Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-08-19
TIE HAzELroE DEBATE.

Inc mucn TAXED or and long looked
for financial discussion between Judge
Ellis and G.. NJ. Martin was pulled off
on schedule time Saturday night at
Hazelton. The disputants were greet
ed by fair sized audience and of as IN
telllgent people as could be found any
where in the world. The discussion
was opened by Judge Ellis IN talk of
one hour and FIVE minutes. The Judge
made no efforts at spread eagle oratory,
but talked In smooth, even and aFgu-
incentive manner, and produced some as
strong arguments in favor of the cause
of free silver as could be produced by
anyone. He held the close attention of
his hearers for the full time, and there
was not word said by him that any
one could take the least exception to,
IN fact it was the argument of a gentle
man from start to finish, and presented
in as gentlemanly manner as could be
done. He abused no person or party,
but simply gave his whole attention to
the subject under discussion.
He was followed by the republicans
hired man, who spoke for one hour and
twenty five minutes to the complete
disgust of the whole audience. If he
produced single argument in favor of
the gold standard or any other standard
We were unable to discover it, and we
tried to pay the best of attention to
what he had to say. He abused ali the
nQrfiQc nY0onf tho ono thaf ~, IT,.
hired: not only this, he to give con-
siderable OF his time to the personal
abuse of several individuals of the pop
ulist party. His language was that of
bar-room bum, and was hardly fit to
be heard by respectable audience. He
not only Disguised the free silver ele-
ment OF the audience, but made many
OF his superlors in the republican party
feel that they had hired the wrong man.
Some were uncharitable enough to say
he was fool, Others said he was drunk;
but we desire as far as possible to
spread the broad mantle Of charity over
whatever faults our fellow man may
have, ard will accredit his actions to
the utter lack Of anything in the shape
| of argument with which to refute the
able and irrefutable argument OF the
Judge. We venture the assertion that
there was not one that heard him but
who felt greatly disappointed, for it
had been heralded all over the county
that the Judge was nowhere near Mar
tins equal and most of the audience
came expecting to hear the Judge COM
| pletely done up" by this hired man,
and some no doubt came prepared to be
convinced that the free silver idea was
wrong. But if Martin succeeded in
convincing anyone of any particular
fact it was that he was totally unfit to
| cope with the Judge, and that it was
mistake in the republican party in put
ting him up to talk to a respectable and
intelligent audience. The free silver
people of Hazelton are ready and will
ing to listen to any able and respect
able man the gold standard party has
to send out, but we beg them for the
sake of our wives and children not to
send us any more Martins, and if they
can do no better send US no one, for
whether we are convinced or not we
would ask IT rs one of our rights that
we be permitted to listen to those who,
while they may not take our view of
every question, will at least, have some
OF the instincts of gentleman.
We, as silver men, do not care how
able man you may send; we have no
fears for our cause, even though oppos-
ed by the ablest men in the nation, but
we do have some fears for the young
and rising generation. CITIZEN.