Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-09-07
A Very Interesting Letter.
Mr.. Editor:
Rouen, France.
Aug. 10, 1906.

3
some little interest to the friends al
| home My health being impaired, and
having business on the Continent, i
decided to take the longest sea voyage
possible and accordingly sailed by
cargo boat for London from Norfolk
nd we were sixteen days making the
passage, but were most comfortable
occupying the Captains quarters, ana
were more pleasantly situated perhaps
| than passengers on the Ocean grey
hounds are during the rush season.
Some pretty rough weather was ex-
perienced as the following extracts
from the ships log would Indicate
Monday, June 18th, 1906. hours /, 2.
3 and a. m. Fresh gale. squally, high
dangerous cross sea, breaking.on board
| fore and aft, to s a. IN. Daylight
ound 80 feet of sea wall on port side Of
after deck, had been broken in by
heavy sea, the wreckage having wash
ed across No. hatch, tearing tarpau-
| lin and letting water into No. hold
to 4 p, m. Fresh gale, high cross sea
shipping water fore and aft. Midnight
strong wind and squally with strong
confused sea, ship lurching heavily.
We were technically captured by a
British Man of War. the naval maneu-
vers being in progress.
On arrival, being invited to the In
dependence Day dinner in London, l
availed myself, on the morning of the
Fourth, of the opportunity of calling
on Mr.. Bryan and found him in splen-
did health and spirits:--the same grea'
American that we have loved 10 the
past and propose to honor in the future
genial yet sedate, perhaps slightly
more grave than of yore, very giant
in intellect and body. He was keenly
interested IN West Virginia affairs,
aud spoke with accuracy OF our local
political conditions, referring particu-
larly to our late effort to wrest the
State Government from the hands Of
the trust serving Republican machine.
His visits to West Virginia in general,
and Morgan's Grove, in particular,
seemed to have left most pleasant i'm
pressions. His views on party policy in
the main seemed to be that while tar
i IL reform remains cardinal and fun
damectal Democratic doctrine, that it
should not be made Il paramount issue
in the sense of obscuring others of i'm
mediate Importance. such as the curb
ing of corrupt corporate control of the
government. He spoke in terms of af-
fiction of William l., Wilson.
HiAgreat speeches at the Fourth OF
July Banquet and subsequently at the
Inter parliamentary conference evoked
the warmest admiration in England
| and on the Continent, and he is recog-
nized and honored abroad as one of
the worlds very great men and hailed
as our next President. On the night of
the Fourth felt proud that | was an
American and glad that | was Dem
ocrat, Bryan's great speech on the
"W hite Man Burden (Which by the
way | see that George Byrne has taken
up in West Virginia good luck and
more power to him) was indeed mas
terpiece.
Through the courtesy of the Member
from Northampton, was privileged
to see the English Parliament in ses-
sion during one of the debates on the
Education Bill, agitating England to
the same extent just now as the Rail
road Rate bill has moved our people.
The sight in the House of Lords was
impressive, yet seemed incongruous;
the Lord Chancellor on the Woolsack
in his wig and gown of State, and the
Bishops in then robes, being surround
ed by members of the peerage, all re-
| serving their traditional privilege OF
keeping on their silk hats
The oratory of both the Lords and
| Commons com pare, unfavorably with
that of our House and Senate. The sep
aration of Church and State and con-
sesuent disestablishment, is reelected
as the.outcome of the present agitation
and many ardent Churchmen believe
such will enure to the ultimate bene-
fiji of the Church of England.
Our journey through Scotland was
most delightful, not the least interest
ing feature being view OF the mon
ster "Lusitahia' just launched on the
Clyde, a consequence of Rumsey's
world changing invention.
| a weeks visit to the Isle of Man
convinced us that the quaint little in
dependency is too often overlooked by
our travellers abroad. 1t is indeed lit
tie gem, the scenery being exquisite
and climate ideal, fuschias and othel
semi-tropical plants growing luxur
iantly. Accom- panied by member ol
the House of Keys, the Islands loca
parliament, | spent several never-to
be-fotgotten days ia this quaint little