Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-21
Special to the Register.


Petersburg, W. Va, September 90
Voters of both parties agree that the
joint debate of Friday Afternoon was
the most no.abls political duscusSon
which has ever taken place in tnis
banner Republican county. In the logi-
cal presentation of the silver case by
General Watts and Mr.. Chiffon, Demo-
cra,s were entir ly satisfied: while Mr..
D2yJon's appeal 20 prejudice. Mr. Ma
sons miss,a.ement OF facts, and tae
skiilful lodging Of botl, mas caused
fair minded Republicans 20 pa, on tAe.r
thinking caps, and has sueng ,hened
the convictions Of he silver adyocat S.
In opening the discussion Mr.. Chiffon
presented three propositions, upon
| which he asked for specific answers.
Mr. Dayton replied with a speech whlca
7 was simply ana purely Grad of
abuse ci the Democratic party, rep.e.e
wiJA stock phrases and platijudes. and
entirely devoid of argument. General
Watts followed, calling attention to the
utter failure Of Mr.. Dayton TO answer
Mr.. Chiffon, and experimenting he a.
gument CT The ,a-.c or. Mr. Mason closed.
He opened with promises which he ID
moi fulfill, made a number of state
! mCnts which General Watts fore
him TO admit were untrue, and failed
to refute a single argument advanced by
the exponen,s Of the silver cause.
A s1,em-nt of facts in connection
with the pre.iminar.es may be inter-
estng. General Watts and Mr.. Chiffon
were billed TO speak here on the 18th.
Subsequently. and for purpose which
is appar nj, The Republican committee
arranged a meeting for Congressman
| Dayton and Hon. J. w. Mason, fixing
the time one hour earlier than the sill
yer meeting. The Democl 4tic commit-
tee promptly asked for a division Of
time. but no answer was given until
after the arrival Of the Republican
sneakers. Nessrs. Dayton and Mason
gave rCuc,an, consent. conditioned up
on their being given both the opening
| and closing. This was declined, with
IN reply that any proposition to alter
| nate speakers would be accepted. The
gclditcs chose the closing argument.
THE DISCUSSION OPENED.
The meeting was held in the former
| Court House building. The 2udisnce
vas no. large, and WAS tlrea-four,hs
| Republican. The opening arguments
| were limited TO a half hour each, and
the closing arguments to one hour each.
Mr.. Chiffon opened. Aft.r few pre-
liminary remarks. he said the money
a
campaign. l. was unlike other cam
paigns. in that tins time the people
made the issue, ana gae issue made the
parties, not the parties the issue While
all don't agree on policies, they agree
on one proposition, that the people are
hard up; they have no money. They
a.e sick for money, and they want the
proper remedy. In the limited time
allotted 10 him, he would offer as a
prescription for the disease, the m
edy given him by MS forefatners, the
constitution.
During 23 years the people have never
endorsed any administration. Tl
have not ben satisfied with any policy.
The seat of the trouble was in the
finance. The question bc.ween the par
ties now is wle.her ID people snail
have as their money gold or gold and
silver. Silver was tl4 cons u-onaI
money. Eminent constitutional law
yers in the past have Always leld that
Congress had not the power 10 de-
mon lie silver. Waen .t was demOne-
tied il WIS w,aOu. the knowledge
or consent of any American citizen.
The question now is shall 1t be remone-
tized. and what will be ths result If it is.
II is not a question of party; it is a
question solely and simply. Of mony.
The constitution gives Congress GER
cain powers, among them the right 10
coin money, and it st!pulates that that
money snail be both gold and silver.
| No party can take one money away
( without a violation OF the cOnstitu-
ton. That is ms first proposition
MY second proposition is tina. sill
ver is demone,ized in this country. and
7 want my friends 10 tell why, and N
whose Interests 1t was done" II was
three years before anybody knew silver
was demOnetzed, and to-day no person
/ can tell who wanted It dom. For
twenty years the people have been Try
ing 70 get at this question.
Mr.. Chiffon accounted for Democratic
defeat on this Safe in 1894, because
tn party had not yet given a promise
for silver. He showed that RepuDii-
cans were making silver speecnes N
this State two years agO-E.k.ns' HUI
ling. and others. He asserted that the
party would have been for silver to-day
if Mark Hanna had not captured i LOT
the goldtes.
MKINLEY FOR SILVER