Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-05-26
SWANSON SPEAKS
TO BIG AUDIENCE.
Congressman Given Enthusiastic
Reception in Lynchbure.
CFrom Richnond Times-Dispatch.)

Congressman Claude A. Swanson
addressed large crowd Friday night
at the academy of Music in Lynch.
burg. He was greeted with an en-
thusiastic reception and was given
a patient hearing through the sixty
five minutes he was speaking. He
spoke deliberately, touching upon
many of the issues before the peo-
pie in the fight for the nomination
and frequently he was enabled to
arouse his audience to enthusiastic
applause. Indeed it seems safe to
say his reception was, if anything,
more jealous than found at the pre-
ceding similar gatherings in the
city this spring. 1t is certain that
his audience was the largest of the
campaign. Including the 100 men
who occupied seats upon the stage,
there were easily 200 present. Mr..
John j.. Lee introduced the speaker
of the evening, (Mr. Lee was McCue's
able coupseD.
Without preliminary, Mr.. Swanson
went right at the meat Of his speech
by avowing his candidacy for the
,ffiee Of Governor of Virginia. He
said in part: 81 stand here AS u can
didate for what conceive to be the
highest flee in the gift of the peo
pie of my State. Since country
boy, my ambition has been to be the
Governor of the greatest Of States.
This long cherished ambition has
been to me guiding star.
Under the new Constitution the
Governor has vast powers and great
responsibilities. He appoints all of
the boards, who have charge of the
public institutions, and these insti-
tutions are subject to these appoint
ments. Whether they shall run for
the public good or for personal or
selfish motives remains largely with
the Governor. Aye, be has more power
than that, because it is he that ap-
points the members of the Corpor-
alton Commission, which is charged
with the regulation of the great rail-
ways of the State. With his great
powers, it is we'll for the people to
determine who shall WELD them.
want to say if you are committed to
me, and if you think cannot meas
ure up to these vast responsibilities,
/ release you, and you are at liberty
to vote otherwise.
'lf there is anything in my public
or private record" shouted the
speaker, "thst units me for this po-
sition, want the people to know it,
and if there Is a man who has aught
against me that would unfit me, !
call upon him to produce it,
He said the first and greatest need
in Virginia today is an active busi-
ness revival, and opportunity to al
low the people of the State to avail
themselves of the opportunity pre-
sented by the wealth and power the
State possesses. He gave an optimis-
tic view of the progress of the State,
claiming that all that is needed to
give the State q remarkable business
is business administration. "lf
should be Governor" he went on,
"all of my efforts will be to do this.
My ambition would be to be known
as 'the business Governor"
He gave some of his experience as
a teacher in country school, and
expressed it as his opinion that this
experience had put him in position
to know the greatest needs of the
public schools of the rural districts
better than either of his competitors.
lie said if there is man or party
that is not loyal to the public school
system, strike that man or party
down because they do not deserve
support
"The public schools have brought
more blessings to the people of the
State than anything else. God speed
the cause of popular education, aud
If l am Governor, you will never
have Governor more loyal to them
than j will be-"