The San Francisco call., 1895-07-17
NOTED PERSONS PRESENT
Champions of the Rival Metals
Made Heated but Telling
Arguments.
COINS: SCHOOL" WAS SCORED.
During the Debate the Speakers
Had Hard Work to Preserve
Their Tempers.


Their Tempers.
CHICAGO, ILL, July 16.-Two men met
in little room at the Illinois Club this
afternoon, and began spirited contest OF
National moment, one fighting for silver
and the other for gold, with all the intel
lectual powers, facts and authorities at
their command. One of them was Roswell
G. Horr, once member of Congress from
Michigan, now an editorial writer on the
New York Tribune, and the other was w.
III. Harvey of Chicago, author of "Coin's
Financial School" Mr.. Horr championed
the cause of gold, while Mr.. Harvey threw
down the gauntlet for silver.
The privilege of being present at this
momentous contest was accorded to few.
There were seats for about 200 persons in
the assembly-room of the clubhouse, but
only little over half that number were
present. Ex-Congressman ]. G. Sibley of
Pennsylvania, a leader of the free-silver
forces in the East, occupied a prominent
seat.
He will remain during the debate unless
business engagements prevent. A promi-
ucllL dQNOCdlC VI luc SOlQ SIduQdIu WAS ~
B. Humphrey, secretary of the National
League of Republican clubs. Others pres
ent were w. W. Meagher of the Bimetallic
League; Lyman J.. Gage, referee for Mr..
Horr; Fred w. Peck and A. II. Revel of
Chicago, L. @. Powers of st. Paul, DR.. S.
A. Robinson of New York and Charles H.
Sergel of Chicago. The last three acted as
advisers to Mr.. Horr and sat by his side
taking copious notes while Mr.. Harvey
spoke. Mr.. Harvey consulted little with
anybody. He brought with him great
pile of authorities for the purpose of SUBJ
stantiating statements made in his book,
to which he frequently referred.
A man with watch sat at a table near
the speakers, and whenever one had
spoken eight minutes he would rap loudly
on call bell. This gave the speaker
| warning that he had two minutes more to
! conclude his statement. By these stages
of ten minutes each the speakers will pro-
ceed for eight days. using only the after
| moons and resting Sundays.
DR.. Homer Thomas, president of the
Illinois Club, called the assemblage to
order, briefly setting forth the objects of
the debate. He introduced Hon. II. G.
Miller and ex-Judge William A. Vincent,
both of Chicago, who, he said, would be
| judges, and at the conclusion of the con-
troversy would decide which had the best
! of the novel debate.
| Mr.. Miller then read the rules which are
to govern. 1t was, he said, the intention
| of the speakers to deliver altogether
| lao, 900 words. OF these, 5000 are to be re-
served for use at the end of the discussion.
This will give each chance to recapitu-
late his argument in 2500 words, and 300
words additional will be allowed each con-
testant as rejoinder to his adversary's
closing argument. Mr.. Miller stated that
the whole discussion was copyrighted, and
that while it would be given the widest
publicity through the press, it was the in
tention of the principals to preserve the
debate as private property and issue it in
book form.
The debate was started by Mr.. Horr,
who referred to the author of "Coin's
Financial School, with some severity. He
said he never read book containing so
many misstatements.
Mr.. Harvey in his opening statement
contented himself with presentation of his
plan of campaign and told what he would
prove. MIR. Horn wanted to know why the
names of prominent citizens had been
used in Mr.. Harveys book and words put
into their mouths that they had never
used. Harvey replied his book was simply
an allegory and the fact that little boy
was put in as teacher ought to be enough
to prove to any sensible person that this
was so.
The speakers plunged at once into the
thick of the fight. The argument at all
times was very spirited and both speakers
several times had hard work to preserve
their tempers. Following is synopsis of
the arguments this afternoon:
After criticizing Mr.. Harvey's un-
authorized use of Chicago business mems
names. attributing to them statements
which they never uttered, merely for the
sake of allegory, instead OF using the names
of fictitious persons, Mr.. Horr said:
'Now l come to the motto of the book,
which is this: I thank thee, 0 Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because thou
hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent and hast revealed them unto
babes I would like my friend to tell
me why he used that motto. Does he de-
sire to intimate that the kind of finance
which he teaches is something that babes
will understand, but that people who
know anything will never be able to COM
prehendi
''Of course 1 cannot conceive what the
object of the motto is, but the motto