The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-29
TWO MEETINGS HELD.
Republicans and Free Silver
People in the Fifth Ward.
Congressman Charles Curtis
Speaks at LuIl's Hall.
Free Silver People Listen to Albert
Griffin at the Fair Ground
Other Political News.

There were two political meetings in
the Fifth ward last night. The Repub-
icans had possession of LuIPs hall and
the PoDulists and free silver people
used the grand stand at the fair
grounds. There were about $50 people
at the Republican meeting and about
70 at the other Congressman Charles
Curtis and H. G. Larimer talked to the
Republicans and Albert Griffin adj
dressed the fair ground meeting. There
was the usual amount of enthusiasm
at both gatherings.
Congressman Curtis showed the eff
fectS of hard work last night. At first
his voice was husky from speechmaI1-
ing in the open air and he also showed
some signs of exhaustion but he soon
warmed to the work.
Our opponents say said Mr.. Cur
It's If we talk about anything else but
money, that we are trying to dodge the
issue. The Republican is the one par
ty in this great country that has never
lodged an issue. I am sorry that the
54th congress was not permitted to en-
act q tariff law that would have set the
mills and factories of this nation in
motion and then we would not have
had this issue forced upon US. There
would be no need to talk about the
money question"
Congressman Curtis urged the cleo
ton of Mr. Larimer, the candidate for
representative because, he said, that it
would be necessary for the RepubI-
ate and q Republican senator must be
sent from Kansas. For after McKin-
ley is inaugurated next March, said
he, I want to see him call the Sena-
tors and congressman together and I
want to see enough there to enact
some tariff laws which will start up
our factories and set the idle men to
work.
Great men differ on this financial
question and it does no good to abuse
any one who does not agree with you.
fr17nT of he onr91n SNf
this country when I say that they are
in favor of honest bimetallism and Op-
posed to recommendation of either
metal
From June 1878 to 1898 there was no
trouble about the financial question In
June, 1878 we had $22, 100000 in the
United States treasury and in 1898 we
had over 10000, 600. The Republicans
took this country when the circulation
was SIS per capita and on November 1,
1898, We had $3.50 per capita. AS a
Republican I am proud of the record
Of our party on that question. Before
1898 the secretary of the treasury had
never refused TO pay out gold and there
was never any trouble with the gold
reserve until Grover Cleveland took
the reins of government. Under the
Republican administration the dear old
greenbacks which the soldiers loved
were never used to deplete the gold re-
serve.
"A few evenings ago in this hall Mr.
TllIotson told you that if the Repub1i-
tire $500, 900, 900 of greenbacks. That is
q strange statement when it IS cOnsid-
cred that there are but S345, O0O, 900 of
greenbacl1s in the whole country But
the Republican party does not intend
to retire the greenbacks."
Congressman Curtis was frequently
Interrupted by applause. He talked
over an hour and devoted the rest of
his address to a discussion of the tar
iff
H. G. Larimer, Republican candidate
Tor the legislature, preceded Mr.. Cur
tbs and talked finance for an hour He
declared that President Cleveland did
one of the two patriotic acts of his life
when he called congress together to
repeal the Sherman law.
He said that it had been charged that
the Republican party is the enemy of
silver when more silver dollars have
been put into circulation recently than
were coined during the first eighty
years of the Republics life
The government has had a double
standard on the statute books said he
but there has never been double
standard in actual practice. There can
not be. There is only one way to keen
the two metals at parity, and that is
to have the whole civilized world be-
hind it. That is the position Of the
Republican party. I will say that there
is a suggestion of dishonesty in the DO
sition of the free silver advocates when
they refuse to accept any other ratio
than 10 to 1. believe we could do
with what money we now have if it
was in circulation, and what we need
more than anything is some means to
make the dollar active
Mr.. Larimer spoke fOrcibly and his
talk was well received.