The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-28


financial panic. That platform was lu'
and elaborate indictment against enc
Republican party and its measures ~
reason OF this change was very obvious
They now hoped and expected, as tne
ONLY possible means OF success IN IMP
canvass. the aid and support OF me re
publican party IN Virginia. Ihat tnc -
publican party was responsive TOT
present condition Of the country 10 III
partial man could deny. 49,.
When MIR Cleveland retired rom w
Presidency on March Sd. 1879. said the
sneaker. the country was comparatively !"
. ,rosrerous condition, there was a sur
Minis i1 the treasury Of nearly SlVoVN'VOo'
~ ,,.lesl. and economically had DE ad-
oi,irfercd the government that he would
have been reelected In 1883. but Tor the
rorruptou fund raised by the Immaculate
1 yyapamakor. FOR which great service the
| latter was rewarded with the office OF
{ postmaster General. When Mr. Cleveland
/ returned 20 the Presidency on the lth Of
| rI4rch last. he found that the surplus IN
the treasury had been squaudered, an
existing deficiency Of S25.00)C0O, the reye-
nues OF the government insufficient 10
. meet its current expenses. times hard.
money scarce banks failing, great indus
tries PROSTATE and ruined. the country
suffering under severe financial distress,
diversity OF climate, where personal lib
erty was left free TO reap the reward Of
honest cNeruOn, and where a teemiHg soil
responded 10 every demand Of the hus-
bandman and the genial skies at every
season OF the year poured down abundant
showers 90 make this land the garden
and granary Of the world.
Judge Staples declared that TO the Nc
kinley tariff was due much Of the dis
tress and stagnatiOn IN business. lie
! showed, by clear and uuanswerable argu-
meut. the effect Of that tariff with its
prOhbitory duties and its odioug and
unjust determinations against all the
/ leading Industries OF the United states
except the great manufactures OF the
/ North.
IN dealing with the Sherman law, he
/ said that that measure had contributed
as much 90 the prevailing distress as any
( other cause. At the time it was passed
/ the friends Of the measure believed IL
! would enhance the price OF silver II did
have that effect temporarily, but 1t soon
/ passed away. and silver, under the opera
| tiOn Of the law, had been reduced to a
/ lower figure as compared with gold. than
! az any previous period Of our history.
The fundamental vice IN the Sherman
law. said the speaker, was that IL treated
silver as a mere commodity, 10 be pur-
chased and sold I'm market as such 1t
was not recognized by that act as money.
but as a mere chattel 10 be bartered
and sold as horses and cattle. and other
chattels. II was thus stamped by the
government with inferiority as compared
with gold, and had been so treated by
the world. 10 appeared that there had
| been delivered into the Treasury about
Sl470 600 worth of bullion, for which
silver certificates had been issued I'm pay
ment for circulation. But these certi-
/ ficateS, or notes were returned TO the
/ Treasury for redemption I'm gold. 10 also
| appeared that between the LIST OF May,
| 1892 and July. 1898. silver certificates
/ amounting to $j40000OO were issued in
! payment OF bullion. while during the same
1 period the enormous sum of $40 100000
/ was returned to the Treasury. and re-
! deemed I'm gold. II could thus be seen,
/ said the speaker, that while the bullion
| remained IN the Treasury uncoined the
/ notes Issued I'm payment for 10 added
/ but little to the circulating medium. The
| effect Of such a law was TO add existing
/ distress and embarrassment II was q
/ Republican law, conceived by the brain
! of John Shc@nan. an enemy 10 the coinage
/ Of silver, and was passed by Rcpubii-
J can Congress, and approved by Rcpubii-
/ can President. It's conception and birth
! death would be by the hands of q Demo-
/ cratic executioner. No Democrat, IN
! either house Of Congress, voted for it or
/ favored 81. I'm my opinion" said Judge
! Staples 1T ought TO have been promptly
/ and Internationally repealed IL was q
! bill for that purpose that promptly passed
a Democratic House Of Representatives
| by great majority. In the Senate, where
| the political parties were more equally
divided. il had met with some delay.
/ Senator Hin said. the other day in
! Brooklyn, that the flibustering was chiefly
| done by Republican senators from the
| mining states" Some Of the Democratic
/ senators from the SOuth-Major Daniel
| General Walthall. General Morgan and
/ others-favored the repeal Of the law, but
/ they thought II should be accompanied
| with a provision for the further coinage
/ OF silver 81 think they are mistaken"
| said the speaker, "a law so bad and so
! Injurious I'm it's effects ought TO be at
/ once stricken right from the records
! But 1 take no stock I'm the abuse to which
| these gentlemen have been subjected in
/ some quarters
! During the Confederate struggle, con-
| tinued Judge Staples when the South
/ was invaded by great armies, these men
! risked their lives in defence OF the rights
| and Independence Of the South Some
/ of them bore upon their persons scars
/ which would never fade. During the dark
days Of reconstruction, when the South
| was menaced by inconceivable peril
| these senators never failed or ninched
] I'm her defence. "And when I think of
/ what they did" said he "Of the anxious
| DAYS and nights they spent i'm defence
| of the South against that most Infamous
] OF all laws known as the Force Bill,
! and how at last they triumphed, when l
| think of what unfaltering champions of
! the Democratic party they have been,
| I would as soon denounce Robert r. Lee
/ for a mistake I'm a charge at Gettysburg
/ as TO denounce these honorcd representa-
! tives upon such a question as the uncon-
| ditional repeal of the Sherman bill"
judge Staples I'm conclusion. said that
| IL the people would but have patience
/ If they would but give them reasonable
time. the representatives in Congress
| would fulfil all the pledges. A bill for
/ the reform Of the tariff was already be-
fore a committee Of the House Of Repres-
| entatives. and would be reported al an
/ early day. He had no doubt that the bin FOR
the coinage of silver wOuli be passed 10y
| this CCl gress. and all the plaak5 in the
! Chicago platform would be moulded and
| fashioned into statutes and measures OF
relief which win build up and restore pros
perity for a distressing and unhappy peo-
ple. and re-establish the Democratic party
| with 0rmest confidence OF the country. Tie
| said ne took no stock in the abuse hcapec
| upon Nr Cleveland boy some members
| ~ the United states Senate. Mr. Clevc
| land was not his JUdge Staple5) choice
for the Presidency; but he was Demo