The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-09
SPEECH OF MIR. SHAW
HE ADDRESSES THE REPUBLICANS
 OF VIRGINIA.
Big Convention Gathers at Roanoke to Nominate state Ticket-Mr. Roosevelt's Name is Wildly
 Cheered.

Roanoke, Va, Aug. s.--One of the largest Republican State Conventions in the history of the State met here today to nominate a full State ticket When the body was called to order at g D. m by State Chairman c. Bascomo Slemp between 1900 and 1,3OO dele- gates were present. It is almost ex- ciusively a white mans meeting, there being very few negroes in the hall. J. Lucian Gleaves, the temporary chair man. pleaded for harmony and asked for a square deal at the polls. Every mention of President Roosevelt's name was wildly cheered. Committees were then appointed and recess was taken until o'clock this evening.
 When the convention reassembled, the report of the credentials and per inanent organization committees were received and adopted. D. Laurence Groner of Norfolk was then chosen permanent chairman and assumed the gavei After MT. Groner's speech of acceptance. Congressman Campbell Slemp the only Republican Congress- man from Virginia, was introduced to the convention and he In turn intro dueed Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw, who had been invited to come to Roanoke to address the convention. Mir. Shaw wac greeted with storm of cheers. He spoke in part as fol- lows.
 Secretary Shaw made some reference to self government. saying that when this republic was launched the world was distrustful of the experiment. Many believed" he said, that personal ambition would override statesman ship They believed that revolution would follow revolution. They did not believe it would be possible for men to walk side by side to the polls and deposit opposing ballots and then each demand for the other the same protection and the same honesty Of count that he claimed for himself It was doubted if defeated candidates and defeated parties would peacefully acquiesce in results. The experiment has been in progress of trial and de- velopments in this country for some thing over 100 years, during which period the machinery has sometimes creaked, but 1t has not given way and 1t never will so long as we keep our heads. My appeal to you and through you to every voter of Virginia Is that you so vote as to conserve the peace and integrity of the commonwealth and the best interests of every other citizen. All I ask Is that the elector be, if not as great, certainly as con- scientious and as true statesman at the polls as he demands his rep resentatives to be in the halls of leg islation."
 The secretary touched upon the growth and development of the Uni ted States and of Virginia's resources and. speaking along general lines, said:
 The spirit of the last half century was Republican. It was progressive. The spirit of the twentieth century will be Republican. It will be pro gressive. Judging the future by the past. is there reason to doubt that the communities most in harmony with the spirit of the century will gather most from the rich harvest of pro- gress? I come to preach the gospel of American progress and to teach those principles and policies which have made us what we are and which will carry us to yet higher planes and to