The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-09-10
Geo. Fred Williams in 1896 and in lso2
What he Said In Belfast and What he Said In
Washington.

Washington.
| The Belfast Opera House was filled tC
overtiowing last Thursday night with those
who went to see and hear George Fred Will
liams, the much heralded "Bryan of the
East He has been described as having
red hair and as wearing it parted in the
middle but the latter part of the description
appeared to be untrue. There were many
ladies in the audience although the night
was rainy, and more than fifty per cent
| of those present were Republicans. The
| Belfast Band furnished music, Capt. Charles
Baker was master of ceremonies, W. P
Thompson, Esq, presided, and Mayor Han
son was among those seated on the plat
form, and for once was silent. When Hon
| NJ p. Frank, one of the Democratic candi.
dates for Governor OF Maine, was presented
| as the first speaker it sent chill through
the audience, which had gathered to heal
| Mr.. Williams, but Mr. Frank was mercful
and did not tax their patience long. In a
| ponderous manner he made a few non-conse.
| quential remarks, the only noticeable feature
| OF which was that he seemed to think there
was one kind of a dollar for poor people and
| another for the rich. But, if the policy he
| advocates is carried out, and the currency is
debased and dishonest dollar put in circu-
| latlon, there is no question but that the poor
people will be the greatest sufferers. The
| capitalists can take care of themselves
| Whenever you hear sleek, well-fed lawyer
| pouring out his sympathy for the masses, as
did Mr.. Frank, and Mr.. Williams later, you
| can be sure that demagogue is not far off.
! When Mr.. Frank concluded one of his hear
ers remarked, "He may be good fellow but
he is mighty poor speaker"
In presenting Mr.. Williams Chairman
Thompson paid his respects to the sound
money Democrats in convention at Indian
| apolis. He said the next speaker was not
one OF that little army of summer soldiers
and sunshine patriots now gathered at In
dianapolis to help elect the man who was
the very worst enemy of the principles of
democracy in this country. He introduced
MIR. Williams as ian honest man with the
courage Of his convictions, whose white
plume is seen always up in front and never
at the rear
1t may as we'll be said at the outset that
Mr. Williams was decided disappointment.
Mayor Hanson has been called "the George
Fred Williams of Mane," but we think this
does injustice to the Mayor. He certainly
can talk louder, and while he may, and no
doubt does say things that are not so, we
have not heard of his garbling quotations
from authorities on finance. In consistency
we think the Mayor also has the advan-
tage. He has been silver man all
through. Mr.. Williams was sent to the
Chicago convention as sound-1noney Dem
ocTat and deserted his associates and mis-
represented his constituents by Hopping to
PGpulsm and free silver. Those who know
Mr.. Williams best-the Boston Herald for
example say that his most prominent
characteristics are vanity aud egotism, and
that they predominate to an extent that i'm
pairs bis Judgment. Upon these points it is
not necessary to continue the comparison.
But to return to Mr. Williams The sight
! of this rather dudish looking young man
pouring out sympathy for the masses, and
for the suffering farmers, was the reverse Of
impressive. His appearance, no less than
his language, showed that lie could know
nothing whatever of the people whose cause
he 50 volubly championed. He was pretty
| nearly right in according the beginning of
hard times to the spring of 1888. They really
began with the election of Cleveland in No
vember, 1892. He said the tariff was not an
issue and could not be made an issue and
| that the putting of a few articles on the free
list and leaving the duties on others could
not affect bus slness The people know bet
ter. They know that this Wilson bill
has closed factories all over the country,
and thrown thousands upon thousands of
people out of employment, and thereby re-
stricted the farmers best market the home
market. When people are not earning they
| cannot buy. But Mr.. Williams, who sneers
at Reed, Mckinley, Lodge and other promi-
nent Republicans, declares that the tariff is
a mere tax bill. Finally he got fully launch
ed upon the money question and spoke at
great length, making unsupported assertions
where Republican speakers have given Of
fetal figures and wearying without convinc-
ing his audience. One of his hearers said !:
eff | had gone to that me eeting free silver
lbe SuOultl Id = GoulG away d convert TO
sound money!
There was plenty of applause during the
evening, but it all proceeded from the rear
end of the hall, mainly on the right-hand
side, and from the rear of the gallery. From
the body of the house there were no notice.
able demonstrations. This was new feat
ure for political meeting and has caused
much comment.
In 1892 Gen. Fred Williams was serving his
one term i'll Congress and led the Democrat
ic opposition to free coinage in the House of
Representatives, and as member of the
committee on coinage submitted a report
which represented the views of the minority
of that committee of which he was one.
The majority had offered a report in favor of
the free coinage of slves at 16 to /, and
Mr. Williams replied to it in carefully
prepared report for the minority. 1t was
long and very vigorous protest against the
policy he is supporting to-day. He smote
the free coinage wing of his party hip and
thigh. Some extracts from that report will
prove interesting and instructive now
Speaking of the danger of free coinage he
said: