The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-11
SMITHS SPEECH ON SILVER.
HE DIDN'T USE THE EXPRESSION
LIVINGSTON ALLEGES.

Men whose Names We're signed 10
the card Affirming the Accuracy OF
Congressman LivinEstOn's Charge
Now Admit That They Were Mis-
taLen-Mayor Harris of COrdele
Among Those Who Put IA Different
Phase ON the story rs Originally
Told.
Atlanta. Ca. oct lO-CIaude y. Ben
nett. ex-private secretary to Secretary OF
the Interior Hoke smith. in three-coi-
unn article in the Journal this afternoon,
gives the result OF his Investigation q
the story put in circulation by Congress
man Livingston 90 the effect that the
secretary I'm his Cordele speech, or Just
after il. had made use of the remark. =
am in favor Of the free and unlimited
coinage Of silver at the ratio of 10 10 ] to-
day. but. boys. we can't get it,"
Mr.. Bennett spent several days in Cor
dele working up a refutation Of the ca
nard. for that is what his Investigation
has proven it to be, and his publication
to-day shows that il was made by the
congressman from the Fifth district, or
some Of his friends out Of the whole cloth.
Some DAYS after the story appeared IN
print. when ii was shown to Secretary
Smith here. he said it was too ridiculous
10 need notice or denial from him. Col.
Livingston on the following day, however,
IN an interview in the Constitution, reit-
Grated il and following this up that paper
published a statement signed by nineteen
citizens Of Cordele who claimed TO have
heard the speech and who certified TO
the veracity of Col. Livingston.
When he went to Cordele Mr.. Bennett
called upon these gentlemen. and many
of them authorized the publication of
statements that show that nothing was
further from their intentions than to Gre
ate the impression that the Secretary OF
the Interior was at heart free sllVerite,
and only playing the roll OF SOUND money
man. Some of those who were purported
10 have given Col. Livingston's story con-
firmation, say plainly that they were mis-
led as 70 the use that was to be made
of their signatures.
]. Z. Bivens, the man who circulated
the card for the signatures of the nine
teen men who signed II, refused TO make
a statement 10 Mr.. Bennett, while Deputy
Sheriff Shepherd saiG that he never sus-
pected that 1t was intended TO publish the
statement. He thought il was being got
ten up for the purpose OF teasing some
of the local sound money men.
Mayor Harris of the town of Cordele
also puts different phase on the state
ment so far as he is concerned, and J. A.
Perry says that he is sorry that he signed
IL, because he Is now confident that the
preston which Livingston attributed to
him.
G. L. Delle. prominent merchant
whose name was attached to the card
fatty denied that the secretary said that
ne was in favor Of free coinage at l6 to
], "but we can't get it," and many others
whose names are attached to the card
that was intended to sustain Congressman
Livingston, and prove the Secretary of
the Interior an idiot, gave cards and in
terviews on the same line, while about
fifty of the most prominent citizens Of the
town unite in the statement that they
heard the speech, but the secretary never
made use of such language as that put in
his mouth by Col Livingston, either in
the text of the speech or upon the plat
form after IT was over.
Besides this there are twenty other gem
tlemen who were on the stand during and
after the speech, who unite in the state
ment that Secretary Smith did not use the
expression out of which the free silverites
have made so much bogus capital. AL
together the refutation of the fake is so
complete that Congressman Livingston
will be apt to find himself in a hole that
even he cannot get out Of unruffied.