The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-10-24

lected as a delegate from LaVilla TO
4 county convention. / was Demo
I cratic to the core, and my only reason
I for being one at that time was that
my father was a Democrat and my
4 grandfather on my mothers size was
/ known as the leading "Dimmicrat' in
I Hopkins county. Kentucky.
I had yelled myself hOarse at Han
4 cock and English rallies, and had car
red a torchlight when Luke Black
/ burn was elected governor Of my ma
! tive state. With such a record /
/ thought myself one of the best Demo
] Gratis in the country. I knew nothing
then of the tariff and cared less. l
only knew that some of the Republican
4 schOOlmates of mine were called Lin
4 cclnites" and that in return they called
me a rebel"
AS l grew in knowledge / talked
more about the principles of the party
and when I entered the old Freedman s
Bank building as a LaVnla delegate /
1 felt as important as any man in the
convention hall.
Deeply Impressed.
There were numerous speeches, and
l led in the applause. but the one thai
impressed me the most was one made
by GOode Fleming, who fairly scraped
the vaulted skies with his elOquence.
He spoke Of Socrates and Plato and Of
XeonOphOn and Homer. He jumped
into Roman mythology and spoke Of
Romulus, Saturnala. Diana and Her
cules. / never knew what application
ne made of them nor did the other del
egates, but the general verdict was
that it was the best speech John Hart
ridge ever wrote. and the reason he
didn't deliver it himself was because
he was Unexpectedly called out Of the
city.
GOOde Fleming, however, covered
himself with glory and perspiration,
and towards the end Of his address he
came down to my level and spoke I'M
derstandingly Among his flights of
eloquence he exclaimed:
Il was rocked in a cradle of Demo
crazy. 1 received my first nourish-
ment that flowed from a Democratic
breast"
The Picketts, Plummers, Hartleys
and others led in applsuding this dec
laration. and getting enthused / ex-
claimed:
That's me, GoOde."
This introduction into politics lent
enchantment, and l began to take
particular interest in political affairs. |
remembered GOOde Fleming's excuse |
for being Democrat, and repeatedly |
told of my own Democratic cradle and /
my Democratic nourishment.
While l figured more or less in local /
political affairs, | did not go exceed !
ingly wild until in S96, when William /
Jennings Bryan. in the National Con- /
EentiOn in Chicago, in addressing his
remarks to the Eastern delegates.
among other things. said:
You shall not press down upon
the brow of labor this crown of thOrns
You shall not cruelty mankind upon
cross of gold"
The Silver GIee Club.
These words skinned Goode Flem-
ing's utterance a mile. They deeply
impressed me, and l organized a glee
Cub and went through a portion of
Kentucky with the Boy Orator"
could not sing, but my club could and
managed it successfully. There were
sixteen singers not including myself
Is TO ]. We rode from town to town
OF sixteen white horses and one yell
low nag, which I used-16 to l again
OF course 1 was enthusiastic and be-
fore the multitudes at the Bryan meet
ings the glee club sang, to the tune of
the "Old Oaken Bucket"
The old silver dollar, the Bland silver
dollar,
The dear silver dollar, that daddy loved
we'll"
The people, it seemed, could not get
enough of this song. but occasionally,
to break the mOnotony. the club sang:
Upon the Southern plain there comes
the signal strain
Of loyalty, loyalty. loyalty to Bryan,
The music rolls along, the earth takes
up the song
OF loyalty, loyalty, loyalty to Bryan"
Somewhat Recovered.
Well, in November of that year Il
got most beautifully over it. but Ilt
could never forget that cross of gold
and crown of thorns racket. When iii
saw all of my friends rushing to Cleve-
lands safe and sane" brand of Dem
ocracy 1 preferred to stand firm. /
had read too many silver arguments
and heard too many Bryan speeches
% Fly the coop" even when the lead
7rs were shouting for the faithful to
lall in line for Parker and Davis.
Why ] Hesitated.
Little wonder, therefore, that I fail
ID TO enthuse when Capt. Garner, Of
he Board Of Trade informed me that
President Roosevelt would be in the
,;ty today. Little wonder that I hest
ated when the genial captain said
Jones, / want You to meet Teddy
saw him in Washington, and he's all
o the good. I am especially anxious
or you to meet him. He is the chief
executive of this great country. and if
Ou will have a chat with him you will
'ecOme more conservative along politi.
al lines"
I still declined 10 enthuse
The President Admired. n
In common with all other Southern c
Democrats admired the President, {
md when ex-GOv. Jennings few days 6
80. at the national convention Of 6
praised him, I said in my S
leart. Ne, too" s
/ aid not get worked up until this s
corning. when / saw hundreds of my {
'lG Democratic friends rushing madly 6