The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-26
MUST NOT BECOWARDS
Chief Justice Martin Says For First
Time in History
KANSAS REPUBLICANS ARE AFRAID

To Take Up the silver Issue Boldly
and COuraSeOusIy-Meet OF the
Republican silver Conference.
Chief Justice David Martin of the
Kansas supreme court ia speech before
the Republican silver conference at the
Copeland last night, said the Republicans
of Kansas have assumed q cowardly at
titude on the money question.
Chief Justice Martin said: "Kansas
never was accused of displaying cow
ardice before, and she never did act cow
ardly until the money question was
| reached. I regret to say that it is only
too true, that she is playing the coward
at this time. It ought not to be.
"Kansas is always looked to as leader
! and she ought not to be behind at this
time
1--WE will never have any continued
prosperity until we place silver where it
/ was prior to 1873 l am in favor of sill
yer without consulting any other nation,
and 1 am satisfied that a great majority
of the Republicans of Kansas agree with
| me-
"The thing to be done now is to or
| ganize this sentiment among our peo-
pie"
The Republican silver conference, cali
ed by Captain P. H. Coney of Topeka
and A. l. Sponsler of Hutchinson. was
not gigantic affair, but it WAS an inter-
| esting conference, and the initial steps
we're taken towards organizing the silver
sentiment in the Republican party of
Kansas.
| The out-of- town Republicans who were
present at the conference were Chief
Justice David Martin of Atchison, Tim
Mccarthy of Larned, s I. Hale of La
| Crosse, NJ. d. Mcdonald of Cottonwood
! Falls and A. l. Sponsler of Hutchinson.
| Among the local Republicans present
were P. II. Coney, A. B. Jetmore. N. d.
Mckinley, w. II. Hornaday and a half
! dozen newspaper men besides dozen or
more Republicans who were in the room
| a short time but who did not participate
| in the conference. Among the latter
were P. /. Bonebrake, Geo. w. Vesle and
N. G. Mcfarland
! In opening the meeting P. II. Coney
stated that the object of issuing the call
| for this conference was to prevent free
coinage Republicans from going off with
| the other silver crowd which had called
| a meeting.
Colonel A B. Jetmore said, "The sill
| yer question is with US and ii won't
down. It will be better for the party to
fight it out before its conventions than
al the polls.
EAs a Republican I am in favor Of sil-
yer internationally if we can get it, but if
it is good thing / am in favor of it,
| anyway.
II am sometimes asked if I am in
favor of a 81 cent dollar, but l always
silence my goldbug questioner by ask
ing him if he is in favor of a 100 cent
dollar.
~ don't owe any man dollar in the
world, so that l can't be accused of want
ing to pay nv debts in this way. am
| for the unrestricted coinage of silver be-
cause 1 believe it is good thing for the
people"
Tim Mccarthy said: ~ am in favor of
the free coinage of the Am sricAn pro-
| duct of both gold and silver at the ratio
| of 16 to l."
Mr.. A L sponsler said: "Seven-tenths
of the southwestern Kansas Republicans
are in favor of the free coinage of silver
at the ratio of 16 to 1, although they
differ as to the question OF coming the
American and foreign product l am in
! favor of the unrestricted coinage of sill
yer. and am in favor of working out our
salvation through the Republican party.
! II don't believe in the organ cation OF
a new party. God knows we have had
enough of that in Kansas"
| AT the conclusion of the other speech
| es MIR. Coney said: "oilver was the money
of the world from the time Abraham
purchased burial ground of Ephron ia
Bethel for four hundred pieces Of silver,
| standard money with the merchant
down to 1873, and silver is good enough
for me-"
The conference got down to business,
and un the motion of Mr.. Jetmore it was
decided TO appoint state silver commit
tee, to be composed of Republicans, one
from each congressional district and five
at large. The committee was then Sc
lected as follows:
First District-A ]. Felt. Atchison.
Second District-E H. Funston, lola
Third Dlstrict-J. v Beekman, Ar
| kansas City.
Fourth Distrlct-M. NJ Mcdonald,
Cottonwood Falls.
Fifth Distr ct-J G. Mohler, salina
Seventh District-A- L Sponsler,
Hutchinson.
At Large-P Il. Coney, Topeka; c. Y.
Eskridge, Emporia; Milton W. Brown,
| Garden City; A B. Jetmore, Topeka; Ed
P. Greer, Winfield
1t will be the business of this commit
tee to take charge of the silver movement
among the Republicans of Kansas and
issue an address or call silver Repub-
| lican convention or take whatever action
| may be deemed best. The committee
will meet in Topeka, Thursday, July II,
for organization.
| Tna II NRSy A. MY n NJ r, ~