Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-09-21
Marks Opening of
State Campaign at
Weston--Eight t
Thousand People
Cheer Next Gov.
ernor at His Home

Fully eight thousand people at
tended the forma, opening OF tn,
Democratic state campaign ut Wcs
ton. the home Hon. Louis Bennett
on Saturday. The weather was idea
and the enthusiasm or the immens,
assemblage Inspired the speaker,
and leaders ana made the meetine
significant.
Weston had done herself prout
for the occasion. There was scarce
ly business house In the town that
was not decorated. Flags and bunt
ing were evrywhere and the show
windows were, filled with large nth
ographs of Bryan and Kern ans
Bennett. The decorations did moi
stop with the business houses. Man,
residences displayed flags and pict
ures.
Every one of the candidates foi
state oaice and leaders from al
parts OF the state were there TO par
ticipate.
Prior TO the meeting the Bryan
Kern and Bennett club. 1000 strong
headed by bands from Grafton and
Clarksburg. assembled on the court.
house square and paraded the
principal streets OF the town. Be
sides the speech of Hon. Louis Ben.
nett, addresses were made by Sena.
tor Owen of Oklahoma, Senator LIT.
tlepage OF Charleston. IL. II. Morton
Ira B. Bush, Oscar Jenkins and
John 7 McGraw.
Mr.. Bennettk was introduced by
Hon. Andy Edhision, of Weston
and spoke as foftows:
l thank you for this expression
of your good viii. That I'D many
enthugiast!c people from al parts
OF the State shJuld assemble al
this place on this occasion, speaks
volumes for the cause that bring.
them together. 1t tells of the
great interest that is being taken
In the political issues now before
US both State and National, is
TuVs uICn which the two great
national parties have taken stand
IN their respective platforms, and
now call upon the people to decide
Upon these issues the Democrat
ic platformd are clean cut and wei
defined. The National one haz
been declared TO be the most perfect
declaration OF principles eyer pro-
mulgated. Neither Of them have
lodged single issu. And nc
Democratic nominee has found II
necessary after thc.r promulgation
10 add to them either plank or per-
sOnal opinions on issues expressly
voted down in convention. such as
Judge Taft has found it 'cessary
TO make In reference TO the election
OF the United States Senator's by a
direct vote OF the people, and t0
publicity Of campaign contributions
which they now promise TO make
"after the election and no Dem
ocratic Committee has found IL nee
cssary TO add panks such as the
committee of the Regular" Repub-
lican party OF this state added 10
their state platform after they read
those planks In the Democratic
platform in reference TO better
elective franchise and that plank
in the Lincoln" Republican party
platform denouncing our United
States Senators.
II is not my intention at this
time TO discuss. except incidentally,
either national nominees or national
issues. Both parties have placed az
the head OF their national ticket
men Of the highest personal stand
ing and ability and these nom.ns 81
will stand or fall, not So much upon
their personality a. upon the great
issues that arc set forth IN their
platforms, and upon their own po-
litlcal attitude toward them and to-
ward the people. These issues are
really not so WILDLY divergent in
preteuce as they are in fact, for Dc
mocracy has been so persistantly
AMI so forcibly presenting It's views
that the dominant party has seen
the hand writing on the wall, and
COgnizs.Dg now as safe and sane
what was formerly anarchfstical.
thcy have either now pretended q
adopt them outright as their own or
promises to do 50. after the cleo
tion" And on all sides you hear
of reform and amendment But
every law upon our statute books
has been put tnege by the party now
IN power, and n these laws arc now
found to bo so bad that new ones