The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-09-21
GOT ENOUGH Of; IT.
Watts md Chiffon Ask Tor Joint Debate
with Mason aud Dayton and Get More
Than They Expected.

With Mason and Dayton and Get More
Than They Expected.
Special Dispatch to tho IntcllIgcncer.
PETERSBURG, ". Va, Sept. fs,-
Friday was the greatest day In the po-
lltIcal history OF Petersburg. 1t Will long
be remembered as marking the most
complete overthrow that ever two
'sllHer-tonSucd" speakers sustained,
while the cause of national honor and
sound money noats triumphantly, as
the naS over the captured citadel OF
this heretofore Democratic stronghold,
The Republicans had billed Congress-
man Aston G. Dayton and Hon. John
w, Mason. for n meeting here Fri
| day, and the Popocrats came out with
posters advertising that distinguished
political acrobat c. c, Watts and the
famous Major Joe Chiffon, supltme
ruler OF the Charleston stnte house
ring, who. with his machine, gave
WATTS the Popocratic nomination for
| governor.
The oratorIcal knights. on both sides,
appeared In due time for their reSpec-
tive meetings. But rather than COM
pete with Messrs. Dayton and Mason
for the crowd By holding separate
meetings, th' Popocratic friends OF
Watts and Chiffon proposed Il Joint
| discussion. This was the opportunity
which Dayton and Mason were after,
and the proposition was accepted with
alacrity.
MCssrs. Watts and Chiffon entered
the lists clad In their silver armor,
against which was hurled the cold
steel OF sound money truths with val
iant force and effect by Dayton and
Mason
Major Chiffon led the debate with q
half hours speech. His effort was
tame. lie talked rather like n lawyer
who was trying his best TO defend n
cause In which he did aot believe and
yet was Obliged TO uphold to the best
advantage, because he was employed
u do so. He startled his audience by
giving expression 60 the idea that he
scarcely knew whether or not he was
Democrat
But Mr.. Chiffon proceeded on in
care-wosn style until at last he con-
cluded his half hour by asking with
great vehcmence, two or three Stir
ring" questions. He wanted 20 know
why times were hard. Why was silver
"demonctiZed" and what Vas meant by
vi
ton was given 4 half hour TO enl!ghten
Mr. Chiffon on these points, and when
he got through the answers were so
complete and conclusive that the re-
douotable major Joe" will not likely
hprinG such kindergarten questions on
suffering people again. Only stem
ographic report could do justice to the
answers OF both Dayton and Mason TO
the questions propounded by the free
silver orators.
Mr.. Ch!lton's first question gave Mr..
Dayton the chance to tell him why We
had hard times. In answering which
he simply had TO review the history OF
the last three or four years OF Demo-
GRATIS blunders. with which a climax
Is now TO be capped by the most dan
SerouS heresy OF all-free silver. Tha
crime ot lS53' was taken up and dis
posed OF In a way that has been done
so many thousands OF times that every
intelligent citizen Is thoroughly ac-
qulinted with It; and then In replying
to the question as to what was meant
by International himetal!sm, he quiet-
ly informed tha forgctful Chiffon that
his (Chllton's) national Democratic
platform four years ago cnuncinted
that doctrine. and aS he, (Chilton)
stood upon that platform then he
should know now what It meant.
NJ Watts followed Dayton In
speech OF one bour. This distinguished
gentleman. eleventh hour convert 20
free silver. and just little while ago.
hitterest enemy uf free silver, repeated
| largely the speech he has been making,
with a great mass Of vcrblage about
masses and classes" bond -hoIdeHs
ana corporations" rich and poor"
crimes OF 1873 and otbcrs. celebrating
his free silver fallacies with Jeclarn-
tiOnS. In which one sentence contra
dE;ed the other. But not content with
making his regular speech, he too,
asked some questions.
He claimed the hard times were due
the "crlmc Of 1873" and went on with
propositions OF this character. with
such propositions he laid himself open
to Hr MaSOn'S attacks, and he was
handied thoroughly and well. Hard
times" gave Mr.. Mason the chance 20
tell something also about financial mr.
itatIOn, which caused lack Of bubble
confidence. OF Wilson tar!N iaw.with
Its deficit producing revenues, etc, etc,
all Of which the audience knew Yas
true from hard experience"
Mr.. Mason took up the money Gucs-
tDn and explained eXhauStlvcly why
all or our money is now OF equal value
and what the dire consequences would
he upon the adoption OF free silver and
the foisting upon the country Of
iitty-three cent dollar. He took up Mr.
Watts questions one after the other
and exposed the free silver faIlncIes so
plainly that the audience became thor
oughly in sympathy with lsm, and for
mer Democrats Joined with RepublI-
cans in the widest demonstrations Of
applause.