San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-10-06
JU D N0ONAN'S SPEECH
PL1TNssTATEMBET 0T:THBEFFE0T
CT FREE SILVER. u q
Exposes the Tactics Of the Bryanites of
Texas on the Free Trade Free
Silver Question.

Center Point, Tex, Oct 5.-Follow-
ing is a synopsis of the speech deliver
ed here last Friday by Judge Noonan:
Judge Noonan said that he was
much gratified at the opportunity
which afforded him through the
courtesy of the fair management to
meet his constituents IN this section at
this time. A retrospective glance of
thirty years carried him back to the
times when the woods that line the
banks of the Guadalupe river as il
made it's way through this beautiful
valley were the abode of the skulk-
ing savage. What a transformation
from the condition of Insecurity of
life and property then to that Of civ
ilization and advancement which he
saw around him on every hand today.
We hear it whispered on every hand
that again there is IN enemy in the
country, but he could not conceive it
possible that such was the case. The
choice of president this year is of the
greatest moment. Examine well the
men who present themselves for your
suffrage. In this contest, when the
safety and welfare of our common
country are at stake, set aside all pre-
judice and vote for the best interests
of your country irrespective of party.
He was here as the representative of
the great Republican party, the party
of the people, who have always given
this country prosperity and good gov
rnment. On the other hand, we havethe
Democratic party divided amongthem-
selves. One wing has nominated a
candidate, Gen. John M. Palmer, of
Illinois, n man who has held many
high positions Of honor and trust in
the country, and who enjoys the con-
fidence and esteem of his countrymen.
The other wing presents as a candi-
date a man whom they say is entitled
TO the consideration of the voters of
this country, and whom they expect to
"i""t iurt God forbid! He had moth
ing personal against Mr.. Bryan; he
was a man of ordinary ability, who
would perhaps be capable as a con-
gresham or a legislator, but untried
in the management of great affairs.
And he had been guilty of one great
wrong-he had been the champion in
congress of free trade, the bane of this
section and state.
Bryan and his party are the known
and recognized advocates of free trade
elsewhere, but here in this district
his representatives endeavor to mince
the question and juggle with the issue.
Do you Texans want to put your chill
dren on a par and a parity with the
poems of Mexico and their average
wages of $3.50 a month. God forbid!
And yet that would be the inevitable
result of free trade and free silver in
this country.
They say there is a financial ques-
ton at issue this year, but who is re-
sponsible ?The Democratic party elect
ed by an avalanche four years o ,dur
ing a period of unexampled prosper.
ity, by their tariff and other legisla-
ton, have turned prosperity into the
present unparalleled condition of fl
nancial distress. They have repealed
the duties on your products, on your
wool, cattle, horses and hides, and
where before you had prosperity now
under tariff reform, so-called,y you have
ruined industries. 1t used to be the
case in Texas that when the grass was
waving general prosperity smiled upon
the land.
He had just made a trip through
Western Texas, and everywhere he
found the grass waving, but the pas
lures and corrals were empty and de-
serted. The times have changed, and
Democratic fallacies had brought the
change. Could they support such a par
ty? Their candidate had said that
pewter would be good enough for him
if coined by the government. What
did that mean but fanaticism ?The free
coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to 1
is the\scheme of the greatest trust
that was ever fostered on this contin-
ent,a trust that proposed to make 100
per cent on their entire product,to get
two for one. He referred to the bimetal-
lie league. They talk about the pari-
ty of metals, but there is no disparity
between the different kinds of money
in this country.
1t is only because there is an APP
preaching election that these questions
are raised today. -Four years ago n
Democratic party was swept into pow
er in the strength of the promises they
made of the money they were going
to save the people by tariff reform.
But their tariff reform proved a de-
fusion and a snare. 1t has destroyed
billions of values in this country and
has brought the people well nigh to
the verge of commercial ruin. Again
a president is to be elected, and this
party of experiments requires a new
issue in which to fight a battle. They
have chosen free silver. A short time
ago the great advocates of Democrat
CIV everywhere were believers in sound
money But the change has come.
Whence was the source of it's inspira-
tion? Was it not from that coterie
of millionaires who dominate the bi-
metallic league, who were in secret
session in Chicago during the conven=
ton there. Again in st. Louis while
the Populists and ~silverites werethere.