The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-11
DU BlGNoN MAKES HIS DEBUT.
HE ENTERS THE SENATORIAL RACE
ASA SOUND MONEY MAN.

A Magnificent Audience Crowds the
Hall of the House of Representa-
tives to Hear His Speech-Frequen
Applause Tells of the Audiences
Concurrence in the Views OF the
Speaker - His Speech Delivered
Under the Disadvantage Due TO
Recent Illness.
Atlanta, Ga, Dec. 1O.-Hon. Fleming du-
Bignon's address before the legislator
tonight was an able argument for sound
money. AS his first public discussion of
the financial question in the light Of POS
sible future senatorial honors. the speech
attracted wide attention. Prominent pol
itcians from all parts of the state IN
Guiding a large delegation of his savan-
nah friends and admirers, and the repre-
sentatives and senator's, almost to man,
occupied their seats, despite counter at
fractions and the fact that they have been
working day and night three sessions
daily for a week past. The galleries were
packed and standing room Oh on
1t was an audience that would
have been a compliment TO any man,
and throughout the most hearty applause
was bestowed, showing that the speaker
and his subject had the full sympathy
of his hearers.
Mr. duBignon has been unwell for some
time past and was weak and nervous to-
night. He spoke only an hour on this
account, but in that time he placed him
self squarely on record as opposed to Tree
coinage of silver at the 16 TO l ratio ana
logically showed the reason OF his posi-
ton. He was in favor of double stand
ard but only when supported by other
nations The gold standard, or sound
money, he argued, was in the interest OF
the f me Nm d Tfh eoua e fsKe
in his enfeebled condition was a severe
tax to his strength ana Immediately after
his speaking he was driven to his hotel
and put to bed under the advice Of his
MIR. duBignon, after making his ac-
acknowledgements to the legislature for the
invitation to address it in joint session,
said that every government, republican
in form and character, is necessarily a
no other way, except through the me
dunn of parties could good purposes on
the part of citizens be made effective.
He then proceeded to say that the plat
form of party is the soul and substance
of the party, and that in the platform must
we look for the party faith: He , ridi-
that the votes of the members of con-
gress constitute the policy of the demo-
last congress as an illustration.
Mr.. duBignon said that he knew his
views on the financial question are not
shared by many of his closest. personal
and political friends. He believed that
they are conscientious in their opinion, as
must rest He deprecated the spirit and
temper in which the financial question
had been discussed. both on the stump
and through the press. He said that It
is grave and important question, not
only involving the unity of the democratic
party, but the prosperity or the whole
wisdom and not in passion; that 1t is a
question upon which men might honestly
differ, and upon which they have differed
ever since the agitation of the subject;
that in other sections of the union, where
local surroundings are different, it might
be carried beyond party lines, but that
here it should. and must be, settled in
the counsels of the democratic party; that
the mission of the. democratic party COM
prehends too much to be abandoned on
account of any single issue, he cared not
what that issue might be.
He then proceeded to examine the va
rious platforms adopted by the democratic
party in national conventions since the
war, and he showed that in no platform
had there been a demand made Tor the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at
any arbitrary ratio. He said that when
ever the party had spoken on the subject
1t had always insisted upon preserving a
parity between the two, and the full
power of every dollar coined in all the
markets of the world; that the element
in the marty which demands the free
and unlimited coinage of silver might be
divided into two classes; one that hon
estly thinks that the recoinage of silver
by the United States would restore the
bullion value of the metal, and thus make
It possible to preserve parity between
the two; the other class demands 1t ir-
respective of the effect its coinage might
have upon the value of the bullion. Their
argument Is that the gold supply of the
world is insufficient for the demands of
commerce; that. in consequence, gold
must appreciate in value and correspond
ingly deRress and lower the value of all
other commodities and products. Reply
ing to the first argument that the recoin-
age by this government would restore the
value of silver, he said that we are not
rfsaf Hsar.Ta
are informed by experience and should
not insist on being taught by disaster.
He said that when silver had been prac-
tcaIIy discarded by the civilized world,
and all the mints of Europe closed
against it, the United States came for
ward and boldly attempted TO save the
sinking metal. He then went into a re-
view Of the Bland-Allison act of 1873, its
operation and effect, and demonstrated
mat the act did not restore the value Of
styer as was claimed by his friends, nor
end the dollars coined and the certificates
Issued circulate freely among the people:
mat under the operations Of
Ierent ports Of collection, which had for
merly been almost entirely paid In gold
ana gold certificates, were largely paid
IN silver. 50 that the silver accumulated,
unrepresented by certificates, in the treas
ury, and the bullion value of the metal
went steadily down.
Mr. duBignon then proceeded 10 exam
me the act of 1880, known as the Sherman
law, ana showed that this act had Ut
10y Antte4 OF lth purpose ana tnat un-
der II the treasury was filled with silver
QnWanted by the public. which Is king
aead and idle in the vaults Of The treas
He next proceeded 20 discuss the
SITUATION throughout the world al
ne time Of the passage Of
ine act Of 1873 about which. h.
said we hear so much. lie showed
mat az that time there was no silver IA
CIRCULATION Ia this country, as n had been
practically demOnetized 81 the act u lgs
fsfaFN 40 IH @
were grown men in this country who had
Nstef seen q silver dollar