Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-09-24
77rr1rE7I7Nc REGISTER THURSDAY SEPTEMBER "a 1896

eminent, assails the purity of cur press,
the fidelity of our representatives ana
the freedom of our election and by this
control over the currency, spreads far
and wide dismay, misery and ruin, III
order TO extort a renewal OF the privi-
leges and power from the fears anu ne
cessities OF the community"
The patriotic 1lrmness of virtuouS
people prevailed in that struggle, but
the signs OF the times 2dmonish US that
we are about to renew the same contest.
The great combination Of political force
and money5d interests is again in the
field 10 control the elections to change
the administration Of the government
and to re-establish the supremacy OF the
moneyed corporation over the currency
and business OF a country.
My friends, if he had lived to-day he
could not have described the opposition
Ito free coinage of silver in more accu-
rate terms than he described the oppo-
sition, in that day, of moneyed interests.
He said that by their control over the
currency they spread far and wide dis
may, misery and ruin, in order TO extort
a renewal Of powers and privileges which
it then enjoyed from the fears and nee
essities of the community. That same
money power exists to-day and it is do
ing the same work to-day that it did
then, and business men are terrified.
Men who owe money are threatened
with bankruptcy unless they sell their
citizenship. Great applause0 If
banker dares have an opinion o. his own
he is menaced with ruin, and half OF
thu New York banks which terrify and
int;midate their country correspondents
stand with the great London banks,
which have padlocks on the safes of the
New York banks. Tilden said that the
patriotic frmnsss Of a virtuous people
prevailed in that struggle. l beileVe
that this patriotism and the frmness OF
a patriotic people will prevail in this
struggle. loud applause) To think
otherwise would be to despair OF gov
eminent Ike this. My friends, we can
not have a free government unless the
peopls are free 20 act. If the people have
10 obtain consent from few people be-
fore they can act. then their action VII
have the same effect as that o. a few
peop,e and we will have democracy
merely In form. We would have a plu-
tocracy in effect. which is the worst
form of government. l have read these
extracts TO you, my friends, to- show
you that in this day we are assa-led by
the same people who assailed those Who
were aiding to make government better
in those days. who sought to lightn the
burdens upon the backs OF the people
and give them q larger share in The
control Of the government under which
they lived. This IS history repeating Il
self. and, my friends, we should not be
discouraged by these things.
Mr.. Bryan's address lassd an hour and
a half and was concluded at 1915
o'clock. Under the guidance OF a local
committee he left the Academy OF Music
FOR the Rink meeting. Upon reaching
Montague street, however, the d!sap-
point crowds who failed TO get entrance
to the hall. shouted for speech, and
from a rude platform hastily proyised,
the candidate made a brief omen air 2d-
dress. Meanwhile inside the hall, Sen
qtor Joe Blackburn. Of Kentucky, had
beon introduced. Just before leaving
the stage Mr.. Bryan had characterized
blackburn as zone of the bravest cham
pions who ever lifted his arm in GehaH
of the people" .
The Senator made a characteristic
speech full Of fire and passion and
sc,ntillant with shafts Of irony and cen
tempt for the gold men. He arraigled
the boiling Democrats mercilessly, de-
clared that New York Democrats were
to-day confronted by spectacle which
they had never before behe!d. from
President to dog-pelter," he cried. The
leaders Of the party are sku.king in the
rear"
Amid great applause one OF the most
enthusiastic meetings. Mr.. Bryan has had
IN .be COST was brought TO a close.