Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1906-10-05
BRUCE'S
FIRST GUN
A Big Democratic Day at Abing-
don, Was Monday Last.
abingdon Virginia)


State Senator Bruce, Democratic
candidate for Congress, opened his
campaign here Monday i'm speech
that was clear, forcible and effective.
The audience filed the big court room
10 the rear walls and remained through
out the speech OF Mr. Bruce. There
was there quite a spIinlling of Repub-
leans, Il number of whom are and will
continue 10 be opposed To Col. Slemp.
This the Nirginian can positively as
sert from their personal assurance. \
number OF ladies were also present.
Mr.. Bruce was introduced i'm "a brief
but felicitous manner 10y Hon. Preston
w. Campbell. He began by thanking
the audience for its presence and the
public and press of the country for the
many nice things being said about him.
and hoped that his life and character
deserved them and that he would merit
the confidence and esteem OF his friends
and his people. He said he was a
stranger, in n way, 10 the people Of
Abingdon, but that he had visited Alb
ingdon number Of times when a boy.
before the days of telephones and rail
roads. He made his trip then in n
wagon, hauling produce To Abingdon,
quartercd his team on the lot next to
the then Bruce and Hamilton Store, and
camped while there in the wagon yard.
If there was anything due him for bet
tering his condition in life it was owing
TO his desire and determination to walk
in the paths of rectitude He owed his
observance Of the rules of good be-
havior TO his fathers teachings and he
hoped To hold To them to the day Of
his death
Mr.. Bruce expressed strongly his
faith and confidence of the true Amer
lean citizen to do the right thing-and
that he would place his ease in the
hards of men who dared to do the
right as God had given them the wis
dom to see their duty. In the great
problems confronting the American
people. the two parties offered but a
slight difference in the fundamental
doctrines of government and proposed
policies, but contended that there were
certain elements and alliances in the
Republican party which he could not
endorse. He then paid his respects to
the trusts and their friends in the Re
publican party in congress, who had
prevented and would prevent any leg
islation that would stand for the People
against their grinding robbery wand per-
secution. He said President Roosevelt
was man Of many fine qualities
and one was his opposition to trusts.
but those soulless bands had such Il
pswerful force among the Republicans
In congress the president, i'm order TO
reach them, was compelled TO adopt
Democratic measures and place the
management of the great rate bill in
the hands Of Democrat to secure its
passage. The law Of filming a trust
$4,000 for a violation of statute is
idiotic when it will make $3.50. 600 while
the trial is going ON. The only way TO
crush out this overriding the will of and
heavy costs Of living UPON the
people of this country is to elect men
to congress who are above blind parti-
zenship, men who fear God rather than
man, and who will not hesitate to vote
for laws that will make individuals re-
sponsible and not corporations, for law
breaking and punish them-the big
bosses-the same as they would the
horse thief or the murderer.
OF the tariff he said the Republicans
were themselves splitting, and would
eventually come to the Democratic
plan Of q revision.
Referring to the charge preferred