Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-07
DAn.Y KESSEBr, JoL.tEAID MONDAY. SEPTEMBER } 1895
THEY CELEBRATE.
Democrats Have Rally at City Hall
Preceded by Flag Raising.
Hon. C. S. Thomas Was The Spcaker-Affair
Was Rather Tame.

ne lDtHlOtIutS vi AUGUSTA mad a
celebration all to themselves, Saturday
evening. and had pretty good time.
They unfurled a Bryan and Sewall flag
to the breeze. had rally at City hall
and had fireworks, including red lights
and skyrockets.
The ceremonies commenced about Z
o'clock when the Augusta Cadet Band
paraded through Water street followed
by a crowd of small boys. At 7.30 the
people had assembled in front of Hotel
North, while clerks Brown and O'Neil
shot off the fireworks.
The band went down the street and
while the flag was being raised across
the street between the Nickery block
and Hotel North the musicians were
lost somewhere down in the vicinity
cf Market square. The flag went up
but not a soul said a word The band
returned to the scene, played Il few
tunes and then proceeded to City hall.
At the hall a crowd of people had as
sembled. Seated upon the stage were
Secretary F. T.. Beane of the Demo-
cratic State committee, L. S. Pension
Agent Black, Postmaster Lynch and
others.
f. w. plaisted called the meeting to
order and acted as chairman. Prob
ably 1000 people were present includ-
ing many Republicans who had come
to see the sport and to see what kind
of argument would be put forth by the
Popocrats. Faint applause was given.
when Mr.. Plaisted spoke about the
Boy Orator of the Platte" being
elected in November by handsome
vote.
Mr.. Thomas was introduced and for
about two hours spoke upon the
many persons left the hall. He said in
part:
There is no division of opinion re-
gardinG the necessity for the double
standard. but there is this division
that the Republican party holds that
we should wait for the consent of Eng
land before undertaking to establish
free coinage of silver Very far removed
from the present generation.
The farmers of the West need and
they must have more money. There
is no theory about it, only a condition.
The farmer has been losing money on
his crops. He has gone from good
prices to his present condition when he
is no longer a good customer of the
people Of the East
Men cannot go on this way forever
National bankruptcy of the entire ag~
r.cultural interest is not remotely
threatened. but is appallingly close az
hand. The wheat grower of the West
is forced to fight against the wheat
grower of the silver countries, and i,
is his bitter lot to see their prosperity
While he is himself losing money year
after year with no prospect of ever be
ing able to better his condition.
AS Tom Reed said in his quaint way
before he was converted to the neces-
sity of a gold standard, The yellow
man with the white dollar is getting
the better of the white man with thu
yellow dollar.
Japan is coming into close compe-
tition now with England, is seriously
threading the English market, and will
yet threaten that of New England
1T is not necessary that the people
of the East should take the word OF
silver fanatics In his long and re
markably busy life John Sherman has
been on every size of every question:
and he predicted just what has hap
pened as a result of the contraction
of the currency.
Something is the matter with the
business of the United States, and the
people of the West believe that the
free coinage of silver would be a quick
and lasting remedy. 1t is true that it
is an economic fact that the govern
ment cannot legislate value into any
thing, but the government can by leg
islation give a demand sufficient to
cause value to return to it