Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-05
FROM FORMAN,
Gold Democratic Candidate for
Governor Speaks.
SATURDAY NIGHT AT TIE THEATRE

too, Asserts HIS Own Position ana At
taeks Gov. Aisssid-Msyos nesry vol,.
msr Of Davenport Aiso Heard.
Ex-Congressman W. S. Forman, of
East st. Louis. who 10 the gold dem.
ocratic candidate for governor Of I'LL
nois. was heard at Harper's theatre
Saturday night. Mr. Forman was
escorted to the theatre by the Rail.
way Mems Sound Money club land
extras On the stage. and i'm addition
to Mr.. formAn, we're Mayor Henry
Vollmer Of Davenport, v. Al. Bland
ing, A. S. Wright Of Moline. II. ID
Mack, Paul Kersch, II. l.. Framing Of
Milan. Fred Hsss, John Volk. T.. j.
Burns. G. W. Negus. Gustav StengeI,
}. M. Buford. q. U. Huckstaedt.
John Ohlweiler. Otto Huber,
c. L. Walker and Gus Tege-
Ter. Mr.. Kersch called the
meeting to order and prese ated ex-
Mayor Blanding as chairman Of the
meeting. He acknowledged the
honor conferred upon him and re-
ferred to the three nominees for pres
ident, and likewise the three caudi-
dates for governor Of Illinois. Each
party had adopted q platform indica-
tive OF the policy Of the administra-
ton TO be pursued in the event of
the election OF its candidate. A,
might be expected. q diversity of
opinion prevails as to the highest in
terest and general welfare Of the n.-
ton, and while confessedly business
affairs at the present time are in an
unsatisfactory and disturbed condi-
ton. all are Interested in the revival
Oh prosperity. Nowhere in the do
main Of the country were people
making a more earnest inquiry or
more carefulresearch. or more intelli-
gent effort to place themselves right
and cast their vote in accordance
with honest conviction than in Rock
Island. He referred to McKin-
ley and Bryan as personally inte,l:-
gent. exemplary and patriotic citi-
zens. but it was their opinions upon
questions Of administration and gov
ernmental policy which entitled
them to suffrages or rejection.
Speaking for himself. and he trusted
rightly in behalf of all sound none
democrats he regarded the platform
adopted by the national democratic
convention at Indianapolis Is q clear,
concise, outspoken and unmistakable
declaration Of vital and time-honored
democratic principles. The national
and state sound money democratic
candidates. Palmer. Buckncr aud
Forman. all stand firmly and I'M
equivocally on the Indianapolis plat
form. Both personally and politi-
callv they arc entitled to the earnest
and unhesitating support of sound
money democrats. lie then intro
duced MIR. Forman.
Mr. foemaa fslhs.
Mr.. FCrman spoke Of the pleasure
it afforded him to come to kock ISL
and. He had some kind recollectious
Of friends here whom he cherished,
and had always entertained kindly
feelings for Rock Island. He ca me
here opposing the free coinage Of
silver es adopted by the Chicago
platform. He was q democrat OF the
old school. His father before him
was q democrat. He likened himself
to the Methodist deacon who was put
out at certain happenings in the
fiock to which he was attached who
believed instead Of leaving the
church the church had left him, and
who. when upbraided by his former
fellow Pensioners told them that
they could all go to hades, that he was
still q better Methodist than any Of
them. Mr.. Forman contended that
he had not left the democratic party,
but that it had left him. He re-
GREETED the division in the party as
q result Of the Chicago platform, and
he regretted that he could Eot fol
low his party. he said, into the camp
OF Populism. He spoke of the sstis-
faction it afforded republicans to see
members Of the democratic party
fighting with each other. lie took
up the 16 to l plank of
the Chicago platform, and briefly
described the meaning of the
phrase OF 16 to 1. There seems to
be . disposition. he held. to make
the people believe that there is a
short way to make money and to
make . 5s-cent dollar pass as worth
q dollar. Tracing the history Of
money standards in this coun-
try, he maintained that the
first coinage law passed in
the United States established the
ratio Of fifteen ounces Of silver to one
Of gold. 1t vas found that in some
countries the ratio was 15l to I, but
gold Persistently refused TO circulate
with silver. The two, metals will
never circulate side by side; the
chesp z metal will always drive the
dearer n out OF circulation. 1t il
n atural 10 all transactions to discard
the cheaper metal. 1t has always
been found that the o valuable
metal has recessed to circulate. In
1884 we attempted to correct these
conditions; and We revised q coin
age laws and attempted 70 make it
l6 to 1. That didn't work,
and along in 1873 il was
found thss the silver dollar vas
worth el.O3 and il refused 70 circu-
late. The speaker contended that