Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-24
."STALWART DEMOCRACY"
That Is How to Characterize Two
Speeches
AT THE MAGNOLIA HALL
Felix Blackburn, Esq, and Hon. W. H. benson
Addressed 300 Attentive and Appre-
riatiye Listeners Last Night.


The meeting was presided over by Mr..
B. F. Roden, chairman of the club.
MR.. BLACKBURN'S SPEECH.
The first speaker was Mr.. Blackburn.
A large portion of his remarks were di-
rected to the discussion of the financial
question. He compared the value of Ia
Dor today with the present tax and even
the average prices paid for goods to those
of few years ago, showing that while
there was some depreciation in the price
of staples upon a whole there was little
difference in the prices, and while it may
be true that the laborer may get in some
instances equal pay as heretofore, large
number are out of employment and many
forced to work on half time.
our repu blican friends admit that the
country is in a bad fix but offer no re-
lief. When men are thrown out of en-
ployment your property and mine will
not be safe. These men will not see their
families starve without trying to prevent
it, even to the sacrifice of their honor, life
and liberty. Poverty is the mother of
crime. Go to the records and you will
find that the number of your paupers,
your lunatics and your criminals have
increased at the same ratio that your
money medium has decreased. If you
would have prosperous country give la
Dor employment. Give the people gold
and silver as money, as the same was en-
joyed by our fathers. and there will be
no break down. We have too much abili-
ty to save the government and not
enough of honesty. When I see the treas
ury of the United States turned into a
gold mint and an effort made to legislate
in the interest of Great Britain, l say
down with such treason.
Shall this country be run by it's money
or its people, is the question. Every syn
dictate, trust and combination of capital
are striving for the success of the repub-
lican party In this fight, and it is solely
for their own personal interest.
THE matchless Bryan begs the support
OF no trust nor for any mans vote who
does not believe he represents the best in
terest of the masses. Bryan stands for
the many, Mckinley for the few
Honest Americans can but agree that
an election carried to victory by such a
man as Mark Hanna and the trusts he
represents would be more disastrous
within itself than any monetary system
that might be adopted
The speaker here read the following
type written Letter, posted up in the Louis
vile and Nashville shops in this city. The
gentlemen obtaining the letter asked that
his name be kept secret, as he would lose
his job ifsit became known:
louisville and Nashville Railroad Co.,
"Office of Master Mechanic,
birmingham, Ala, Sept. "a, 1885,
"To all Foremen:
believing in the principle of sound
and stable currency, that will insure the
reception of the money of the country in
the markets of the world at it's face
value; and realizing that the first victim
of an unsound and unstable currency is
the wage Garner and producer; and
further,
Believing that any monetary system
is alike dishonest and calamitous that
would create a possibility of the dollar
paid to the wage Garner not being intrin-
sically, and in purchasing power, of the
full value of any and every other dollar of
the country, and so received in all mar
kets, at home and abroad; and further,
"Deeming 1t our duty during the pres
ent crisis affecting the monetary system
of the country, and so directly affecting
the interests of the wage Garner, and hav-
ing the interest of every employe and
working man at heart, as we'll as my own,
1 would ask that every employe attend
the sound money meeting at Seals hall
on Friday, September %, 1896, at p. m,
as l am satisfied we will all understand
the financial question better by doing So
&C. B, CLIFFORD,
master Mechanic"
Mr.. Blackburn said he knew Mr.. Clifford
personally, and that he is a nice clever
gentleman. That the letter was of an
official nature and bore on it's face the
fact that it was the work of superior Off
Gals.
To get at the true meaning, intent and
purposes of the letter the speaker read
the following as 1t appeared to the gen.
eral reader when read between the lines:
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Company--Office of Master Mechanic.
Birmingham, Ala. Sept "a, 1896.
ITO All Foremen:
believing in the principle of sound
and stable currency that will insure this
company the fruits of your labor at half
lii. &t.x.x 10 Rse t.
tins to suffer from currency that would
permit the wage-earner and producer to
remove his nose from the grind-stone and
receive higher prices for his labor and
products would be the corporations.
trusts and monopolies; and further. be-
lieving that any monetary system Is alike
dishonest and calamitous that would
create a possibility of giving all labor
employment, which would materially
operate against our interest, especially in
case Of strikes. and knowing that with
the free coinage of silver the wage-earner
would be paid with a dollar intrinsically
and in purchasing power of the full value
of any and every other dollar of the
country and would be so received in all
of our commissaries at home and abroad;
and further, deeming 1t our duty during
the present crisis which threatens to in
crease our pay rolls, and In which Amer
lean manhood is pitted against the COM
bined corruption fund OF the world, of
which we have contributed our pro rata,
and having every employe and working
man by the throat and desiring to hold
him there, / would ask that every en-
ploye attend the sound money meeting at
Seals hall on Friday. September 25 at
D. M, as / am satisfied that you all will
understand that it will be to your inter-
est to vote for William Mckinley
&C. B. CLIFFORD,
master Mechanic"
Referring to Palmer and Buckner. the
speaker said they are the offals of the
Chicago convention. After incubating for
awhile they were Matched out at Indian
apoiis, all the remaining eggs being
spoiled.
1.-The candidates of the Indianapolis
convention are OF few days and full of
wind.
Little Tommie Jones was at the hatch
ing. He carried Weber's band along with
him. but left the military behind, and,
thank God, he hasn't got control of the
military now.
II was walking down First avenue this
morning when I saw this sign. which
surprised me very much:
HEADQUARTERS NATIONAL
DEMOCRACY.