The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-05
Declares That Neither in Vir-
ginia nor in New York Is
There Free Press.
UNsAvORY GENIUS OF RYAN
South Brought Into Range oil
Baneful Forces, Which
Threaten Anarchy.

a. Randolph College and who
is now with the Chicago University
made political speech here to-day.
under the auspices Of the Virginia
State Democratic Leagu. he attacked
the integrity OF the press and as
sailed presen, political conditions IN
virginia. North Carolina and the
South. He said:
"Fellow-ci,!zens.-It is a good thing
on this Fourth of July 10 meet to-
gether here near the birthplaces of
Patrick Henry and Henry Clay to con-
slider earnestly the problems which
confront us as State and as ma
ZION. Virginia gave birth to the great
Declaration of Independence. cele-
brated all over the world to-day. and
Virginians ought to be the last to
6ive up its ideals or surrender nat
ural pride In the life and work OF it's
author. Let us, then. came back to the
good cid custom which the Civil 'Ynr
broke down and do homage to the
great men who made our nation by
seeking to improve it and perpetua:e
the principles on which It was found
ed
In this day of strife and turmoil.
OF restless discomfort and longing
throughout the North and West after
something better. the South is looked
TO never before to offer to the ma
ton the leaders and the Ideals which
shall save 1t from the grave dangers
which stand In the way. great Civil
War was fought by the North for the
sake OF overthrowing slavery. But
within half a century the North is
confronted with a slavery of white
men almost. IL not quite. bad as
that which once held the African slave
m y lah
Pennsylvania. and in Illinois a very
few men. not more than a dozen have
seized upon the property of the coun-
try. and hold the real power of the
nation in such firm grasp that no man
is safe. These captains OF industry"
have made our tariff laws. controlled
our national administrations and our
Federal courts. They have made al
liances with our party machines; they
act upon legislatures and governors
through the bosses. and the under
world in every great city. the lawless
element. is In close affiliatlon with
these bosses. who use them for their
own purposes. first. TO carry elections
against decent citizenship. and. sec
ond, to give them the power. for the
which the interests pay literally. Thus
the decent and self-respectinG citizens,
the owner OF small properties the
cultivator OF the soil. has no voice in
taxation. no representation in legisla-
lures, State or national Only the
man OF great riches who can buy leg
!slation. or the boss who panders to
vice and organizes the ignorant and
the helpless into solid voting masses.
has any actual power in our country.
Condition OF Unrest.
This state of things is what has
brought the decent people OF the
-
rest. And the shameful manner in
which the last Congress, especially the
Senate, enacted tariff law which was
designed 10 rob the weak everywhere
in favor OF the strong: the way the
Senate haunted public decency in the
face and declared Senator Lorimer. the
worst OF our bosses. an innocent and
injured man these things have
brought our affairs to a head and
House. 10 which all look with hope
and longing. And 1t must be said that
the able Southerners who are leading
this House deserve the confidence and
respect of the nation. Underwood of
Alabama; Kitchin, OF North Carolina,
and Jones. of Virginia, are regarded as
honest men and statesmen. who will
yet undo the shameful work OF 1909.
II is with hope and confidence that
men in all the North. Republicans like
Merriam, in Chicago. and La Toilette.
OF Wisconsin, look TO Woodrow Will
son. of New Jersey. to lead in the
coming era. You cannot imagine how
this feeling is revolutionizng old Re-
publican districts like that In which
live. districts which have not re-
| turned A Democratic majority since the
days OF Stephen a. Douglas. 1t Is a
positive Joy to a progressive Demo
crat like myself to see how men are
changing their views how they return
once again to the Democratic South to
save the nation from the awful con-
dition into which great wealth. I'M
justly distributed. has plunged us.
Now. when we turn our eyes to this
old South. which has always stood for
low tariff or free trade. re-
rich to vote honestly: region
where men have always boosted that
their State governments were models
of decency and economy, region
where almost all white men have hon
ored the great Nebraska reformer.
who has been pioneer in most OF
the forward movements OF our time.
what do we find? A condition which
calls for all the courage. all the pa
| tience and resolute purpose Of which
virtuous people are capable
THE great capitalists have been
busy with us. too. They have seized
or stolen valuable properties like the
seaboard Railway. the Georgia Cen
trail. and the Southern. Thomas F.
Ryan, one OF the worst OF the Wall
Street gang, has more power in Vir-
ginia to-day than any Governor you
have had in a dozen years. He intimi
dates your legislators, he subsidies
your party organizations. The Goulds
have got possession OF the trolley sys-
tenn in and about Richmond. and the
representative of these properties has
more power in Washington than any
Virginia member of Congress. In
Georgia ]. P. Morgan dictates terms
to the people through his agents. who
were actually able two years ago to
elect the Governor of the State And
all over the South the Southern Rail-
, way threatens. busters and domineers
and small Congressman tremble be-
o.