The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-09
.SECRE TARY SHAW
 ID THE VIRG|N|ANS  Few Negroes Present at Repub-
 liCa1 Convention TO PUT OUT STATE TICKET Between 12oo and 1900 Delegates At tend the Meeting at Roanoke and Every Mention of Presidents
 Name Is cheered.
TO PUT OUT STATE TICKET

fA. the history Of the state met here today to nominate a full state ticket. When the body was called to order at D. m. by State Chairman c. Bascomb slemp, be- tween 1900 and 1900 delegates were pres ent. 1t is almost exclusively white mans meeting. there being very few ne- groes in the hall. J. Lucieu Gelaves, the temporary chairman, pleaded for har- mony, and asked for a square deal at the polls. Every mention of President Roosevelt's name was wildly eheered. Committees were then appointed and a recess was taken until o'clock this even ing. When the convention reassembled the reports of the credentials and permanent organization committees were read. Law renee Groner of Norfolk was then chosen permanent chairman, and assumed the gavel. After MT. Groners speech of ae- ceptance. Congressman Campbell Slemn the only republican congressman from Virginia, was introduced to the conven- tion. and he in turn introduced secre- tary of the Treasury Leslie NJ. Shaw, who had been invited to come to Roanoke to address the convention.
 Mir. Shaw was greeted with a storm
 
 of cheers. He made some reference to self government. saying that when this repub- lie was launched the world was dlstrust- full of the experiment.
 Looked for Revolution.
 Many believed" he said, that per- sonal ambition would override statesman ship. They believed that revolution would 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 acquesce in results. The ex- pertinent has been in process for trial and developments in this country for something over one hundred years, dur ing 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 integ- rity of the commonwealth, and the best interests of every other citizen. All I ask is that the eector be if not as great, certainly as conscientious and as true a statesman at the polls as he demnds his representatives to be in the halls of leg islation."
 The secretary touched upon the growth and development of the United States and of Virginia's resources. and speaking along general lines the secretary said:
 Spirit Was Republican.
 "The spirit of the last half century was republican. It was progressive. The spirit of the twentieth century will be re- publican. It will be progressive. 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 progress? 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 grander achievements whenever. under God, the brain of the south, and the brain of the north, the brain of the east, and the brain of the west shall be allied for of- firmative action, and when no portion of our common country shall be longer held welded to negative traditions which tend only to retard. Cheap factory product
 
 for the artisan and low wages for the artisan means curtailed consumption of farm products. Curtailed consumption of farm products results in a reduction in the price thereof, while a reduction in prices means loss to the producer of clothes, of furniture. of carpets, of farm machinery, of building materials and every other article of rural consumption. All this is but another name for stagna- fi0n pd raa mi Wi hao rI,o experiment. with tariff for revenue only from the beginning of our history.
 The disastrous results of free trade have not followed each and every experl- ment with free trade, because they were desired by the men who advocated the measures that produced them but because the measures were unwise, however, learn ed, however patriotic and however hon est the men who enacted them.
 Diamond as illustration.
 "A few years ago some diamond experts in New York suggested that if uncut diamonds were put on the free list, and the duty retained on cut diamonds, they the merchants would employ diamond cutters to cut them in this country. Uncut diamonds were therefore placed on the free list, and 10 per cent ad valorem duty was placed on cut diamonds unset and 60 per cent placed on set stones. What Is the result? There are now 200O diamond cutters in this country getting big wages for it is a delicate thing to cut dia- monds), and they earn in the aggregate several million dollars. What became of this? It Is all spent-most of it wisely. We are co-dependent people. When pros perity blesses our shores the laborer and the employer of labor. the farmer and the consumer of farm products. the merchant and the banker, all prosper
 At the conclusion of MT Shaw's ad- dress the convention adjourned until to- morrow morning when the committee on resolutions will report.