Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-05-27

mers and laboring people to stand firm
against the avalanche of free silver-an ava
lanche which, if it sweeps over the country,
must inevitably grind them to destruction
he begged them not to be misled by sophis-
try and false promises, not to undermine the
corner stone of good government, sound
money, but to stand shoulder to shoulder
for an honest dollar, unsuilied national
credit, aud prosperous and happy future.
Mr.. Bailey said that Mr.. Hall was the
hardest worker and most profound scholar
now in Congress, but that the atmosphere
of Washington City had so clouded his mind
that he could not now think with that clear
ness which was his while he lived in the
pure air of his Missouri farm, this is why,
he said, Mr. Hall is now for the gold stand
ard when he used to be for free silver. The
gold dollar has doubled in value in the past
twenty years. 1t is worth twice as much
now as it was then. The silver dollar Is IN
trinsically worth as much to-day as it was
then, and inferentially argued that the Ia
borer gets twice as much pay as he ought
to get. To prove that the dollar has dou-
bled in value you can buy twice as much
for it now as you could twenty years ago
Go to any merchant and see if you cannot
get twice as much calico or dress goods now
as YOU could then. Invention and machin-
cry have had nothing to do with cheaper
ing products. Cloth and dress goods could
be made as cheaply on hand-looms as they
can be made to-day with selfacting ma
chinery. Il was every bit as cheap to bar
vest your crops with cradles and bind by
hand as it is now when you use self-binders
Take silver dollar; mutilate it knock of
the mintage mark melt it down, and the
bullion'in il is worth every cent as much as
the dollar was worth twenty years ago.
Free silver would help the debtor class
They could pay their debts for half of what
they borrowed As for the creditor, he Is q
Shylock and ought to be robbed. Mexico
free silver country, has progressed more
rapidly of late years than the United States.
This is due to free silver. The millions the
United States has poured in there for build
ing its railroads and opening its mines have
had nothing TO do with it. A Mexican
laborer can make as high as four and half
dollars q week. Free silver would help the
merchant He would handle more money.
He would have to ask doable for his goods,
and hence would get more money in his till.
He never alluded once in his speech to coin
age at the ratio of 16 to l. Indeed, he in
timated that he should prefer higher ratio.
He spoke for bimetallism. not for 16 to l
free coinage. He did not meet the issue
fairly-or indeed at all He eulogized BIZ
metallism, when the side he professed to
champion advocates silver mOnometallism.
With silver at Is 10 l bimetallism would be
impossible.
His speech was howery, ornate, catchy
As q speech it was a success as an argu-
ment it was a failure. He courted applause
and got it, despite an agreement made with
Mr.. Hall, at his own suggestion, that all ap-
pause should be checked He failed to
give the name Of one writer or statesman Of
note who had prior to 1876 advocated the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver at Is to
| /. He failed to name one country or nation,
of any power or influence in the world that
had free silver. But he charmed bis hearers
with bis eloquence, his graceful gestures,
and well rounded periods, and went away
leaving them yainly trying to repeat one
argument of strength or one single fact
striking in its support of the free coinage Of
silver at the ratio Of l6 to l.
The twenty minutes response of Mr.. Hall
in conclusion was OF a cyclonic character
sweeping the sophistries and pretty and
meaningless defamation of Mr.. Bailey be-
fore him as chaf' He twitted him upon
being as silent as a country graveyard on
some points wherein he challenged him to
speak out, and drove him to declare that as
between an anti-free coinage candidate aud
a Populist he Bailey would take to the
woods" Mr. Hall responded Il wear the
yellow dog Democratic button aud will stick
to the Democratic party" Mr. Hall ex-
pressed his surprise that the condemnation
by Mr.. Bailey of Democratic President for
obeying the laws he had sworn to execute
and standing faithfully by the pledges of
| his party, should have been applauded by
even a few men, Democrats. in a public
meeting in the county named after the Fa-
Their Of Democracy If Mr.. Hall had had
twenty minutes more he would not have left
more than a grease spot of the Texas AdOnis.
Az the conclusion of the discussion three
cheers were given to Hon. Thomas F Bay
ard and then 4 vote of thanks was given to
the speakers.
Mr.. Bailey is a lawyer by profession, a
Congressman by trade the people of his
district are for free silver, and he is with
them, for he wants their votes.
Mr.. Hall is farmer-s plain practical,
honest man, with the high courage of his
conviction. He also represents free silver
district, but he puts self good behind him,
surrenders all that is dearest and best to
him. gives up his seat in Congress, faces
taunt, aud scorn, fearless because deep down
in his heart he believes himself right, and
for the right would brave any risk, make