Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-10-05
FREE SILVER MEETING.
DEMOCRATS WERE ADDRESSED BY A
REPUBLICAN CONVERT.

Brislin and Matthew Long Also Made
Addresses-An Enthusiastic A Audience.
Nearly 700 voters responded to the
call OF the Bryan and Sewall Club on
Saturday evening, and followed st.
Patrck's cornet band to the Grand opera
house. This was the first rally held on
the North side and the attendance and
enthusiasm which prevailed, considering
that no famous or noted orators were
billed, is encouraging to every follower
of the Chicago nominees.
The assomblage was called to order by
Vice President James +. Sweeney, who
in a few wel-chosen words opened the
evenings exercises. The chairman's
remarks were very appropriate to the
occasion, and he was followed by John
j. Brsin, OF Sugar Notch, the Demo-
cratic candidate for register of wills,
who touched lightly upon the national
issue, and then followed with some
instructive and interesting statistics on
county finances.
Mr.. Brislin paid particular attention
to the commissioners office, and with
the official figures of expenditures for
nine years past he made striking com
parSons of the difference that exists
when Democrats or Republicans have
controlling power in that department.
The figures of expenses, as read by Mr..
Brislin. made a deep impression on a
large part of the audience, and, follow
ing his illustrations by showing how
property valuations have in late years
been raised to defray the tremendous
increase of expenses, he set many voters
thinking.
Taking up the county candidates in
turn, the speaker briefly reviewed each
of oheir records, and applause greeted
each name as Mr.. BrisIin mentioned
them. His address throughout was
good, and he presented the claims of
himself and colleagues in a style that
made those present feel better acquaint-
ed with the candidates.
The speaker also touched upon the
the important question of mine inspec-
torship, denouncing the present corrupt
and diSgraceful methods used by inlu-
ential politicians to make these officials,
and protested against a system which
allows Jim Roderick or any other man
to step in and out of that Office as often
as he desires. He also stated that each
of the Democratic candidates for the
legislature in this county has pledged
himself to work for correction of the
abuses existing in that law.
Eonr,rn E1wor1s Df Wilkes Sborrn
the speaker of the evening. followed
with an address that occupied more
than an hours time. 1t was one Of the
most entertaining political speeches that
IL Freelaud audience has had the pleas
Tre OF hearing in some years, and the
gentleman who occupied the stage must
have felt complmented with the recep
ton accorded his remarks. While Mr..
Edwards is not an orator in the usual
sense of the word, there is something
fascinating about his style, and the
longer he spoke the more Interested be-
game his listeners.
A Welsh Republican coming out fiat
looted for the Democratic ticket, from
Bryan down to the lowest man on the
list, would be something surprising in
any other campaign, but on the issue
now before the people tho converts to
Democracy are so numerous and include
men of every nationality, that the audi
ence appeared to accept Mr.. Edwards
conversion as an everyday occurrence.
lie opened his address with brief state
ment of why he dissolved partnership
with his first political love, and proved
conclusvely that sincerity and desire
to do right are predominant traits in his
character.
He told how he had made special
study OF the currency problem for some
years past, how he had followed in the
footsteps OF Garfield, Blaine and McKin-
lev in their efforts to procure bimetal-
lism, and so thoroughly imbued did he
become with their teachings that when
the time came, as it did after the st.
Lons convention, to choose between
party and principle, his conscience com
PEELED him to follow the straight road
and join hands with the party that is
advocating the standard which his for
mer leaders taught him was correct,
proper and most beneficial to civiliza-
ton.
He took up the money question from
the time the country first adopted a
standard, followed it down stage by
stage TO the present day, quoted all the
prominent statesmen of both parties on
the subject, and gave abundant proof
that single standard, of either metal
is hurtful to this nation, and that pros
perity in the United States can be had
only by returning to the money of the
constitution. For eighty-one years the
country progressed under the double
standard as no other had ever done be
fore, but for the past twenty-three years
under gold supremacy, the nation has
been rapidly rushing toward the level o.
Europe and Asia