The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-28
NO MORE At FT. BRAGG.


The Debaters Retreat to the Shadow
| of Dinnin's Saloon.
Since the evacuation of Fort Bragg the
citizens who are fighting the battle for sill
YER have retreated to the point where
Washington crosses the Delaware and are
| there setting forth the beauties of free
coinage TO the best advantage possible.
Yesterday they stood out in Washington
street and along the sidewalk on the sunny
side, ever and anon ordered TO make an
opening for pedestrians by a policeman
stationed there for the purpose. Since
Judge Cox's calling down" by Postmaster
Sahm the city police have felt that they
have a duty to perform and effort is
being made to perform it.
One rather intelligent young stood
on the curb and 'orated at fearful rate
to score or more of men. He was we'll
| dressed and said he had only short time
to spare from his work, but could not lose
the opportunity TO declare himself on
the money question. It's lie. this story
! that the $262. 100000 worth of bonds were
issued by the Cleveland administration to
pay the expenses of government. They
were issued to keep up this pernicious gold
standard. can drive any man who argues
against the free coinage Of silver to one
of three conclusions: That there shall be
no money but gold-no paper or silver; thap
there shall be perpetual and ever-increas-
ing national debt, or that we shall have
bimetallism.' And with this declaration
the young man paused to let the full force
Of his logic impress itself upon the minds
of his hearers.
Young man." said benevolent-looking
old gentleman, you are a very clever talk
er, but let me ask you what have you
gained in your argument by the assertion
that you can drive a man to one Of the
three conclusions? Not one would help
your free-silver cause in the least. The
metallism is and has always been advo-
Gated by all the political parties. The dis
agreement is Oh how IL shall be MAIN
tanned. We have bimetallism now, but you
silver men want to put the Nation on a
silver basis. You would destroy the very
thing you claim to advocate"
Il told you So, shouted the young man
in tones loud enough Tor all the crowd TO
hear. though many had been unable to
hear the mid voice of the old gentleman.
when you get the best of these gold-bug
plutocrats in an argument. they call you
a Anarchist.
Just then a policeman came along and
the young man took advantage of his COM
mand to open way for pedestrians TO
slip away.
Two workingmen were arguing the all
absorbing topic over i'll the shade OF Sam
Dinnins saloon. The silver man insisted
that silver would be on a par with gold
if the government would stamp all the
Said the gold man: DO you honestly
think that the government has the power
TO accomplish sucll big undertaking, or
do you argue that way because you are
| a Democrat?"
well, it says in the platform that this is
| what the government will do If Bryan is
elected and they certainly would not prom
ise thing they could not do.
But both silver and gold would then be-
come nothing more or less than commodi-
| ties and supply and demand would have 10
regulate their price.
that's ali right. but the government
would regulate the supply and demand and
| thus keep the two metals on parity
ment could do this? Do you believe that
the passage Of a law opening the mints
/ to the coinage of silver, free and in un-
limited quantities, would cause the silver
| mines TO cease producing silver until ii
became rare enough TO command price
/ equal to one-sixteenth that of goldy
We'll, it's in the platform, ana L have
! faith in the people who made the plat
! form.
! you consider corn and wheat Do you
/ think the government. by the passage OF
an act saving that corn shall be o., worth as
Certainly Scarcity makes the demand
and the demand makes the price high.
We'll. would not that tend to cause the
price OF the two commodities TO fiuctuate,
| both individually and comparatively? Say,
| and the gold man showed the disgust he
felt plainly in his expression arc you
you have nothing else TO do? Would you
be convinced under anv circumstances?
No, sir, not by anybody, when the
party has said in its platform that free
! coinage is the proper thing"
The gold man left him with the remark
that there was no good in trying 10 talk
with Ignorance.
One old farmer, who said he had lived ir
one house twelve miles from the city for
sixty years. come the 18th day of Novem-
ber," and expected to die there, gold VI
silver. said TO another old farmer who had
lived in the vicinity of Indianapolis the
silver. under free coinage. when ii was
worth more than ii is now, and am willing
to give II another cnance, l = vote foi
Bryan this time ana if 1t don't .lalle times
better I'll be burned If I'll ever vote an
other Democratic ticket"
But" SAID the other farmer. 'supposin
/ the free-conage act does bring silver up In
value until it's worth as much as gold
what good will that do you? IL is only or
/ the supposition that monev will be cheaper
that the farmer can hope to gain anything
( If silver appreciates in value, you Will not
have money any diuerent from the money
/ IL viii not make dollars any easier 10 get
hold of. 1t will not make your wheat OF
your corn sell for any more dollars
well, / don't care, i am willing 10 make
| the Change and see what 1t will do"
i And thus the argument goes all day and
| until late at night. There was some com.
! ment among the orators yesterday about
| the evacua ton of Fort Bragg. They like
f, the Dostofiice corner better than the new
place and are anxious % return there. II
! Is probable that postmaster Sahm Will bs
| asked 10 allow them TO make the postoifiCs
! corner their HEADQUARTERS during the even.
ing. The electric HSnts OF the corhel
make the place especially dcsira bic.
Yesterday morning. when Captain Daw.
! son read the letter written by Judge Cos
to Postmaster Sahm. steps were at once
taken toward the abolition Of the nuisance
| on lines laid down ia the letter. When tn,
| Captain heard of il 1t was too late 10 give
instructions 10 the patrolmen concerning
the treatment of the crowds, but at rol
| call this morning the substance of th'
| Judges letter viii be given to them anC
they will be instructed 70 keep the crowd.
moving and. as near as possible, 10 follow
the steps outlined in the letter. Captain
Dawson stopped 1t the corner OF Deawar,
and Washington streets and gave the poll
ticians a little speech. informed then
OF his determination and requested that a.
little resistance as possible be shown 70
ward the officer who was performing hi
duty.