Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-09-29
MASTERLY SPEECH
BY GOV. BENNETT
AT WESTON
ExTRAvAcANcEs OF THE RE
PuBLiCANS ARE EXPOSED.


speakers, popular candidates and en-
Weston today the greatest politicar
gathering that ever assembled in CEN
trail West Virginia. Not only Lewis
county, but Gilmer, Harrison, Marion,
Upshur, Taylor, Braxton, Doddridge,
and others, including Wood, contrib
uted to the army of visitors that is
Such political meeting as is being
held here today surprises the Demo
Gratis and astounds the Republicans.
1t smashes all records as to num-
bers, enthusiasm and harmony.
When the meeting was called to
order Hon. Andrew Edmiston was
called to preside, who introduced as
the first speaker Hon. Louis Bennett,
who was followed by Senator Owen
and others. Mr.. Bennett said:
Mr.. Benefits Speech.
! thank you for this expression of
your good will. That SO many en-
thusiastic people from all parts of
the State should assemble at this
place on this occasion speaks vol
umes for the cause that brings them
together. 1t tells of the great inter-
est that is being taken in the polit-
ical issues now before us, both State
and National, issues upon which the
two great parties have taken stand
in their respective platforms, and
now call upon the people to decide
Upon these issues the Democratic
platforms are clean cut and well de-
70
declared to be the most perfect dec
3D. on of principles ever promulgat-
Neither of them have lodged a
issue. And no Democratic
hinee has found it necessary after
their PRONUNCIATION to add to them
peither plank or personal opinions on
issues expressly voted down in con-
vention such as Judge Taft has found
it necessary to make in reference to
the election of United States Sena-
tors by direct vote of the people,
and to publicity of campaign contri-
buttons which they now promise to
make after the election" And no
Democrat has found it necessary to
add planks such as the committee of
the Regular" Republican party of
this State added to their state plat
form after they read those planks in
the Democratic platform in reference
to a better elective franchise, and
that plank in the Lincoln" Republic
can party platform denouncing our
United States Senators.
1t is not my intention at this time,
to discuss, except incidentally, eth
er national nominees or national is
sues. Both parties have placed at
the head of their national tickets
men of the highest personal stand
ing and ability, and these nominees
will stand or fall, not SO much upon
their personality as upon the great is
sues that are set forth in their plat
forms, and upon their own political at
titude toward them and toward the
people. These issues are really
not so widely divergent in pretense
as they are in fact, for Democracy
has been so persistently and so forci-
bly, presenting its views that the DOM
inant party has seen the hand writ
ing on the wall and, recognizing now
as safe and sure what was formerly
anarchistical, they have either now
pretended to adopt them outright as
their own or promised to do so "after
the election" And on all sides YOU
hear of reform and amendment.
But the people know that practically
every law upon cur statute books has
been put there by the party now in
power, and if these laws are now
found to be so bad that new ones
must be enacted and old ones amend
:. ed, these people intend that they will
see to it that it be done by those who
will have the best interests of the
people at heart when they do it.
The Republican party has long
been in complete control of every de-
partment of our government, and not
having revised these laws before
this time, as they might and should
have done, the people may well doubt
their sincerity when they now prom
ise to do so after the election .
But no one doubts the sincerity of
the Democratic party when they say
that If placed in power they will en-
deavor to do equal justice to all peo-
pie and to all interests alike, and to
this end they will enact and revise
our laws so as to carry out the doc.
trines pronounced in their platform.
Among all of these laws that are to
be revised, know of none that needs
1t more than our tariff law. The
very idea that a government can
exact more money from its people
than is necessary to meet it's ex-
penses when economically admins
tered,-that under the guise of pro-
lection it can turn over to manufac-