Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-09-24

Walker prefaced his introduction of
Mr.. Berkey, who spoke first, by
touching on the silver question and
saying what the country needed worst
was the gold and silver of manhood
A facetiOuS allusion to the fact that
two JOshuas were present and prob
ably indicated the coming of a Moses
to lead the people out of the wilder
ness, gave Mr.. Berkey happy oppor-
tunity to get the good will of the
audience at once. He said it took the
first Joshua forty years to lead the
Israelites out of the wilderness on ac-
count of the gold standard, but two
JOshuas are needed today as there is
both a gold and a silver calf now.
He then ran the gamut of the scrip
lures, making application to present
conditions of all illusions in the good
book to gold and silver. He said in
asmuch as he was likely to be the
next governor, he wanted his politics
and policies understood from the start
and SO unrolled an American flag and
hung it over the front of the stand.
There is not, he said, so much of a
lack of money in this country as
lack of just distribution. He would
vote any ticket that would bring re-
lief to the country. We are not bur-
dened with any oyerproduction except
that of paupers. Every man is a con-
sumner and every idler means a depri-
Vatton of the full deserts of some la
borer. AS the saloon contributes
nothing to the benefit of humanity, it
is ron-producer and must be a public
burden. An army of 100000 saloon
keepers, bartenders and brewers is
thus thrust upon the shoulders of so
ciety to support. A graphic descrip-
ton of visit to the Pabst brewery was
given and the speaker said that of the
S2,000,000,000 represented in liquor
property not one cent of it has added
to the wealth of the nation because
every dollar represented in a brewery
means a deficiency in some home
Worse than this, the money is not only
thrown away but it brings untold mis-
cry and disaster to the virtue and
honor of the land. The silver ques-
ton is not the most important one.
There are 100000 criminals in this
country and its costs more to feed
them than all the gold and silver dug
out of our mines and IS per cent of
these criminals are produced by drink. /
Why not wipe out the cause and coin
or gold and silver into money. Mr.. /.
Berkey made no bones about being in
favor of the gold standard It is the
only stable standard, he said, and the
only one that means material pros
perity and national honor. But bette /
than the gold standard of our financia
system is the golden standard of man |
hood. He closed with an oratorica |
effort that evoked much applause and /
was followed by Mr.. Levering who
was heartily received.
NJ. lowering is a dignifed man of .
wears whiskers somewhat a la Gen.
Arthur, and is slightly bald. He is
a pleasant gentleman with all the ap-
pearance of a successful business man.
That many people came simply with a
mere curiosity to see a presidential
ual filing out of members of the audi
ence, causing much disturbance.
Mr.. lowering talks slowly and seri-
ously and is evidently above playing
for applause. The old parties, he said,
are ringing the changes on their old
standards and prejudices. But he
asked the people to consider if they