The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-02
A JOINT DEBATE AT OCALA.
u. A. Burford and II. l.. Anderson
Discuss the Money Issue.


Ocala, Fla, Sept 3O.-The joint political
debate last night in the opera house drew
a crowd. One-third OF the audience were
ladies. Several hundred negroes were
present and every one of them cheered the
gold champions. Chairman Harris of the
county democratic executive committee,
called the meeting to order and stated
the terms of the debate. II. L. Anderson,
who was the champion for the financial
plank in the republican platform, opened
the debate with a talk Of one hour and
thirty minutes. r. A Burford followed
as the champion of the democratic inan-
cial plank of the Chicago convention, de
Tending the free and unlimited coinage of
silver at 16 to l, when Mr. Anderson put in
a rejoinder of twenty minutes.
David s. Williams introduced Mr.. An
derson and Chairman Harris performed
the same kind Offices for Mr.. Burford,
styling him as the Bryan of Florida"
While the speeches were interesting and
instructive, the readers Of the Morning
News are familiar with the line of argu
ment presented by both of the speakers.
Mr.. Anderson said he congratulated the
democracy of Florida and especially of
Marion county, that they had emerged
AAoAli III llltA tllcy pei 4iLltNCu StNAi
discussion. Twenty years ago it would
have been sacrilegious for democrat to
meet republican on public stage and
discuss political issues.
Mr.. Anderson announced the startling
fact that the democrats and not the re-
publicans had demOnetized silver in that
in 1896 Thomas Jefferson had suspended
the silver dollar of 10 to 1 until 1894, when
President Andrew jackson had it renew
ed, but at a ratio of Is to because of the
discovery of gold in North Carolina and
Georgia. He claimed that President Fill
more, in 1853 or the congress of that day
demonetized silver and that all the re-
ports of the congressional commit
tees of those years said gold
was the only true unit of value, because
it was the only stable metal used as mon
ey. In answer to the argument of the
new dispensation democrats, as he called
them, that legislation gave value 10
metal as money, and to products he as
serted, as the conCensus of the world, that
commercial. relations fixed the value CT
money, as governments fixed the debt
paying quality OF that money-therefOre
the silver advocates argument did not
hold good.
Mr. Burford in reply, repeated mis-
speech, which as a prudential elector he
has been speaking to the people over the
state in this canvass. All those who
thought and felt on the money question
as did Mr.. Burford, sided with him, and
said it was the grandest free coinage
speech ever delivered in the state and I'M
answerable. That every proposition ad-
vanced by Mr.. Anderson was met and
convincingly answered.
Mr.. Anderson friends admit that Mr.
Burford made the speech of the evening,
as Mr.. Anderson lays no claim to oratory,
but that he propounded certain questions
and gave reasons for those questions, that
Mr.. Burford never attempted to answer,
and hence, they claim their champion had
the better of the argument, but his oppo.
nent had the glory of his oratory So
the matter stands-not a single person 5
vote was changed by the debate interest
ing and instructive as it was, but it
proved a pleasant feature of the politicaf
campaign, as it passed off without any
friction, and in the best of spirit and feel l.
ings. Next Monday night the state and
county democratic political campaign will
be ended in Marion county by a rousing
meeting that will take place in Ocala. r.
l.. Anderson, brother to the gold cham
pion, and Frank Pope of Jacksonville,
will address the meeting.
The Ocala gun club, organized TO protect
game and enforce, the game law, has
changed its name to the Marion County.
Game Preserving Association, and has
begun to prosecute parties who have vio-
lated the law. These parties claim the
present law is imperative and the assoc
citation propose to make a test question.