Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-20
afterwards. I wrote TO the State Com
mittee and told them IL they would put

afterwards. wrote 10 the State Com
mittee and told them IL they would put
my name IN the primaries and make my
election to the Senate an issue in the cam
paign for the Legislature believed couid
win. They agreed to do 1T. They thought
would get about ninety votes. 1 was
sure would get 1903, and that was enough
10 win. / got all but two Of the 1903, and
those two we're Alliance men"
In this oH-hand way the Senator speaks
OF his last wonderful canvass for the sena.
torship something heretofore unheard OF
in polities. IL ia the first time on record
that senator has been to all intents ana
purposes elected directly by the people,
Tor that IL what 1t amounted to, the
entire legislative canvass turning upon
Senator Palmer's candidacy for the
United States Senate. The balloting at
Springfield was one of the most exciting
political events OF the State. IL lasted tor
DAYS. The party feeling was intense. Men
at times quite lost their heads and several
fist fights occurred. No less than 1853 bal
lots were taken without result. Then 1t
was that the two Farmers Alliance men
cast their votes with the Democrats ana
Senator Palmer was declared elected.
Springfield that night simply went mad
with ioy, Brass bands, bonhres, and
cheering. bowling professions kept the
streets a pandemonium until broad day
light. The excitement throughout the
State was almost as great. Senator fai-
mer was sWamped with invitations TO go
everywhere and TO make speeches to every
BODY. His letters of congratulation came
to him by the bushel. IL was one OF the
most singular and overwhelming tfluinPn'
in all his stormy history.
TIE TARIFF AND SILVER.
as IN the tariff" said the old veteran,
slowly rubbing his hands up and down his
knees. as he sat bolt upright With legs
rather wide apart. as to the tariff, | sup
pose | am about as near to being
a free trader as you can get. what
ia more absurd than for great nation
to be held in the leading strings OF
narrow tarIf policy, We have re-
sonrces enough to invade the commerce
of the world instead of shrinking from 1t.
With the capital of the world at our COM
mapd and matchless resources, all the talk
for the tariff is the sheerest nonsense. The
old idea of protection IS absurd and we
have outprown it. We have cast aside our
swaddling-clothes and should begin an
aggressive policy"
There is no hedging in that talk. but
there 10 in IL the sturdy old warriors ring
inc bugie blast OF aggression, always az
erosion. On the silver question, the very
mention of which sends 80 many politicians
gknlking TO cover, he is equally fiat footed
I'm 1874. when / advocated hard-money
platform. / said ! was in favor of the free
coinage Of gold and silver. But that was
on the assumption that gold and silver
were of equal value. am IN favor OF the
free-coinage of silver when, and only
when. IT Is of the same value with gold.
With SILVER at ninety-two cents, as II Is
now. am not in favor OF Its tree coinage;
We have got S3OO.OOO,OOO OF IL no" pleu
mn that we can't get rid OF. | am not In
favor of the Bland bill. either. That is
not even a ree-silver-colnage measure, IL
is a measure enabling people 20 dump their
silver and take away silver notes IN place
of IL -