Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1894 — HARRISON HEARD FROM. [ARTICLE]

HARRISON HEARD FROM.

The Ex-President Talks to West Virginia Republicans. The Republicans of the Second West Virginia Congressional district never had as large a convention as the one that, Sept. 5, at Eikins, nominated Alston Gordon Dayton, of Barbour county, to run against Chairman W. L. Wilson for Congress. Ex-President Harrison arrived at 1 p. m. by special train from Cumberland with his daughter, Mrs. McKee, as the guest of ex-Seeretary Elkins. A committee was appointed to call on the ex-Presi-dent and inyite him to address the convention. When the committee escorted the distinguished visitor to the open-air convention there was a great demonstration. The ex-President said: I came here to this beautiful valley of the mountains to pay a visit to a citizen with whom I have been Very pleasantly associated. It was not expected that I should be called upon to address aQv public body, but when invited, I choose to come. You are assembled to discharge an important public duty and I will not, there* fore, detain you with any speech. This district will be before all eyes this autumn, This contest is not locsl. It happens that your present representative has been assigned to prepare the tariff bill and has at-' tached his name to it. It is, therefore, expected that his conduct will be subtected to severe and careful- scrutiny. Jnfortunately the proclamation has been made by President Cleveland and Mr. Wilson that the tariff bill is not a finalityj but that this distinctive warfare is to go on. If you approve this, show it by re-, turning Mr. Wilson to Congress, but if, on' the other hand, you have felt the effects of the depression, if you think more of those you prefer to lead the country through the slough of despondency, show it by defeating him. I can not; say much of the last administration—delicacy forbids me to say much of this—but if you consider the heads of Departments and subordinate officers, you will see that there was an attempt to act for the best interests of all the people. I cart not say how far we have succeeded, but only that we have done the best we could do. If the people at the elections this fall condemn the recent action on the tariff, we shall have an end of tariff tinkering, When the tide of emigration started from the seaboard it returned to Ohio and the interior valleys, but now it is toward West Virginia. Now the spring of commerce is coursing through your fertile valley. The pick and shovel are busy. Is this a time with the cheap ocean rates to br Ingl nto com pet ition wi th your prod - nets the cheap coal of Nova Scotia? I speak as a patriotic American, who feels an interest in the honest people. To your judgment by the quiet November firesides this question must be settled, and may you have the courage to do your duty. 1 thank you for your attention and hope that you will immediately nominate tne best man. Ex-President Harrison was received vyith enthusiasm and his brief speech favorably commented on by other speakers. He was freely applauded at various points.