The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-08-18

Given by Sunshine A. H.
7. A. Northeast of
CentraIia

picnic Ilelu uIuEE IIl6 duSplCEs Ol sun
shine lodge, No. Is, II miles north
east OF Centralia, was not largely at
tended yesterday but notwithstanding
the small attendance 1t was an inter
esting affair especially in the after
noon, the feature being the joint po
litical debate participated In by Mess
| rs. Kornegay and Rogers Of this city
This picnic was perhaps the most
orderlyameeting Of the kind ever held
In that section Of the country.
Gilbert Goad presided as master Of
ceremonies, and the address of well
come was delivered by J. R. Woolard,
In which he mentioned the fact that
the duties of statehood were soon to
demand our attention and that for
the purpose Of becoming enlightened
upon the political issues, Republican
and Democratic speakers had been in
vited and were present, and asked the
audience TO give them close and re-
spectful attention.
The response was made by w. p
Daniels, who complimented the Anti
Horse Thief Association for the great
good it had done in stamping out
crime and bringing criminals to jus
tice.
Music for the occasion was rendered
by the Centralia brass band with /. N.
Bunchof Bluejacket assisting.
Mr. Rogers was the first speaker IN
the afternoon. He told why he was
a Republican and would continue to
be one as long as the Republican
party remained as good as it had been
and as long as the Democratic party
continued to be as bad as it had been
in the past. He spoke of inheriting
political prejudices and asked his aud
ltors to consider these important po-
litical questions at the hearthstone of
ones own home. In the life of every
man, he said, there comes an hour
when he asks himself why he is a Re-
publican or why a Democrat, and
that Is the time when his honor and
manhood is at stake, and If he does
not decide according to the dictates
Of his own conscience he is victim of
inherited prejudice. He stated that
one could not inteligently decide as
to which Of the two great political
parties he should affiliate without
studying the history Of the country
and The history Of the political part
les and their relations to the affairs
of the government
He argued that the big ditferencebe-
tween the principles Of the Republi-
can and Democratic parties now is
and always has been, the question Of
labor, that the Republican party was
opposed to slave labor before the war
and has been opposed to free trade la
Dor since that time: that it favored a
protective tariff for the purpose Of
protecting laboring men, and as re-
suit we have the best class Of laboring
men in this country who receive bet
ter wages than the laboring men OF
any other country; that the farmers
and business and professional men of |
this country are more prosperous and
enterprising than those of any other
country, and that a protective tariff |
is responsible for our prosperity. He
said it is policies and not men that
make the history Of nations; that the |
Republicans say they want a market !
In which TO sell and that the Demo-
Gratis say they want a market in which !
to buy; that the country which has a
good market in which to sell its pro-
ducts Is the one that prospers. He
the selling and buying prices
during Grover Cleveland's
second administration and the Re-
publican administrations of later date.
When panic and business depression
comes the laboring man, he said, was
the first to suffer and the farmer next.
He compared the wages received by
laboring men Of this country with
the price paid for the same kind Of
labor in free trade England; making
the difference more than double in
favor Of the American laborer. He
alluded to the duty on sugar and told
Of the benefits which the sugar pro-
iucing states derived from this
source.
Mr.. Rogers closed his argument by
stating that the Democrats had de-
that thew are not capable
If conducting the affairs of this gov
'rnment, and In way of proof went
'ver the long array OF figures repre-
enting the millions Of dollars worth
# bonds Issued by Grover Cleveland's
ast administrations for running the !
in time Of peace.
w. II. Kornegay was called upon