Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-10-07
A GREAT SPEECH.

Governor Swanson's admirable speech
at Surry Courthouse yesterday is the
aolest, as it is the most exhaustive. adj
dress that the campaign has yet brought
forth Indeed, it is so good and so COM
plete that it may well serve as Demo-
cratic handbook, both for voters and |
Tor the spellbinders that are to come |
after. 1t covers the field like blank
ct, and does it with a force and virilitv |
thoroughly characteristic of its author.
Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"A great speech, an admirable
speech?' Great and admirable in what?
Exhaustive? Yes, and so teemine with
misstatement of facts that it is WORTHY
of being adopted as a handbook by the
Virginia Democracy. AS it begins with
an arrangement of the great work done
by the Republicans during the years
ls7S-SO-S1-s2, it is modelled after the
speeches and handbooks of the Funder
Democracy, who made SANDER the basis
OF their Examinations. cit covers the
field like blanket?" The smile is ant.
For Governor Swanson has tried to
cover from view the truth with a pro-
duction that is such a bold misstate-
ment of facts that ignorance cannot be
pleaded in extenuation. The assault of
Governor Swanson upon three years of
Observation-Disclosures administration is
hlled with invective that is unworthy of
one who occupies the position of Cover
nor; and 1T is cruel and unwise in view
of the fact that he claims as his closest
personal and political friends men who
were identified with the Readiuster
movement. Speaking of the Readjus-
ter administration, when VIM. E Cam
eron was Governor. MIR. Swanson said:
1--WE saw the State lose great sums
of money by deposits made in insolvent
banks, which were extending benefits
TO those IN power. We saw all the pub
lie institutions of the State run for DO
ltical advancement of those in control.
We witnessed the attempt at infamous
legislation which was defeated by the
rebellion of only four State senator's"
Governor Swanson in this great
speech" (?) further declared that the
Democrats had taken charge of the f.
nances of the State when Readjuster
administration had made the treasury
bankrupt; when the State was unable
to pay its officials and teachers, when
Virginia's obligations and bonds were
almost worthless and that the Demo
cratic party had settled the State debt.
Now, we appeal to every intelligent
honest Democrat to say if the facts
were not the very reverse as they are
stated by Mr.. Swanson.
The Readjusters obtained control of
the Legislature at the November cleo
ton in 1879. On January l, 1880, after
the Democracy had been in control of
the finances of the State for nine years.
there was floating debt of 81, 500, 143
and only S22, 494 of available cash in
the treasury. The State debt was also
increasing at the rate of 81, 900, coo a
year, and under a taxation at the rate
of fifty cents on the 500.
On October l, 1888, after three years
administration of the finances by the
Readjusters and Republicans we find
there was in the treasury 81, 537, 2O5.
The Democrats got control of the f.
nances of the State in 1888, and on Oc-
tober /, 1884, with a single year Of
Democratic administration, the cash in
the treasury had been reduced to $942,-
SEA- reduction of six hundred thous-
and dollars in one year.
When Governor Holiday. the retir.
ing Democratic Governor, vacated Of |
fee he turned over to Governor Cam
eron bankrupt treasury, though the
Democrats had used the literary and
sinking funds, the public school funds
and had even given to the bondholders
the Lee monument subscriptions in Q
fruitless endssvor to rescue the treas
ury from bankruptcy. In less than two
years the Republicans and Readjusters,
with Cameron as their Governor, had
restored the large sums diverted from