The San Francisco call., 1896-10-22
SENATOR WHITE
TALKS FOR BRYAN
Says the Boy Orator Is
Old Enough to Be
President.
Is Anxious About the Election
of a Democratic Legis-
lature.
ROBERT B. SMITH OF MONTANA.
Said to Resemble Er. Bryan Some.
what in Appearance and His
Style of Speaking.

Hon. Robert B. Smith, the fusion can
didate of the Democrats and Populists Tor
Governor of Montana, spoke at Union
Hall on Howard street last night.
Mr.. Smith is a good speaker. In appear
ance be somewhat resembles William
Jennings Bryan, except that his front hair
is somewhat scanty. But the resem blance
does not end here, for in style of oratory,
diction and manner OF delivery Mr.. Smith
has been further likened to Mr.. Bryan.
In his Introductory remarks William II.
Afford, chairman of the California Demo-
cratic campaign COMMITTEES, gained
round OF applause by saying that though
the Democrats OF this State were proud of
Mr.. Smiths help yet he insisted that no
outside assistance was really needed, since,
in his opinion, California is safe for Bryan
anyhow. He said Mr.. Smith would be the
next Governor of Montana.
The first part of Mr. Smiths speech was
devoted to a history of the Presidential
nominating conventions of the present
year, and he congratulated the people on
the fact that there had been no juggling
of words in the platforms OF the different
parties. The issue had been clearly made.
In his opinion those who believe the mag
mates of Wall street and of Threadneedle
street and the powers and potentates of
foreign countries ought to control our
legislation, financial and otherwise, ought
to vote for Mr.. Mckinley; otherwise,
otherwise.
Speaking to his hearers as wageworkers
and producers he warned them against the
dangers that he believed lurked in the
goldbug policy of the Republican party.
Senator Stephen NJ. White OF Los An
geles was greeted with cheers.
National matters, Mr.. White said, would
receive his attention.
Ii would not avail much for the people
to elect Mr.. Bryan President Mr.. White
said, unless they backed him up by choos-
ing Democrats to the United States Senate
and TO the House of Representatives. He
paid glowing tribute to Judge James G.
Maguire.
Referring to Mr.. Estee, Mr.. Barnes, Mr..
Scott and Mr.. Butterworth, the speaker
declared that all these gentlemen had
changed their views on the silver question
within six months.
Mr.. White said it had fallen to his lot to
preside over the deliberations of the great
est convention OF recent times. That con-
vention had declared unequivocauy in
favor of the free and unlimited coinage of
silver without the consent of foreign pow
ers. He was willing TO admit that the
Queen of England and Kaiser of Germany
had right to conduct :he affairs of their
own realms, but there their power ended.
Touching the question of the gold
standard, Mr.. White said that such a
standard would double our National debt
and cut the income of the working-classes
one-balf The United States as a debtor
nation is interested in the extension of
the circulating medium, and our people
in their own behalf ought TO oppose the
enforcement of the gold STANDARD. Mr..
White said:
Some people ask what it matters to us of
California whether we have the double stand
ard here, since most of our contracts call
specifically for pay ment In gold. Skin deep,
indeed, must be the knowledge of political
economy that asks sucha question. 1t is not
that we shall pay our DEBTS in gold, as we
shall in all proba bility continue TO do but
that the gold which we must pay has been
going up and up until like the faDled ladder Of
the Orient it rises beyond our reach. True bi-
metallism will guard against this danger, and
that is the course to which the Democratic
party Is pledged.
l recall to you the scenes that were enacted
on the hanks of the Monongahela, when the
blood of union laboring men was shed be-
cause they dared TO protect their manhood.
They were shot down by such men as Mark
Hanna and those who are associated with him.
Yeb these men declare that they are devoted to
the gold standard, because it viii keep the
wages of the working people from being Ie-
Will you, who have seen the fury of the
soldiery aud the power of a great private de-
tective agency armed to the teeth, thrown in
the scale against your companions? Will you
allow these men to deceive you with such sud
den stimulation of interest in your welfare?
viii you permit them to seduce you from the
support of that man who is to-day fighting the
real battle for The people?
Tariff Legislation, Mr.. White declared
would not bring relier.
Some people had pretended to think that
the workingmen would be coerced and
would be forced to vote against their prin-
ciples. He cid not believe it. He en-
phasized his advice for tn M to make any
kind of a promise that was necessary to
hold their jobs and then go into the Aus
tralian ballot booth and vote in accord
ance with their own conscience. Some of
the Republican newspapers had criticized
him for giving such advice, yet lie was
willing to stand the consequences.
Bryan's youth was a subject in which
Mr.. White showed much interest. He
thought at any rate he was doing a mans
work.