Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-01
/ ROUSING MEETING
Held By the Bridgeport Democrats.
Last Night.

Splendid Addresses Delivered by
Hon. John 0. Pendleton and NJ. F.
Dryden - Pend,-ton at Martins
Ferry-A Magnificent Club Meet
ing at Bellaire-The Bryan Silver
Club-General Local Politics.
One Of the largest and most enthusi-
astic meetings ever he'd in this vicinity
was held at Bridgeport last evening, at
which Hon. John o. Pendleton and Mr..
NJ. F. Dryden delivered the most able
addresses on the free and unlimited
coinage of silver that not only Dem
ocrats, but their Republican friends
have heard for long time. The TWO
gentlemen for two and half hours
poured forth the plan, unvarnished
truth on tho money question n man
ner that caused cheer after cheer 10
rend the ar from the threats of the ad-
aerents Of Democracy and free and I'M
limited coinage Of silver that made cold
chiils run down the backs OF Their OPP
ponenJs.
The meeting from beginning to end
was a pain one. There was no music
and red fire needed to attract the aJten-
ton OF the people, bu, they were there
just the same.
Shortly before eight O'Clock the speak
ers OF the evening mounted the plat
form near the corner Of Pike and Bank
streets n company with several prom
inent Democrats of the town. Every
South was made chairman OF the meet
ing, and he, after a short speech con-
corning the present condition OF the
country and the cause that produced it,
introduced Mr. NJ. F. Dryden.
Mr.. Dryden, after few preliminary
remarks, entered upon the money
issue in an expressive, forc.ble and illus
trative manner.
The campaign, he SAID, is a cam
paign Of the people and not of the poll
ticians. II is fight between the mass
eS and the classes. Silver, he stated,
was coined free and unlimited n the
early days of the history of the nation
and il was that money that Clothed 1t
and brought it up TO lis pace. In 1888
an acJ was passed providing for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver at the
ra-o of Is TO l. This act was passed
by some of the greatest statesmen OF
that time. Prior 10 1873 silver was at
a premium and il was then that one Of
Fhe greatest diabol!cal acts ever known
was passed, by which the money of our
country was contracted. Il was John
Sherman that engineered the bill
through Congress, and behind him were
the gold kings whose Golfers would be
filled by the effects Of the act.
They say it hurts TO tell the truth, but
I say let the truth be known. and in the
words of Shakespeare, IN speak
through hell gap and bid me nod my
tongue" John Sherman's name VII go
down through posterity as the Bene-
dict Arnold Of the Republics party.
While the Republican parry say that
a high protective tariff protects Ameri-
can labor, it only protects the classes,
while the masses continue to grow poor
err and poorer, and in the language Of
our grand leader, while protection has
SLAIN It's thousands. gold has slain its
Tens Of thousands" Your Republican
friends say We are all after sound mon
ey, and wha, they mean is to hear the
sound Of it as it drops in the rich mans
pocket.
The Chicago platform as endorsed
by true Democracy is the best platform
ever put before the people, and as sure
as God lives and re.gns william Jen-
nings Bryan will be elected President,
and then the masses OF the people will
shake off the letters with which they
are now bound. and, coming from out
the dark they VII start on their march
OF prosperity Mr.. Dryden closed his
speech here and gave way to Mr.. Pen
dIetOn, who was introduced 10 the audi
ence by Chairman South. He being un-
able to speak well from the stand he took
his position on a chair in the door Of
the Imperial Hote!.
He jumped upon his subject rough
shod, showing up the Republican party
in their attempts to hoodwink the peo-
pi5 On Ia money question.
II IS always customary in campaign
10 say in every speech that this is the
most important that has been, but this
campaign I think without doubt is
the most important campaign there
ever was in cur history.
In the past thirty years there has bssn
more wealth built up in this country
than in any other country in the same
time. When cur Republican friends
tell you this is the richest country
thsre ever was they speak the truth
but why it is with our gigantic wealth
that the American people are discOl-
tented and are demanding a mighty
change all over the country? 1. IS be-
cause Of the unfaiihful and unscrupu-
lous legislation that has b-en passing
money from The hands Of the poor into
the pockets Of the r.ch; il IS the revolt
of the people against this condition Of
things. and if the people want to see
tins chang they will march Bryan and
Sewal to the White House like a cy-
clone.
Every act on the statute books of the
United States that has been passed I'M
der r publican legislation has been ia
yoring the classes OF the people.
Democracy has not proclaimed tariff
as an issue of me campaign, but they
have claimed the money question IS
the issue. The Republicans tell you
that the hard times of the past four
wears have been caused by the repcal
O. II, Mckinley bill by the Democrats.
Why Fl IS DreDosterOus to think Of such