New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-16
OPENING GUNS IN OHIO.
A GRAND RALLY AT COLUMBUS.
SPEECHES BY SHERMAN, FORAKER AND
WOODrORD.
GOVERNOR BUSHNELL. PREsTDEs. AND 10000 EN-
THUsIAsTIC REPUBLICANS CHEER THE
SPEAKERS AND SHOUT FOR MKINLEY-
GREATEST MIDSUMMER MEETING


GREATEST MIDSUMMER MEETING
EVER HELD IN OHIO.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE.l
Columbus. Ohio. Aug 15.-Undsmayed by the
oppressive heat Of mid-August, 1oOOo enthusi-
astic fellow-citizens Of William Mckinley gath
cred at Columbus to-day to participate In
the formal opening of the Republican State and
National campaign. Fervent Republicans came
from all parts OF Ohio The cities on the lake,
the interior cities and those on the banks OF the
Ohio River were alike represented. The larger
towns such as Toledo. Cleveland and Spring
field sent big delegations on special trains The
streets were filled with marching clubs all OF
the morning. and the people began to gather
about the big tent on Broad-st. as early as
1870 o'clock. The carriage containing the
sneakers did not arrive till about o'clock.
When Senator Sherman. ex-governor FORAKER
General Stewart l.. Woodford, OF New-fork'
and Governor Bushnell stepped on the platform
they faced an audience Of more than lo'ooV
persons the largest political meeting ever
held i'm the summer months in the state "l
Ohio The meeting to-day was sgnihcant one
in many ways and some Of the foremost speak
ers on finance and other Republican issues were
selected to address It, Twenty-one years ago
Stewart l.. Woodford Of New-York, ana Johh
Sherman. OF Ohio did more than any other TWO
speakers in the country to put down the Green
back craze which had reached its highest ana
most dangerous development in this state Eeh-
oral Woodford's memorable Joint debate with
the late General Thomas Ewing are among the
remarkable achievements recorded in the po-
litcal history of Ohio. Senator sherman al
ways speaks as one having authority on finan-
cial matters The committee was heedful Oh
these two facts when it selected these two men
and Ex-Governor Foraker, who is magnetic
speaker on all Republican issues, to address the
meeting to-day Major Mckinley could not be
present.
SHERMAN OPENS THE CAMPAIGN.
Governor Bushnell presided over the meeting.
In n very felicitous manner he introduced
Senator Sherman. who was warmly and loudly
greeted by the audience. Uncommon interest
centred about Senator Sherman this afternoon,
because 1t was felt that his speech to-day would
be the first step toward his reelection to the
United States Senate. Senator Sherman seems
full Of vigor and was in excellent voice. He
read his speech, hut frequently departed from
the text and delivered his digressions with
great vivacty and spirit His eulogistic re-
marks about Major Mckinley in his opening
sentences Cnee1f0
Mr. Chairman and Follow Ctizens citizen OF
Ohio has been selected by the Republican Natlonal
Convention as their candidate for President OF the
port his nomination We take pride in William
Mckinley not only for the honor conierred Upon biu1
10 he lifted for that great Office We know tnat
since his boyhood his NE has been pure and stain
less that as soldier In the bnl0h AriHy y os Ie Ms
brave and loyal that as member OF toneresI oen,sI
traits and rendered great services TO ms countrS
and that as Governor Of Ohio he proved his capac-
nv 10 perform difficult executive duties. And ne
has the higher claim upon that during an MS
active life ne has been faithful and able Repub-
of the Republican party. That party does not rest
its claims to your confidence merely upon the
merits of its candidates, but upon the souhdheSS
of It's public policy it's measures and its aims.
II is the distinguishing feature of our Republican
people Of the Tinted states must ultimately be DE-
termined by them at the ballot h9x. tVerg go ieEar
difficult the problem may be II so happens that
the coming Presidential election there VIII De
one OF which is whether any holder Of silver bul,
lion may deposit it al ne min'S Mn OF the & nib mfd
eibt of 2i grains Of standard silver nine-tenhs
fine. and may tender them for any debt. public or
ddutiee mr. taxes on mported goods we should only
consider the revenue required, whether. while
raising the needed revenue. we should seek also TO
protect and encourage domestic industries; the one
called revenue tariff and the other protective
tariff Both the silver and tariff are vital questions
pose on this occasion to confne my remarks mainly
10 what IS known the free coinage OF silver at
the ratio Of sixteen parts OF silver to one OF Bold
This issue IS thrust upon US by the Democratic
party. or rather by The P9pqstic hranch OF oa lne
nzed by all commercial nations Of the world as me
rficle oF desire of everything that is bought or
sold These two metals not only measure al other
tive value constantly changes. Twenty-three years
ago sixteen ounces of silver were worth more tran
one ounce of gold. Now thirty-one ounces OF silver
can be bought by one ounce of gold Ths huctu4-
tion Of value cannot be prevented by law i Is
the changing demands for and the increasing sup
ply Of these metals from the mines; B, Botn are
of life and gold to measure the larger transactions
of business. especially i'm exchanges with foreign
nations How to maintain the parity Of the two
will be. difficult problem not only in the United
States. but in the civilized world.
EARLY COINAGE HISTORY.
1t was one of the first questions to occupy the at
tcntion OF American statesmen after the adoption
OF the Constitution and is now one Of the most
pressing. after more than 100 years of National
growth. In 1872 silver and gold were made the
common standards Of value In the United States at
the ratio of Is to l. but this was because that then
the actual market value Of fifteen ounces OF silver
Of gold. The greatest care was taken 10 ascertain
this ratio by Thomas jefferson. then Secretary or
State and Alexander Hamilton. then Secretary OF
the ri easury. These two distinguished statesmen
who disagreed upon nearly all other questions did
agree upon the then relative value OF the two metals
and that both should be coined into money at that
ratio -, ... ..,,,.os .... ,o,.n, T.,
any considerable quantity in the thirteen States
then forming the Union. The Revolutionary war
had been conducted with paper money. which be-
came worthless and the coins of Spain. England
and other countries had been made a legal-tender
and continued 80 for many years after the adop-
tiOn Of the Constitution.
When the American coins were issued II was
found that the abraded and worn coins of other
countries filed the channels OF circulation. and the
new and bright dollars OF the United States we're
exported This led TO the dscontinuance. in 1906
by President jefferson OF the coinage OF the silver
dollar and after that date non" were coined for
more than thirty years This order OF jefferson.
suppose. would be called by our Populistic friends
.th. crime Of 1876" In the mean time France and
other countries adopted the ratio OF l5. ounces OF
silver as the equvalcn, Of one ounce OF gold. TO
avoid these embarrassing changes England In 1916
adopted gold the single standard In that country
and silver subsidiary coin.
In 1894 during the administration OF President
Jackson and under the leadership Of Daniel Web
ster and Thomas H. Benton Congress adopted the
ratio of l6 OF silver to OF gold. by reducing the
nnrnher OF grains in the gold coin As silver was