The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-03
SMITH AND CRISP IN ATLANTA,
Second Of the Series of Joint Debates
on the Currency Question.

Atlanta, Ca, April 2.-Six thousand
people gathered tonight in the big
Tabernacle to hear the second of the
series of joint debates on the currency
between Secretary of the Interior
Hoke Smith and ex-Speaker Charles +.
Crisp. Both speakers were greeted
with salvos of cheers on their appear
ance, that accorded the Secretary be-
ing the heartiest, perhaps, because of
the fact that Atlanta is his home and
a pronounced sound money centre.
The speaking began at o'clock, Sec
retary Smith having the opening, and
speaking for an hour and ten minutes.
Secretary Smith began by saying
that he opposed the free and unlimited
coinage Of silver at 16 to / for the same
reason that Benjamin Ill. Hill had OPP
posed it, and he read from that distin-
guished Georgian's speech on the sub
ject in the United States Senate. He de-
clared he also opposed free coinage be-
cause he wanted tosee genuine bi-metal-
lism obtain in this country. The advo-
Gates of free coinage when they called
themselves bi-metallists, masqueraded
under title they did not deserve. He
rapidly outlined the history Of the
coinage to show that the commercial
value of silver and gold had regulated
the establishment of the legal ratio be-
tween the two metals, and went over
many points covered in his Augusta
speech. Secretary Smith concluded by
painting the disaster that would result
from the election of the Congress and a
President favorable to free coinage.
The Secretary was cheered for full
minute as he sat down.
Mr.. Crisp was given a rousing recep-
tion when he arose. Ia beginning he
said he wanted to say that his
brother Smith, as he referred TO the
Secretary, made as good an argument
as he had ever heard in behalf of a cause
so intrinsically weak. The trouble
with Mr.. Smith was that he confound-
ed bimetallic standard with BIZ
metallic circulation. 1t was not neces-
sary for the preservation of binetal-
lie standard for the two metals to cir
culate together. He admitted that in
fixing the ratio in this country Jeffer-
son had consulted the commercial ratio
but at that time silver was admitted
to be free coinage the world over If
yon will give MS free coinage, he de
cIared. and restore +he silver to liberty
then we'll talk with you about chang
ing the ratio.
This joint debate business may be
fun to my friend Smith, he said, 'but
its not fun for me. I'm a candidate for
the Senate and I'm anxious to get
through with these joint debates and
get down to the business of a candi-
date. My friend Smith, however, is not
candidate for the Senate He says he
has no desire to be and / have no idea
that the people OF Georgia will force
him TO run
Here Mr.. Crisp read a letter written
by Secretary Smith in 1890 fayoring
the free coinage Of silver, enunciatine
its declarations with careful emphasis.
lie also read what purported to be ex-
tracts from two speeches delivered by
Secretary Smith, one in 1894, in which
he opposed the single gold standardFs
and the other in Augusta two nights
ago in which he advocated the single
standard. The denomination of silver
caused the fall in prices, Mr. Crisp
continued, and he recited the reasons
therefor. Mr.. Crisp read from utter
ances Of Secretary Carlisle in favor of
free coinage of silver contrasting it
with his position now He reiterated |
his statement that he was a candi- |
date for the Senate and. by way of |
warning, read from an editorial in the |
New York Financial Chronicle urging |
that money be furnished to sound |
money candidates for the sad South |