Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-11-04


the next year. In his reference 10 free
books, a bait thrown out by the republic
cans, the Senator said the present school
system was now excellent, but better still
was wanted. But it took money to i'm
prove present conditions. There was q
surplus of 1907, 900 in the State treas
ury, and in the future it was estimated
that there would be about $500, 900 an
nually over expenditures. The demo-
Gratis will use large portion of this sum
toward improving educational facilities.
Should the republican suggestion be fol-
lowed this surplus would be spent in
purchasing books to be distributed grstis
to children aud nothing would be left
for Enlightenment of the schools. Negro
children would be benefited, and while
the speaker said be would not be ungen-
erous to such, he would state that SO
per cent of the school tax is paid by
white people and per cent. by colored.
The people, he thought, bad done well
toward the colored race. In many
places in the State there we're five
months sessions aud teachers received
$25 per month. The democrats desired
to change these conditions. The oena-
tor appealed to his hearers to
benefit the whites before any more
was done for the negro. Let the pa
rents of the latter purchase books, aud
should any children be found unable to
procure the same the school authorities
will furnish the books. The republicans,
however, want white parents to purchase
books for their children and those for
negroes also, many of whom are worth
less. Such plank should be enough
to cause any Virginian to vote the DEM
ocratic ticket. The Senator graphically
portrayed no-accOunt negro with an
armful of books, furnished by the pub
lie, Sinking work. If the democrats,
he said, in eliminating the negro from
politics had done nothing else, they
should receive the plau Iits of posterity.
Senator Martin ALLUDED to the struggle
now in progress in Maryland toward i'm
itatiDg the action OF Virginia. He read
the plank in the platform which says
that negro suffrage was by force and
agai st the will Of the people OF Mary
land lOisted upon her people. Judge
Lewis had aided in iDfcting the same
upon Virginia. The Poe amendment
was intended to relegste the negro to
the rear. The speaker appealed to his
audience if they did not sympathize with
the people of Mary land in their attempts
10 throw off the Incubus. 'God grant,
he said, "that Senator GUrmaD's banner
may prevail ia the interes's of the An.
glo-Saxon supremacy. We have had
the same struggles the Senator is strug-
Cling for the same conditions in Mary
land as those prevailing 10 Virginia"
Senator German 10 succient manner
then showed how economically the
affairs Of Virginia bad been conduct
ed ia the last twenty years. In his
reference to the late State conven-
ton be said that body bad nearl y elimi-
mated the republican party from Virgin
ia when it eliminated the negro. It
had left Mr.. Agnew and few white
members of the party to hold The Offices.
The republicans had deposed Mr.. Agnew
because he was too much like demo-
crat-too honest for them. He was
bipartisan officeholder. The Senator
said he went to see Secretary Shaw
in behalf of Mr.. Agrew, but the
only answer he obtained from this
cabinet officer was ellis successor has
just been appointed The speaker
in closing criticised the latters tariff
expressions in Alexandria recently.
Among other things he said it was
fact no one could con,rovert that under
present tariff laws man wearing five
dollar foreign-made hat paid 81 so for
the caputical covering and 81. so tariff
duty, and lady who can afford q for
eign-msde silk dress paid $40 for the
garment and $50 IN tariff duty. By
such conditions American manufacturers
run their prices up To exorbitant figures,
realizing that tariff laws keep out COM
petition; hence you pay taxes to the
government or the manufacturer. The
Senator said it was significant past
that Mr.. Shaw said nothing about the
STATE of Virginia in his speech. He
saw his party mad no case here. Mr..
Roosevelt had been disappointed 10 his
visit to Virginia. Senator Martin in
closing said that there was every reason
to believe Mr.. Swanson would carry the
State by between 80, 900 and 50, 900 ma
jority. He urged all democrats to cast
their ballots and endeavor to roll mp as
large majority as possible. He espec-
tally eDjoined on bis hearers the impor-
lance of giving Mr.. Cation as large ma
jority as possible.
The hall rang with earnest ap-
plause when the Senator ceased to
speak, and the stage was soon crowded
with persons to congratulate him. His
speech was animated, logical aud inter-
esting from the beginning to the end.