Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-10-26
REMEMBER THE WILDCAT MONEY.


ElrOy is no exception to the rule in being
able to display people who remember with
no kind remembrance the wildcat money
days. Some of these persons with memo
rleS are farmers. Farmers were plenti-
tully mixed with railroad men in the audi
ence. The town was full Of them before
dark, and their teams were hitched all
along both sides of the main street. A
good many came to the meeting on the
evening train from Union Center and other
stations above and below here. and the
minute Mr.. SpOCner made the inquiry as
to whether any before him had any recOl-
lectionS of wildcat money there was a
chorus OF You bet we do,s' and 1--WE
don't want any more Of It," Mr.. SpOOner
did not wish to be understood as saying
that the bankers of Wisconsin are not
h0neSt men, and that the state banks here
are not founded on a sound basis, but he
merely and clearly showed how unsafe a
system Of currency issued from the state
banks was, by reason Of its liability to de-
preclate, and by reason of what past eXpe-
rience had plainly developed. sis there a
Democrat here who wants to return to that
system ?'' asked Nh. SpoOner. He paused
Tor an answer. but not a note Of assent
was forthcoming, and there were some
Democrats in the audience, too. Mr..
SpOOner told the people to ask the Demo
cratic speakers great and small who would
follow him in this place what they thought
about wildcat money which their platform
declared in favor of, for he said they would
never mention it unless asked about it.
THE ATKINLEY LAW.
1.-TWO years ago." said Mr.. SpOOner, "a
great many men in public life who had
voted for the Mckinley bill were elected
by the people to remain at home. The
Mckinley law had been enacted" he said,
lust previous to election, at a time when
it was hard matter to satisfy the people
as to its probable operation and its prlnci-
n 4
he was glad to-day he had voted for that
bill, for it had indicated itself. They had
told the people here as well as elsewhere
that wages would go down under the Nc
Kinley law, and had wages gone down
inquired Mr.. Spooner, and again there was
q pause for someone to make reply, but
there was no leply. Mr.. Spooner went on
further to ask if the people here had ever
known greater prosperity than during the
past year, and referred to the unprecedent-
ed demand for labor of all kinds in this
county OF Juneau. Some Of the audi
ence had evidently read Commissioner
Peck'S report, for they applauded when
mention was made of 1t. They can arrest
Peck" said Mr.. Spooner, ''but they cannot
arrest the prosperity OF our people under
the Mckinley tariff law"
When it came to talking ABOUT steel rails
the audience was right at home on the sub
ject. The people were enthusiastic in
their applause Of the statements of the
great amount of output Of steel rails from
American mills at cheaper figure than
would formerly have been dreamed Of,
thereby furnishing labor for whole armies
of American workmen, those who work in
the mills, the farmers whose products feed
them and the men who work on the lines
OF railroad that traverse the country from
one end to another, and are rapidly be-
coming more and more perfect network.
And what was to become of this law il
fhn ofo Of inf Ion nj
ton MI. SpOoner inquired. 1t was not
perfect.laW, and could be improved on
and remedied in defective points, but the
Democrats did not propose to remedy it or
reform any tariff. They were pledged by
their platform to repeal the whole pro-
tectlve system because they declare that
system to be unconstitutional, and Mr..
Spooner wanted to know if Grover Cleve-
land and Henry Watterson knew any more
about the constitution than George Wash
ingtOn and James Madison, who made the
constitution. There ought to be no dlvlS-
ion of parties this year, said Mr.. SpOOner
when the Democratic party was III favor
Of reducing American wages and paying
them in wildcat money.
SOMEWHAT PERSONAL.
After finishing his argument of the tariff
and money questions tonight, MI. SpOOne1
said he wished on this occasion to give
| some attention to a matter especially con-
| boldly attack the lies the Democratic
managers are circulating to prejudice peO-
| pie against him. In plain language he
stamped them as lies, lies Of the meaneSt
and most cowardly character. Il under
stand" began Mr.. Spooner, that an at
tempt has been made to excite opposition
to me, due to the fact that years ago | ar
gued in favor of the repeal of the cO-em
| plOye bill before committee OF the legIs
| lature. That is true, and | did it IN g
manly and honorable way, TO the best OF
my ability, and / did not draw the bill OF
cause it to be introduced, but went to at
que for it because my client ordered me tC
do IT, and | was an emplOye Of this road
just as much as any of you are, andI be
lieve in the sense Of justice of you men
What would you think of me as lawyer
if | refused to argue the case OF those wht
employed me? 1t was just as much my
duty as it is your duty to run your engine
on schedule time, or for your fireman u
| obey your instructions, and L argued thell
causes in ali the courts and in all place!
| from the supreme court Of the United
States down, because | was employed fol
that purpose, and if / had not they WOult
have hired some other lawyer, but within
a short time | have learned that they say
that in 1889 [ left my seat in the Unltet