Evening star., 1896-10-09
MR.. DAVIS WRITES.
He Accepts One of the Questions Pro-
posed by Mr.. Hutchlns.

posed Dy Mr. Hutchlns.
This afternoon Mr.. Henry &c. Davis sent
the following communication to Mr. Stilson
Hutchins:
when 1 invited you to the nov much
talkcd-of debate, my invitation was to
debate the free silver question: Your ac-
Acknowledgement of my invitation described
IT as being to debate the gold and silver
question: In my last communication to
You 1 stated as follows: I accept your va
riation of my invitation to discuss the free
coinage of silver
I'm your letter to me you introduced the
feature of the second a fact which made
it necessary for me to choose a represen-
tative instead of dealing with you as
had contemplated doing from the start.
As you know, the adoption Of this method
of coming to an understanding has not
had a felicitouS result; and as your repre-
sentative has retired and mine has ex-
pressed to me his willingness to do the
same, in order that the debate may not
miscarry; and. further, you have fur
nished your late representative communi-
cation which he has made public over your
signature, 1 take it that We may consider
the representative feature eliminated, and
I therefore address you directly.
when you appointed representative
with authority to meet one from me and
such meeting was had, our correspondence
udu all cduy you 10 ueDdle lDe
question of free silver, or the free coinage
of silver, or gold and silver: which last, be-
ing Interpreted in the light of our corre-
spondence. could mean nothing else than
that which l characterized in my first COM
munication to you as the burning question
now uppermost In the minds Of all In
your communication to Mr.. kalbfus, pub
lished in the press yesterday afternoon and
this morning, you give list of questions
which You express yourself as ready to de-
bate.
No one of these questions as stated by
you is in the form assumed in our cor
respondence, and did l not know your
genuine eagerneSS that the proposed debate
shall not miscarry, 1 might suggest that
Your list indicated a disposition to bring
our efforts to naught. Knowing, however
that such inference is wholly groundless,
and being inspired with like desire with
yourself to have the debate come off at the
time and place already mentioned. not
withstanding the unfortunate experience of
our late representatives. 1 accept the fol-
lowing question In your list, namely,
That silver and gold should have equal
rights at the mints. assuming that you
mean the mints of the United States. and
that by equal rights you mean that there
should be no discrimination in favor of
either metal in the matter of coinage.
Assuming that this is satisfactory to
you. am willing that the terms heretofore
agreed upon by our late representatives
shall remain unchanged; that is to say,
that the debate shall take place at Conven-
ton Hall Friday evening. October 16, at
o'clock; that admission shall be by ticket
OILY, the tickets to be equally divided be-
tween you ard ne, and no seats to be spe-
cially reserved, and that the meeting shall
b. under the presidency of Mr. A. T. Brit
ton, and, if he will not serve, then under
the presidency of some one else to be Sc
lected by us.
There remains but enc detail upon
which / must insist, namely, The order of
speaking shall be decided by lot: the first
c aQ tar q q L ham
follow for one hour, each to have q reply
of fifteen minutes in the same order. This
gives each an even chance of having the
first or the last word, and gives each an
opportunity to correct any possible misap-
prehension Of his position and to reply to
the arguments of his adversary. A fairer
scheme I cannot conceive.
This shall be my last word on this al
ready too protracted subject. If you will
meet me on the terms indicated, I will ex-
pect your prompt reply to that effect; il
you decline so to do, I will thank you to
make your reply equally prompt"