Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-04-10
Currency the Subject Which Enter
tanned Atlanta People.

Atlanta. Ga. April 2.-Six thousand
people gathered tonight in the big tab
ernacle to hear the second of the series
Of joint debates on the currency be-
tween Secretary of the Interior Hoke
Smith and ex-Speaker Charles F. Crisp.
Both speakers were greeted with saivOs
Of cheers on their appearance, that ac-
corded the secretary the heartier per-
haps. because of the fact that Atlanta
is his home and pronounced sound
money center. The speaking began at
8 o'clock, Secretary Smith having the
opening and speaking for an hour. He
said he opposed the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at IS to l, for the
same reason that Benjamin III. Hill had
opposed 1t, and he read from that dis
tinguished Georgians speech on the sub
ject, delivered in the United States SEN
ate. He declared also that he opposed
free coinage because he wanted to see
genuine bmetallism obtain In this coun-
try. The advocates of free coinage
when they called themselves bimetal-
lists. masqueraded under a title they
did not deserve. He rapidly outlined
the history of coinage to show that the
commercial value of gold and silver had
regulated the establishment of a legal
ratio between metals.
He cited General Walker. Professor
Andrews, A. j. Balfour and others as
declaring from the experiment of free
coinage without International agree
ment would be disastrous.
The secretary was cheered for a full
minute as he sat down.
Crisp was given a rousing reception.
In beginning he said he wanted to say
that his Brother Smith," as he re-
ferred to the secretary made as good
an argument as he had ever heard in
behalf of a cause so intrinsically weak.
The trouble with Smith was that he
COMPOUNDED a bimetallic standard with
bimetallic circulation. 1t was not ne
cessary for the preservati ton of a hi
| metallic standard for the two metals
| to circulate together. He admitted that
| in fixing the ratio in this country, Jeffer-
| son had counselled the commercial ra-
| ito. but at that time silver was admit
| ted to free coinage the world over. al
| you will give us free coinage" he de-
| clared. land restore silver to liberty
| then Wen talk with you about changing
| the ratio"
This joint debate business may be
| fun to my friend Smith," he said. but
| it's not fun for me: I'm a candidate foi
| the senate and | am anxious to gel
| through with these joint debates and
| get down to the business of a candidate
| My friend Smith. however. is not can.
| didate for the senate. He says he has
no desire to run, and l have no idea thai
the people of Georgia will force him tC
| run"
Here Crisp read a letter written BY
| Secretary Smith in 1890 favoring the
, free coinage of silver, enunciating its
declarations with careful emphasis.
He also read what purported to be
| extracts from two speeches delivered by
| Secretary Smith, one in 1894 in which
he opposed the single gold standard
| and the other in Augusta two nights
| ago in which he advocated the single
standard.
The decentralization of silver caused
the fall in prices, Crisp contended and
| he recited the reasons therefor. He
| ridiculed the claim that the single gold
! standard was in favor of laboring men
All this talk about cheap money was
rot" concocted by the men whose in
terest it was to keep money dear.
He reiterated his statement that he
was "A candidate for the senate and by
way of warning read from an editorial
in the New York Financial Chronicle
urging that money be furnished to
sound money candidates for the senate
in the south.
Generous applause accompanied
Crsp's close. which grew into roal
as Secretary Smith rose for his 20-min.
ute rejoinder.