school lie said
its nominees Were men who had sustained
all the wretched policies and outrageous
government which the party had perpe-
trated upon Virginia. The only change
in the Republican party OF the state was
the elimination of the negro, which
chang. was wrought by the Democratic
party, yet it was the persistent policy oi
the Republican party, he declared, To de-
nounce the constitution which had elimi-
mated the negro as a voter in Virginia
politics and saved the Republicans them
selves from bad company and degrading
companions.
He felt satisfied that il the Republicans
were returned to power the ballot
would again be bestowed upon the negro,
and he would again be disturbing and
injurious factor in Virginia politics. He
that the Democratic party
was certainly entitled to he called the
great reform party OF the Union, when il
could apply methods which its competi-
tor acknowledged had reformed and
bettered the Republicans.
IGNORED BY THEIR NORTHERN BROTHERS
He was glad to see the Republicans
were ashamed OF their conduct in the
past, and apologized for the personnel OF
their party in the past, and its many
He had little confidence IN
the enforced repentance OF persons and
less in the promises of the Republican
party to do better in the future. He had
always found that party proiuse in
promises and meager in performances.
ii was amusing, he said, to witness the
strenuous efforts OF the Republicans IN
Virginia TO throw around themselves a
mantle of national Republicanism to
make themselves attractive and genteel-
looking.
While the Republicans were pretty
good at throwing bouquets and cOmpli-
menting their Northern brethren. he had
vet to see where these feelings OF affection
and esteem had been in the least recipro
Gated. 1t was presumptuous in the Viz
ginia Republicans to ask the voters OF
Virginia TO turn over to them a State
that was so intimately as
ISOLATED with the business aud political
life of this people, when the Northern Re
pubhcans had such poor opinion OF
their party associates In Virginia that IN
the last nine years of Republican rule
they had never given a Cabinet place
to a Southern Republican, and had
never given a Virginia Republican a sin
gle place OF prominence or power.
DEFENDED DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS.
1t would be well, he added, for the Re
pubEcans to use their strenuous Efforts
to try to convince their Northern breth
rem of their competency before they ad-
dressed themselves seriously to the Nir-
ginia voters.
The speaker discussed the history OF
the Republican party in the South and IN
the States OF Maryland Delaware and
Kentucky, and said it was filled with
fraud, corruption, disgrace and disaster.
He then discussed the claims OF the Re
publican party to the right of being in
trusted with power in Virginia on ac-
count of charges OF graft they had made
upon the Democratic party.
After twenty-one years OF rule IN TINS
State all that the bitterestenemies OF the
party could find against it in
the least tending to corruption was
school register in connection with the
board and q defalcation OF
$37, 900 by Sheppard, clerk in the au-
ditor's office. As soon as this was dis
covered it was cleared up and the educa-
tional board clerk dismissed. A new
school register was adopted costing 10
cents, one-ffth of what the Republican
school register had cost, and the same
charged at first by the Democrats.
Sheppard had been tried and convicted
and is now in the penitentiary. lie SAID
he did not believe there was a single
State government in the Union which
could show that out of more than 500
900 900 of the peoples money collected
in taxes there had only been a defalcation
OF $37 900.
PARl1 Or hhAfi AMI tONA'i h'N-'
He then took up the school question
and answered the claims of the Republi-
can party that they were founders OF the
school system. He said that the school
system had been inaugurated under
Walker, a Democratic governor, with
Democratic legislature, years before 1t
was acquired under the Underwood con-
stitutiOn.
After pointing out the great things
done for education, he said that under
increased taxes from the railroads and
tioncompaniesimposed by the
Democrats, there would now be fuT Their
chance OF improving the schools or bet
tering the roads of this State in the in
mediate future without increased taxa
ton.
He then attacked the opposing party.
He said the Republican party had graft
and corruption in front, in rear, and en-
both TANKS. He said that this was in
accord with the history OF The Republi-
.. ..,,,-A.- Is tbo ar, firx. Gnnfh which had