The log cabin Democrat., 1908-02-27
Senator Davis Speech.


 It affords great pleasure to meet the good people of Franklin county this occa- sion and counsel with them as to the funGamen- tai principles of state government for which we have fought hard and earnestly for the past six years in Arkansas.
 The gallant democracy of this country has always been most kind and generous to me. and this magnificent audience of the old guard who have always helped in every time of need, is a compliment of which any man might well be proud and bears assurance to the fact that the people of this great state are deeply interested in the proper administration of her public affairs.
 I don't to you, my friends, in the spirit of dictation-I don't come to you as the metropolitan press of this state would have you believe. in an effort to control or influence your better judgment but I feel that it Is always the duty of every public servant to counsel and advise with his friends on all public questions, and for that purpose, and that alone, l come to you today.
 A great complaint is going up, fellow-citi- zens from certain quarters against my having come back home and meeting and speaking to you In this campaign. This complaint, how ever is made by the men who said that if Jeff Davis sent to the United States senate. he would disgrace the state They insist that I should retain my seat in the senate while they undermine the princi- ples of government for which have all contended.
 On the other hand, the who gave me their suffrage and support in my race for
 
 and to 1t that the agents of corporate wealth and syndicate interests should not con trol and dominate politics in Arkansas.
 An! Mir Chairman, and gentlemen, they say that I should not raise my voice in the inter est of Mir Kirby for governor; they say that this is intermeddling-t this is interloping- that the result of his election does not con cern me. On one hand, gentlemen and fellow citizens they charge Mir Kirby with being the Jeff Davis candidate: they brand him with what they consider to be stigma. and by this they hope to array every ant1-JeH DAVIS man in Arkansas against him; then, when I raise my voice and ask my friends to rally to his assistance to his support the subsidized press of this state would raise its hands in holy horror, and say, You are meddling in state politics-it is none of your fight.
 An. my friends, I hope the day vii lnever come in Arkansas when the welfare of the people of my native state shall cease to con cern me when the of the people and good govrnment will not elicit my most earn est endeavor-my very best efforts.
 want to say to my friends throughout the state of Arkansas that w. F. Kirby is the only candidate in this race for governor who has ever been my personal political friend. want to say to my friends. that he Is the only candidate in the race who would carry out the policies and principles of government which l have inaugurated, and which yet hope to see succeed, despite the efforts of the despoilers.
 want to say to my friends throughout the state that he is the only candidate Tn the
  friend of the common people of the state
 want to say to the people of the state that William F. Kirby is an honest clean, pure' courageous man. that will make Arkansas one of the best governors that ever occupied the executive chair.
 You say, What has he done since he has been Attorney General?' An! my friends time will not permit that should give to you each and every important official act or his life but suffice 1t to say that when the state house vampires tried to get their long, bony fingers into the state treasury and tahe therefrom the money of the taxpayers or thls state Kirby said No" and the doors of the vaults were closed, and the money Is safe. The Supreme Court sustained him.
 When the last legislature passed the bucket shop law which 1 had the honor to write, 1t was rdculed and derided by the lawyers Of Little Rock, and by the opposition In the house and in the senate: the wlseacres or our capl- tai city said that that law was so delectiVe that they could drive wagon and team through it. The great Western Union Iele- graph Company attacked this law In the Federal Court of our state. and w. r. Kirby. slngle handed and alone, stood ns our hout .n. ,nt as our advocate, and the first decision that was ever rendered by the Federal Court, In favor of the people of Arkansas on the statutes nf our own state was rendered in this sult anu W. r. Kirby was the only lawyer rePaestn pr that ing our interests An! my friends, ts that worth nothing? Does this not appeal 10 the toilng masses of the people?
 He has been faithful to every trust, ana II elected this hlEl once, He Wlli Sec to iN '''N the stock gamblers kept out of Arkansas' that the antitrust law of our state is rehab- iltated and properly enforced; ne VIII Will see ' It that the poor convicts on our convict larui, who are now being whipped and driven to death are kindly and humanely treated, anu last, but not least, my fellow citizens ne will stand as the watchdog at the door or the treasury and that the people 5 iuhoS are not footed and disslpated
 Let every sober minded, thoughtful man stop and think and ask himself the question Is not the state of public affairs m Arkhasas s'at today in deporable conditionE DO we ho, naed strong arm brave heart ana q cooi heod in charge of the old Ship of State! Such an official is w. F. Kirby.
 am told that the Farmers Union or Arkansas Is against Mir. Kirby-l am told th that the tillers of the soil are against mn, all the men on earth that ought to support him. these are the mem they should give mn their hearty support, their hearty ehuot ttt st, mcnt He has done more in one suit TOT I thls pond order the Farmers Union. more thah ppy other candidate in this race could do Ill
 | beg you to preserve the Farmers Union intact If you have to beat Will hlroy' pre- serve the Farmers Union.
 It has been said that your state secretarE' Mir Griffin is attempting to control thls spleh- did order to promote the candidacy or Heorse w Donaghey for governor.
 It is said that be has been hired to deliVer tbe votes of the Farmers Union to this man for covernor Whether that be true or false' I know not but do know, my friends Una. MT. Griffin is in close touch with the men that rompose this Union. and l do know that he nubIicly says that he, individually Is espouslhg inc cause of George W. DonaShey, but that he is not doing it officially, as secretary or the Union Gentlemen, if you can separate Mr Griffin individually from Mir Grimm s oih- rial personage then l would be glad If some gentleman would give me the distinction.
 If Ben Griffin is permitted to control ana dominate your Union, and turn 1t to the poh- tical advantage of anyone. or any candidate, then l say, gentlemen, the sooner you get rid of the Union, the better 1t will be TOT the country but l have encouraging news rom all parts of the staite that the Farmers ohioh men are finding out Mir. Donaghey; they are finding out Mir. Griffin, and they are hholhs out that an attempt is being made to pfostl- tute this great order for political purposes and like rats dcserting sinking ship. they are leaving the camp of Dopaghey.
 Who is Mir Donaghey that he should re ceiye the support of the Farmers Unions
 George w. Donaghey is d contractor by pro rcssion charge. and it cannot be success fullv denied that he has never yet, Tn any contract he has ever had employed union laoor as his workmen. He is not in sympathy Wlth union labor His every act has been against orgoutgod lnbor
 He is trying to make the farmers or thls state believe that he is the friend or the