Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-26

he espouses. They showed their appre-
citation Of the Congressman's remarks,
too. I'm an unmistakable manner and fire.
quently the applause which his utterances
evoked was so deafening that he had to
suspend for minutes at time.
As a matter of fact. Mr.. Jones's speech
throughout was worthy Of applause. and
was one OF the best dissertations on the
currency question ever made In this CITY,
lie spoke under the auspices OF the Clay
Ward Actives. one of the strongest Demo-
cratic organizations in this city or state,
ana the meeting was called 10 order by
the president Of the club. Mr.. Evan Snead.
Hon. j. Taylor Ellyson, chairman Of the
State Democratic Committee, introduced
Mr.. Jones. and from the moment he be-
Gan his address until ne concluded. two
hours and a quarter thereafter, he had
the undivided and rapt attention OF
every man in the hall. His remarks were
moi rhetoricaly beautiful nor especially
ornate. but they were pithy and to the
point every time, and while pefsohaiilles
were eschewed, as far as possible, some
sIedqe-hamner blows were dealt the OPP
ponents OF Democracy.
THE SPEAKER PRESENTED.
II was a few minutes after o'clock
and the hall was filled to the doors' Wheti
President Sncad raped the asse!nOias se
"a order and introduced Hon. j. Taylor
Erlyson. VINO was given great ovation
AR FllVson spoke for few minutes Oh
The imno. lance - this campaign, and IN
language eulogistic, presented the orator
~ tbe evening Congressman Jones.
Mr. Jones was cheered loudly as ne ad-
vanced 10 the front of the rostrum' anu
after bowing his acknowledsmehls'
,,i,,ged without delay into a discussion
of the financial declaration OF the 'hi-
cago platform After laying down the
nronosition that the currency question
was the paramount issue of the cam
najen he showed that it had been the
nolicv of the government from its institu-
lion down TO the fateful year OF 1913 10
maintain blmetallism. and asserted that
tho coinage OF gold and silver AT a hNed
ratio was Democratic.
The Constitution. he said. made pro-
vision for the coinage OF such money as
was decreed by Congress, ana, continuing,
no asserted that in 1872 Congress provided
for the coinage of both gold and silver.
This was the first mintage law under our
Constitution. and II provided that the
ia co,ns should be equivalent in value
to so many silver dollars OF uhits' lon'
that dav TO 1873 the silver dollar, or Span
isb mill dollar. adopted by that Congress,
was the standard Of value.
Taking up the contention mat during
the time that silver was coined only 81
ooo OOO of IL came from our mints. Mr..
Jones admitted it's truthfulness, but added
tbat during the entire time that gold has
been coined not more than S2O,Oo0Ooo OF
the yellow coin has been minted.
THE STANDARD OF VALUE.
Asking his hearers TO bear in mind the
basic fact that the first coinage law pro-
yided that the silver dollar should be the
standard of value, Mr. Jones said that
notwithstanding all arguments TO the con-
trary. that dollar was to-day the standard
of value. He claimed that the demoneti-
zation of silver was secured by stealth
and without the knowledge of the people
or the Congress that passed the act. lie
had he said, never heard il claimed
| otherwise until in this campaign. He re-
ferred TO General Buckners claim that
the bill demonetizing silver was fully un-
derstood by the Congress that passed IT,
and though as he said, he dsliked 10 con-
tradict the Kentuckan, he asserted posi-
lively that not half a dozen members OF
the body knew that the bill they passed
| demonetized silver Mr.. Jones said ne