The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-17
OPENING OF THE
OHIO CAMPAIGN
Sherman, Foraker and WoOdfOrd Speak
at Columbus.
PLAIN TALK FOR LABORING MEN
Monster Meetings in the Afternoon
and Evening..Ten Thousand Per.
sons in One Tent Listen to the
Speakers..M Much Enthusiasm Is
Shown,

campaign at columbus yesterday with
much enthusiasm. Ten thousand
voters came from the cities, towns, and
hamlets of Ohio to lend their presence
to what was. generally and properly
thought to be the first important meeting
of the campaign. The visitors and clubs
and delegations began to arrive about
O'Clock in the morning, and II was half
past two in the afternoon when the last
large delegation marched from the sta
tion to the meeting.
All of the speeches We're most re-
spectively and intently listened to. The
great audience began to assemble for
the day meeting at 1880 o'clock. 1t was
almost two hours later when Messrs.
Sherman, Foraker, Woodford. and
Bushnell drove up to the big tent on
Broad street. where more than 10000
people were assembled. The tent was
brightly decorated. When the speakers
entered there was loud cheering.
Governor Bushnell presided, and,
after some words of welcome, intro
duced Senator Sherman. The greeting
which Senator Sherman received was
most cordial. and when, a moment later,
he began his speech with a erology of
Major Mckinley the audience cheered
Justify. Senator Sherman got the clos
est attention.; not only was there a deep
and general desire to hear his discussion
of the money question, but in the mind
of every listener was the notion that
the speech he was about to hear consti-
tuted, in reality, the first step toward
Senator Sherman's campaign for re-
election to the United States senate.
Senator Sherman was in good health,
and seemed as vigorous as ever. lie
took great care not to exert himself too
strenuously, and he carried out the de-
termination by reading his speech. The
feeling among Republicans today is
that the first great and effective battery
has been opened upon the enemy's lines.
and the chairman of the COM
mittee says today's meeting Is
to be followed up by county meetings
all over the state, and that in twenty
days there will be a decided and pal
pable change in the attitude of the
silver men in this state. and that the
progress of their propaganda will he
decisively checked.
SENATOR SHERMAN'S SPEECH.
Senator Sherman occupied about
forty-five minutes in reading his
speech. He said:
A citizen of Ohio has been selected by
the Republican national convention as
their candidate for president Of the United
States, and we are here to ratify and sup
port his nomination. We take pride in
William Mckinley. not only for the honor
conferred upon Ohio by the convention.
but because We know him TO be fitted tor
that great office We know that since his
boyhood his life has been pure and SIAM
less, that as a soldier in the Union army
he was brave and loyal, that as member
OF congress for many years he exhibited
the highest mental traits and rendered
great services to his country, and that as
governor of Ohio he proved his capacity TO
perform difficult executive duties.
| propose on this occasion to confine
my remarks mainly to what is known as
the free coinage of silver at the ratio of
sixteen parts of silver TO one of gold. This
issue is thrust upon us by the Democratic
party, or, rather. by the POpulistic branch
of the Democratic party. Gold and silver
coins are recognized by all commercial
nations of the world as the best standard
of value, as the measure of every ar
ticle of desire, of everything that Is
bought or sold. These two metals not only
measure all other things, but they meas
ure each other. Their relative value con-
stantly changes. Twenty-three years ago
sixteen ounces Of silver were worth more
than one ounce of gold. Now thirty-one
ounces of silver can be bought by one
ounce of gold. This huctuation of value
cannot be prevented. 1t is caused by the
changing demands for and the increasing
supply of these metals from the mines.
Both are nesccessary as money, silver TO
supply the daily wants of life, and gold to
measure the larger transactions of busi-
nesss especially in exchanges with for
eign nations. How to maintain the par
ity Of the two metals at a fixed ratio has
been. is, and always will be a difficult
problem. not only in the United States,
but in the civilized world.
Senator Sherman then gave history
of the changes in the ratio between
gold and silver i'm this and other coun-
tries. and the legislation affecting the
use of the two metals as money, and
added:
1t is certain that from 1901. when Mr.. JEFF
ferson became president, to the close or
Buchanan's administration In 1861, the
Democratic party was gold party, OPP
money.
Senator Sherman then spoke of the
repeal Of the Sherman law and the ex-
pressed declaration Of congress to use
both gold and silver as standard
money" and said:
And here, fellow citizens we ought to
stand. ! appeal to Democrats and Repub-
lcans alike. We are all interested in hav.
ing q sound and stable currency founded
upon gold and silver. We cannot by law
fix the value OF either metal or coin or of
any of the articles that enter into the
wants Of life. The great law Of demand
and supply affects the value as 1t does
iron, copper, or zinc. All have fallen In
market value by means of new discoveries
and improved methods Of production.
The senator then spoke Of the i'm
possibility of maintaining the ratio of
gold and silver under free coinage at
any other than the bullion ratio, and
said that the Democratic programme
meant silver monometallism and MOTH
ing more. He continued:
When we contemplate the great amount
of debt and credit that is unavoidable In a
vast but new country like ours, We nat
urally shrink from any measure that will
either rob the lender or do injustice to the
borrower. 1t Is impossible to estimate
the wrong and injustice that will be done
to creditors by the scaling Of nearly one.
half Of debts due them. The very threa:
to do it will lead to the prompt and harsh
collection OF debts before free coinage
can become a law.
1t is sometimes said Of creditors that
they are bloodthrsty Shylocks, aris.O.
Gratis. blood-suckers, extortioners. 1t may
be that there are among money lenders
slime men who merit these epithets, hui