Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-17
HUTCHINS-DAVISPRBE COINAGE DEBATE
Convention Hall Filled With an BnthQsi
asdC Audience.
The Principal Points Made
by Each Of the Speak
ers---Questions Pro-
pounded on Both
Sides.

Six thousand people listened to the Davis
Hutchins debate at Convention Hall last
night 1t was most remarkable audience
and in many respects remarkable debate.
The audience was as nearly equally divided
as possible between the friends OF the TWO
champions of the occasion. The audience
was more IKE one to be found In theater
at a popular performance. only Immensely
larger. The features usually noticeable at
a political meeting were absent, though
there was no lack Of enthusiasm, and fire.
quently more interruption than was fair
to the spec kers, who were talking under a
time limit.
The two del aters are as opposed in ap-
pearance and in method as they are In
opinions. Mr. Hutchins. the free silver
champion. is man of athletic build and
strongly marked features, and has a
rugged chcppy manner of speech, with a
great deal of nervous vigor. Mr.. Davis is
smaller of stature. with an appearance
of youthfulness that is toned down
somewhat by a bald head and an intellec-
tual brow. His manner of speech is that
of trained debater, who not only studies
his subject. but also the form of delivery.
There was the same sort of difference in
the handling of their subject that was
so marked in their appearance.
Both of the champions got f1attering
reception. and there could be no better evil
dence of the popular interest In the sub
ject and the estimate put upon the ability
of the advocates than was furnished by
the early assembling of the audience and
by it's character.
None were admitted except by ticket. The
tickets were divided equally between Mr..
Hutchins and Mr.. Davis, and by them dis
tributed. Three days ago these tickets
were exhausted. and the demand for them
was not half satisfied. Apparently every
ticket was used. The seats both in the
body OF tire hall and in the galleries We're
all taken and many persons were standing
in parts of the hall where standing was
permitted. A few tickets that fell into the
hands of persons who could not use them
were sold by boys on the street at dollar
each. The hour set for the debate was s
o'clock At I:13 all tie seats in the hall
were occupied. The speakers stand was
situated midway of the hall on the west
side and was draped with American flags.
Close together along the immense spans
of iron supporting the arched roof were
red. white and blue electric lights. Other
wise the hall was not decorated. On the
balcony over the main entrance was a
band of music to entertain the audience be-
fore the opening of the debate. About one
fourth of the audience was composed OF
ladies.
Among those on the platform were Col
lector of Customs Dorsey Clagett, Marshal
A. A. Wilson. Hallett Knbourn, Edwin A
Newman. Rudolph Kaufman, Capt. Jno
S. Miller. Gen. Duncan S. Walker, Theo.
dore W. Noyes. Simon Wolf. Assistant
Postmaster General Jones. Commissioners
Powell. Nathaniel Wilson. Thos. B. Kalb-
Der iah II rod
mons 8. Smith, James T. Dubois. Frank
Hume. C. E. Phelps, John A. Clarke. B. Fl
Warner. T. Bryan Huyck, Commissioner
TIuesdell. c. l.. Kemble, Lawrence Gard
ner, Senator Faulkner, Myron NJ. Parker
Vice Chairman Apsley, VIM. Gibson, Com
missioner Ross. Saml. Maddox, Judge Cole
Chaplin Brown. VIM. Dickson. John H
Oberly, Lee Hutchins. c. v. Gates, A. NJ
Clapp and Major Powell.
A few minutes before o'clock cheers
about the entrance to the hall announced
the coming CT one of the speakers, and
Mr.. Davis. escorted by committee of the
Sound Money League. each with yellow
badge and a yellow chrysanthemum, walk
ed down the main aisle and took his place
on the stand. The whole assemblage stood
up and he was given an enthusiastic greet
ing. AS he took his seat large bunch of
yellow chrysanthemums was handed him.
A few minutes later prolonged applause
announced the arrival of Senator Faulkner,
vino had been chosen president Of the meet
ing. 1t was sos o'clock when Mr.. Hutchins
arrived. He had declined an escort and
he stepped upon the platform at the same
time with Representative Apsley of the re-
publican congressional committee and Mr..
VI. NJ. Parker, also active defender of
the gold standard. Mr.. Hutchins was given
quite as enthusiastic a welcome as that
given Mr.. Davis. The hall was tumult
of applause for minute or two. Then the
gavel of the presiding officer sounded for
order. The mention of the names of the
two advocates In Mr. Faulkner's brief an
nouncement of the meeting called forth
rival demonstrations Of applause. Mr..
Hutchins. he said. would occupy fifty five
Mr.. Davis, he said would occupy fifty-five
minutes. He was interrupted by still loud
er and more prolonged applause. MI.
Hutcnins, he said, would close with a twen-
louder than before
Mr.. Davis would, he said, have twenty
minutes in which to close. and at this the
demonstration in honor of the silver cham
pion was matched by that in honor Of the
advocate of gold. An equally balanced au-
dience sought to make known their SYM
pathies. and there were some hisses
mingled with each burst Of applause. Mr..
EutchEs. who was first introduced. was
given another demonstration as he wiped
the speakers table with his handkerchief
and laid his manuscript on the table. His
speech was frequently interrupted by ap-
plause and Kisses sounded here and there
through the hall.
A similar reception was given Mr.. Davis,
U
there was a great deal of wiIlful disorder in
parts of the hall, and many questions were
fired at him. The two men handled the
subject in such radically different manner
as to defy comparison. and Mr.. Hutchins
had laid out his main argument on too
broad plan to admit of his finishing 1t In
the time allotted him.
Mr.. Hutchins' argument approached the
money question through discussion of the
distress and destruction Of business, which
he charged to the decentralization of silver
The first part of his speech arrayed class
against class. and dealt generally with the
alleged evil legislation in favor Of the rich
and oppressive to the poor. From this he
came down to the proposition that the de-
monet:Z., zion of silver was responsible for
the concentration Of wealth in the hands
of the few and the impoverishment Of the
producing classes He did not get dowr
to the abstract proposition of what should
be the quality Of money, or to a discussion
OF the relative merits of gold and silver
Mr.. Davis dealt more directly with the
abstract question, and treated money from
the scientific point of view. He went di.
rectly at his subject. asking first what
money was, and after giving his definition
declared that silver did not fulfll the re-
qufrements. He argued that money r.
something that everybody takes In ex-
change for his goods because everybody
else will take 1t in exchange for goods
fv