The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-03
SM TIL AND CRISP.
The Dsbr on the urrency Question
Draws Large Crowd.

The Deb- > on the urrency Question
Draws Large Crowd.
Atlanta, Ca, April 2-Six thousand
people gathered tonight in the big
tabernacle to hear the second series of
joint debates on the currency question
between Secretary of the Interior Hoke
Smith and ex-Speaker Charles F.
Crisp. Both speakers were greeted
with salvos of cheers on their appear
ance, that accorded the secretary being
the heartiest perhaps because of the
fact that Atlanta is his home and a
pronounced sound money" center.
The speaking began at s o'clock, Sec
rotary Smith having the opening and
speaking for an hour. He said he OPP
posed the free and unlimited coinage
of silver at 16 to l for the same reason
that Benjamin II. Hill had opposed it,
and he read from that distinguished
Georgian's speech on the subject, de-
Hvered in the United States senate. He
declared that he also opposed free
coinage because he wanted to see gen.
uine bimetallism obtain in this coup-
try. The advocates of free coinage,
when they called themselves bimetal-
lists, masqueraded under a title they
did not deserve. He rapidly outlined
the history of coinage to show that
the commercial value of gold and silver
had reduced the establishment of the
General Walker, Professor Andrews, A
j. Bolfour and other leading bimetal-
lists as declaring from the experiment
of free coinage without international
agreement would be disastrous. The
secretary was cheered for a full min
ute as he sat down.
Crisp was given a rousing reception
In the beginning he said he wanted to
say that his brother Smith," as he
f%af 70 "a do
an argument as he had ever heard in
behalf Of cause so intrinsically weak
The trouble with Smith was that he
COMPOUNDED a bimetallic standard with
a bimetallic circulation. 1t was not
necessary for the preservation of a BIZ
standard for the two metals
to circulate together. He admitted that
in fixing the ratio in this country,
Jefferson had counseled the CONNER
ctal ratio, but at that time silver was
admitted to free coinage the world
over. If you will give us free coinage.
he declared, and restore silver to lib
erty, then We'll talk with you about
changing the ratio
This joint debate business may be
fun for 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 a candidate for the senate. He
says he has no desire to run, and
have no idea that the people of Georgia
will force him to run"
Here Crisp read a letter written by
Secretary Smith in 1890 favoring the
tree coinage of silver enunciating its
declarations with careful emphasis. He
also read what purported to be ex-
tracts from two speeches delivered by
Secretary Smith, one in 1894, in which
ne OPPOSED the single gold standard
md the other in Augusta two nights
tgo in which he advocated the single
standard
The decentralization of silver caused
he fall in prices, Crisp contended, and
,e recited the reasons therefor He
the claim that the single gold
standard was in favor of the laboring
nan. All this talk about cheap money |
vas rot" concocted by the men whose |
interest 1t was to keep money dear. |
he reiterated his statement that he |
vas candidate for the senate and by |
way of warning, read from an editor |
al In the New York Financial Chroni- |
lie, urging that money be furnished to |
sound money" candidates for the SEN |
tie in the South.
Generous applause accompanied |
,risp's close, which grew into a roar |
s Secretary Smith rose for his 2O-min-
Ite rejoinder.