The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-10-19
Especial to The Messenger.}

Especial to The MeSSenger.}
Greensboro, n. c., October 10
Hon. John Sharpe Williams made a
great speech here this afternoon TO a
large audience. For nearly three
hours he expounded democratic doc
trines and was closely followed
throughout, being often interrupted by
enthusiastic applause.
His argument was largely on the tar
if question, being largely devoted to
answering protection arguments made
in the state recently by Secretary Of
the Treasury shaw. Beginning his ad-
dress with: Fellow North Carolin-
ians' he explained that he was a Tar
Heel some generations removed, re-
ferring elOquently to his mornings
visit to the Guilford Battle ground,
where his ancestors battled for Ameri
can liberty and independence, quoting
the inscription there taken from Ban
croft, IF there be any whom doubt
the capacity of the people for self
government, let him study the history
Of North Carolina He paid a trib-
uate to the people of this state. Mr..
williams said he would begin his
speech where he left off in StatesVille,
because there he cut off just as ne
began to reply to such brilliant sharp
men as Taft and Shaw, the cabinet Of
fiCerS, but as David, with a pebble
slew the giant Galiath, he would under
take the task with the pebbles of truth
that We're at hand in abundance. "1t
is no use to argue with q man VINO
says he is a republican, because he
puts money in his pockets The only
way to get him is to buy him back,
because he is bought by the other
side. There are more ways than one
of buying people.
Not a single national convention
or any other republican convention
has ever offered any apology to the
south because of the attempts to hu-
initiate the white manhood or the
white WOmanhOOd of the south on the
negro question. Secretary Taft did not
apologize fir it, but refused to discuss
the spectre of negro domination. we
can discuss economic questions fairly
when these people express regret for
the past and sympathy for those who
have been subjected to the humilia-
ton Of reconstruction days
Taking up ShaW's reference to the
democratic party as proposing govern
mental ownership of railroads, he de-
clared it was a straw man Shaw had
put up and knocked down, continuing,
no democratic convention has de-
clared for government ownership. Mr..
Bryan has declared his opinion, but
says he does not write the platform,
and I declare to you that policy will
not be written therein. Why | need
not tell you now. The republicans
talk much about the rate bill passed,
but it was a democratic measure. The
in his party'S platform. 1t was in the
democratic platforms, and the demo-
cratic leader introduced a bill to give
the relief contained in this bill. four
teen months before Mr.. Roosevelt saw
the light. Democrats said to me,
don't follow the republican president.
Now is a chance to rebuke him. I
said. rebuke him for what? For do
ing right? He does right SO seldom
we can afford to fOregO the opportunity
to rebuke him once in a quarter Of a
century.
The railroads don't own this coun-
try, and they never will. You have a
chance to elect congressman every two
years. and YOU can reform it when
ever you want to. I don't believe there
ever will be an Interstate commerce
com mission that is rotten and corrupt.
There may be q man on 1t now and
them Of that stripe. but he can be put
OF and a good man put on in his
place.
On the question Of corruption in
elections he said that two years ago
agents Of the trusts and protected in
terests, enemies of democracy, sue
ceeded in making people believe that
Judge Parker was hand in glove with
the plutOcracy and he was defeated
A greater lie was never told. Judge
Parker made charges that were after
wards provd when the thieves fell out
among themselves and began to tell
the truth about the campaign contrf-
buttons. What has the republican
party done to stop corruptfons?' de-
manded Mr.. Williams. Congress char
ters corporations, and is the master
Of said corporations, and the republf-
cans always vote to consider some.
thing else when a measure to correct
abuses is proposed.
On the tariff question, his strictures
were in the form of this declaration
1T will never do to desert the prin'
c1ple that it is the duty Of the peo.
pie TO support the government rathe
than the government to support The
people; II you do you are out on the
wide, wide sea of danger. No man vii
deny but that a protective tariff en-
ables q man to pay his laborers more
Q but 1t requires the regenerating power
of God almighty to make him do 1t.
illustrating the effect Of protection OF
southern cotton factories he said:
Secretary Shaw says he is WILLING
to- be taxed to enable American manu-
facturers to sell goods cheaper abroai
Skaan other manufacturers do, ant