The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-13
STREET TALK.
MATTERS CLEANED BY THE STATES
MAN GOssIPER YESTERDAY.
The Republicans Should be Made to Face
This silver Business squarely - Gas
Lights Racial Sweet Memories
to the Old Sport.

"Say," said a gentleman yesterday
sit is about time the lie was given
that claim of the Republicans that the
Sherman silver purchase act was
passed to prevent free coinage law
by the Fifty-tirst congress. Tbs Re-
publicans have treated this matter
from partisan standpoint. When
the agitation of repeal first began to
make itself felt they avowed their in
tentions to obstruct action by the
Fifty second and get the Democrats
in hole. They did this know, and
what their opinions on the matter are
don't care snap. Since we got in
power they have continually tainted
us because we have not repealed the
law and have laid all the blame for
the hard times as our doors.
When YOU remind them that Re-
publican congress and Republican
president made and signed the law,
they tell you they were compelled to
do this in order to save the country
from the passage of free coinage act.
they virtually admit in this conces-
sion that in order to keep Republican
ism from plunging into free coinage
they tied themselves up in the
stable with Sherman rope. The
matter in nut shell is simply that
the Republicans wished to save the
silver states to their party, and did
not care committing themselves on the
free coinage question on the eve of a
national election Furthermore the
Republican platform of 1883 contained
an attack on Cleveland for his views
on currency. There object in this at
tack was to hold the silver states to
their Republican allegiance. 1t had
the desired effect, and in the next
congress the silver men requested
their reward, threatening to quit the
ranks unless they got it. The Sher'
man bill was passed to hold these
men In the Republican party. 1t will
be repealed this time and the silver
men can 90 to Guinea if they don't
like it.
wv
"My thoughts 60 back yonder wher
see those gas lights" said an ole
sport last night. "They recall to me
very wildly the day of poor Ber
Thompson. All, me, what delight
that fellow used to take in going
round once or twice month and rip
ping the lights out with his six
shooter. He was high cock alorum o.
the walk at that time and NOBODY
dared say him nay. Austin was
hard town in those days. She nae
gambling bells and variety theateri
and the like world without end. They
like Ben Thompson, have all gone
from us. 1 would to heaven they
were back again, for though Ben wal
wild, and the gang were wilder, still
Austin was busy at that time. Yes
she was awful busy, and that is some
thing she is not at present L tel
YOU, when those bells were running
| here have seen as much as $1,000
change hands night. But L dom
think [ have seen or heard OF tina
much money since they shut up. Bel
Thompson was a kind hearted, who'll
8 nj man, even if he was gamble
and q desperado, and L have mysel
seen him give $50 and 500 to poor PEG
pie in one day. Well, we have tn
gas lights back, but we are minus gu
notorious Ben, and while this is bes
for the morals of the city, still be
lieve would like to live over at leas
once again the wild nights of lons
ago in Austin, when champagne, in
stead of beer, was drunk by the gal
Ion nightly"