The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-19

country amount to Sc. ooo. 900 900, paya-
BILE IN gold, and there is not more than
four billion dollars in the
whole world to pay them with. The
people who own the land own the rest
Of the people just as surely as two
and two make four.
'The women Of the country viii be an
important factor in this election There
is not woman in this audience
who is not good for at least ten votes.
You can form reading circles in your
homes and you can convert more men
that way than by any other. The
money OF this campaign is all on one
side and right and justice IS on the
other"
At the conclusion Of the address the
speaker invited the ladies' 10 ask her
any questions they saw fit Several took
advantage Of the opportunity, and Mrs.
Cougar answered in a satisfactory and
lucid manner
An audience that filed every portion
of the Central armory greeted Mrs.
Cougar in the evening. The hall was
full at 1870 O'Clock, at which hour the
speaker appeared accompanied by L. A.
Russell As she assembled the platform
the assemblage broke into long and
deafening applause, which was kept up
until the lady bowed in acknowledge
ment
When introduced Mrs Cougar was
greeted with great applause. Several
minutes elapsed before she attempted
to speak, and then she had to quit to
making herself heard, she said.
That was a most kindly greeting,
but know it was not SO much for my
self as for the principle which I repre-
and sing America" which they did in
an enthusiastic manner. Mr.. Russell
leading. After the song was finished
Mrs Cougar proceeded:
We are in the midst of the most re-
markable campaign since that of 1860
More interest is shown than in any
campaign since then and the lines are
more strictly drawn The women are
interested in this campaign more than
ever before, because when men cannot
get work they and their children SUI
Just at this point a surprise was
sprung upon the audience. The well
known figure of Tom Johnson was seen
making his way toward the platform.
He was recognized when he had reach
ed the steps and the assem- blage broke
into cheering and shouts for 'pOhnSon, -
Johnson" Mr.. johnson shook Mr.
Russell by the hand and was introduce
ed to Mrs. Cougar who paused in her
address He took his seat amid a per
feet bombardment of cheers and ap-
plause and smillingly acknowledged the
compliment rendered him
Il viii try and get through before
morning said Mrs Cougar, and viii
give Mr.. Johnson a chance to address
you" She then resumed her speech.
She mentioned the name Of Bryan,
Whereat there was an explosion like
that Of a volley of artillery, and she
paid hlrn the compliment of being
Morally. spiritually, physically and in
tellectually without a peer in the Uni
ted States"
When the Republican party at St.
Louis, she continued. proclaimed that
this country could not get bimetaIlism
without the consent of foreign nations
it made one of the most infamous de
claratiOns ever made in the history of
any party We might as well have
written q declaration of Independence
and then said that we could have indie
pendence when England said we can. IL
bimetallism is right we should have it.
If it is wrong no foreign nation should
fasten it upon us. The real animuS of
the whole platform. however was to
fasten the single gold standard upon us
Instead Of using argument in this cam
paign the Republicans are resOrtng to
abuse, epithets and ridicule- But cpl
thets are not arguments. The whole
scheme is to cover up the real inten-
tons We are not afraid to come ont in
the broad daylight and state our rea-
sons because we have faith in our
cause.
I'VE are a country with almost limit
less resources and q limited population
Our harVests are great and we have
land Of plenty. But we look abroad
upon this prosperous country and see a
concentration of wealth and OppOrtuni-
ties on one hand and suffering men,
women and children on the other Men
are willing to suffer any indignity TO
hold their jobs. and that degrades
American manhood. We propose to
change the laws, SO that we viii have
equal rights to all and special privileges 4
to none. I deny that we are arraying
one class against the other but i say
that we are arraying onesystem against
the other. One Of the bright features of
this campaign is the power which or
gained labor is welding. The power
of the trusts is growing. and the prOtec-
tive tariff is the cradle of the trusts
These trusts are an out for the gold
standard. The railroads scent danger
from afar. because they know that If
Bryan is elected there will be move
ment started for the government own
ership of railroads. That is why they
are carrying people free to Canton
Mckinley says he has too much dig
nifty to go out and discuss the issue
with Bryan. When Mckinley says that
the Wilson German tariff bill was a
free trade bill and that it caused the
present conditions he falsifies, because
it only reduced the tariff 5 per cent be-
low the Mckinley bill The Wilson
German bill is as much high protective
robbery as the Mckinley bill. You have
been sick with this tariff disease until
YOU are nearly dead. We have decided
that the tariff question must wait until
the money question is settled The de-
mOnetization of silver has been the
cause of all the distress you see about
you. The ROthChilds are the ones who
are really back Of the gold conspiracy
and Morgan was their agent in this
country in creating the last bond issue.
We have not got gold enough in this
country to risk putting the country up
on the single gold standard"
Extracts were read from John Sher-
mans declaration some years ago as to