Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-17

| Ia
MIR. HUTCHINs' OPENING.
Statistics of Wealth and POverty-The
characterization of Silver. /.
| When Senator Faulkner stepped to the
| front of the table it needed repeated rap!
pings with the gavel to subdue the ter
rific applause that made the rafters OF
| Convention Hail ring as they never rung
before. He said that having been invited
by tine gentlemen who had been selected
| to discuss the most momentous Question:
ever presented to the American people to
preside over the debate that he would per-
form his duties with fairness ard impair
| TALLY, and he trusted the audience in the
expression of its opinion upon the merits
| OF the debate would show the same justice
| to both participants. He quoted the nerves
| Of those who had felt somewhat alarmed at
| the persistent foot applause of the multi
| tude by stating that the proprietor of Con-
vention Hall had desired him to say that
| "hlle the building was perfectly safe, no
structure could stand any great or I'M
usual strain and that Continuous stamping
would be dangerous. He then presented
| Mr.. Hutchins a citizen Of New Hamp-
| shire, who had been so long identified with
the national capital that he might properly
be called 4 citizen Of Washington.
When MIR. Hutchins arose there was an
otheE outburSt OF applause, which lasted
| LOT several moments and was continued
| When he attempted to speak. When quiet
was partially restored he remarked that he
| sincerely hoped that the event of the even
ing might be what he had hoped 1t would
be-a debate between two gentlemen on
| the subject OF the financial issue instead Of
| shouting match
Il address you tonight" said Mr. Hutch
! ms. lin behalf of the free coinage of silver
as we'll as of gold which I firmly and hon
estly believe will lead to the salvation Of
three-quarterS of the American people"
He stated that he we'll knew the aversion
OF audlences to listening to the reading of
a speech but said that in what he was go
ing TO tell that before him there were a
number Of figures and statistics which he
could not readily carry in his head, and
that as he desired to be responsible for
everything ne said and was reported to
say on the occasion. he would read them
Then. taking up typewriter manuscript
ne proceeded to give the history of the
original coinage act passed in 1892. which
provided for the coinage of the silver dol
lar.
Il hold In my hand" he said, "a dollar
coined under that law in 179S. It was made
the value Of the gold dollar and of every
other dollar. On its rim is indented the
cents" GU
Crouching low as if to spring at bis an
dience and better impress upon 1t the
meaning o, what he was to say. a gesture
I which ne used frequently during his ad-
earnestness he evidently felt, Mr.. Hutch
ms continued:
That dollar was the unit of value from
sachusetts. in the House of Represents
tlves. and John Sherman of Ohio. in tn.
Senate of the United States deceitfully,
clandestinely, and as I believe criminal
ly: struck 1t from the list of coins and sub-
stltuted gold dollar In it's stead"
| mere was great applause at this which
Was literally favored with emphatic Kisses.
and the sibilant siss of disapprobaton.
which came largely from feminine Iips.
continued after the clapping and cheers
| had subsidized.
The Growth of Debt.
From that time to the present, said Mr..
Hutchins. the debt Of the United States
had continued to grow. until it was now,
! IN MS opinion intolerable. He alluded to
speech that President Harrison made the
other day. In which that gentleman said
that something must be done to relieve the
condition OF the country. and he proceeded
to depict in strong language the business
sugs1shness at present prevalent in the
United States No buildings were being
erected; there was no extension of railroAds
or Of manufacturing interests. Spacious
buildings that were formerly the homes of
pusy enterprises ;I1 were tenantless. and enter
| PRISE itself was dead. In some of the large
cities there are designs of ACTIVITY,
where r1en who had more money than they
krew what to do with were building sky
tage to the people at large. He declared
that such widespread and universal dis
tress as this must have a common cause,
| ana tnat there ought to be sufficient wis
dom In the country to find out what it Is
and enough craftsmanship to provide a
remedy for 1t.
MIR. Harrison. the President that was. -,
ne calculated. land Mr.. Hanna's agent.
the President that wants to be- declare
that high tariff will alleviate this misery"
Continuing he said that no one knew to
what an extent preferential legislation had
impoverished the people of the country.
and proceeded to read census figures issued
en- the authority Of the United States In
1StO the wealth Of the country was SIS OOO-
100000. Of which the farmers had 100000
U. rms was before the war. said Mr..
Hutchins. and before Jay Cook had de-
ciared that national debt was "a national
blessing" In 1910 the national wealth was
S'OO0OOOOOO, Of which the farmers had
but 81 .0o0oo0,0o0: In 1850 the proportions
in 1890. said Mr.. Hutchins, the national
wealth was $85. 900. OOO, 600, of which the
farmers had but $3.50 OO.OOO.OOO.
| Take this home with you and study it, -
he exclaimed. I'm thirty years the farmers
had lost more than haH Of their visible
wealth. and the money lenders had It.
Mr.. Hutchins devoted much of his time to
presenting and explaining statistics regard
ing the condition of the country. claiming
that 1t had resulted from legislation in be-
half Of those who were able to pay for 1t,
in 1873 he reiterated the well-hnown decla-
rations about the passage of tha de-
monetizing act Of that year, which. he
claimed, was brought about under the guise
of law regulating the mint. Gen. Grant
did not know the real intent of the bill
when he signed it. and he reclted the
lanes Of all the prominent republicans and
democrats in the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives. saying they vera all deceived
in the matter.
How about Stewart" asked soma one
in the audiepce.
There was a roar Of laughter and an.
plause at this, and Mr.. Hutchins in reply
stated with much vahemence that Senator
Sherman had frequently claimed in the
Senate Of the United States and that SEN
ator Sherman had never denied 1t, that he
was deceived by the latter into voting for
the bill under the representation that it
was party measure. .r.-'-S Is. -t..' f-9''
Three years after the act was passed, he
said, the people saw what II was and rot
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