The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-16


In 1880 the first free coinage bill was
pending In the senate Of the United States.
I was then the American minister at ST.
Petersburg, and l had occasion one day,
as such, to pay an official visit to the
Russian minister of finance under instruc-
tions from my government to confer with
him upon subject pending between the
two countries. found him sitting at his
table. and lying before him was an exact
copy OF the free coinage bill, precisely as
1t was pending In the United States senate.
and lying upon the tables Of the senators.
The bill had been sent to him by the Rus.
sian minister at Washington. He had
carefully studied all Of its details. He
knew 1t down to the finest point. and he
was SO profoundly interested In the sub
Ject that when l entered he at once en-;
tered into conversation on that and would
not allow me to talk Of the matter about
which l visited him. He indicated that he
had very carefully studied it: He Inquired
as to it's prospects: as to whether It was
likely to pass the senate and the house.
and In case it did what the president
was likely to do about 1t.
And then, turning in his chair and fac
Ing me, with a look which l shall never
forget, he spoke words whose impressive
weight, whose significant force makes
them still ring in my ears. He said: Il
fear that the people Of the United states
Of the government Of the United States do
not appreciate altogether the perils to
which they would expose themselves In
case they passed this bill. There IL a
great deal of silver In Europe. There is a
thousand millions in the Bank Of France
alone. There is a great deal in Germany.
We have great deal In Russia: and al
ready these are his words. ALREADY the
proposition has been made TO me that in
case this bill passes I will Join in combi-
nation to dump the surplus silver of Eu-
rope on the United States But" he said,
81 am friend of the United States. l be-
lieve this measure would be fraught with
untold evil and danger. and l hope the
United States will make no such mistake.
Such were the words spoken to me by
the. great Russian minister Of finance.
And tell you. my friends, that upon such
a question as that would rather have
his authority than that of William Jen-
nlngs Bryan. l would rather have the au-
thority of that real wise man Of the east
than the authority Of this new wise man
of the west. Upon the question of finance,
of fiscal administration, Of financial prin-
ciple and experience / would rather have
the authority of John Sherman. Thomas
Reed. Benjamin Harrison and William Nc
Kinley than that of the illustrious Tom
watson. OF Georgia, or the frigid Arthur
Sewall. OF Maine, or even of that gowned.
modern high priest of Populistic financial
science. Mrs. Mary Ellen Lease, of Kan
Sas.
WOULD NOT LIFT 1T Up.
The free coinage Of silver would not lift
the white metal up, but 1t would carry II
down to the standard of Mexico and
| China: and now ] want TO ask you why
should We do for silver, at its present price
in the United States, what we do not do
for pig iron? They say that silver Is an
American product. and that We ought 70
take care Of and protect silver because II
is an American product. So is pig Iron
an American product. but did anybody
ever propose that the owner Of pig iron
should be enabled 10 take II to the mint OF
the United States, or to the treasury Of the
States
Mr.. Smith then spoke of the argu-
ment used by the Silverites in reference
| to the debtor class. He asked who is
the debtor class, and showed that the
| Indebtedness of New York city and the
six counties adjoining 1t is double that
of all the territory from Ohio to Kan
| sas. and yet the people living in that
| section are not for free silver.
Mr.. Smith then touched on the other
planks Of the Chicago platform. refer
ring to them as q series of blunders and
| crimes. The first crime was when they
| declared for the free and unlimited
coinage of silver. and the second crime
| was when they declared the validity OF
private contracts should not be respect
| ed; the third crime was when they CEN
| sured President Cleveland for striking
down the viperish front of anarchy and
lawlessness when 1t reigned red in the
streets Of Chicago.
| We are asked by our Democratic friend.
| to do what no nation has ever done before
| In the matter of changing the plan of Oul
| currency. We could not take that steI
| without the greatest commercial convul
| sion the world has ever known. ! trem
BILE to think of the consequence that woulC
| ensue to this fair. land II the wild plans
of the financial theorists should be pui
into int execution. :, on They will not be- however
the boy orator" who will be inaugural
| el president in 1884, His name will be
William Mckinley.
| BIG MAJORITY WANTED.
! come here to ask you to do your full
| duty to help roll up a Republican ma.
jority In Pennsylvania that shall far over.
top anything we have done heretofore. II
| Ia not enough that We should elect a Re.
publican president, but we want to back
| him up with solid Republican congress
| You have candidate who will make q
grand congressman. who Is representa-.
| tive of your Industries and your business
life, He is your friend and my friend
William Connell. NTremendous applause.
! am glad to hear you greet his name ir
| this spontaneous manner and when hs
titly represent your great district. ant
| be as true to you as he has always beer
to every duty during his active, helpful
| life.
| Se Idltnlul 10 all Oh your dnC
| on election night send down to us in Phil
adelphia glowing account of what Vol
have done in this noble county Of yours ir
this great national crisis.
Mr.. Smith closed with the following
beautiful peroration:
| 1t is legend that when Bruce, the Scot
tish chieftain. lay down to die he called hi.
| friend Douglass to his side. To show hi.
love for Douglass, Bruce ordered that hi.
| heart be removed and that il be worn by
| Douglass in tender memory of HIM TIL,
| wishes of Bruce were carried out. and tht
| great leaders heart was removed and en-
| cased In golden casket. which Douglas.
wore on his breast in his fights with the
infidels. During one engagement the tide
OF battle was turning, and then It wa:
that Douglass hurled the golden caske
| containing Bruces heart right in til,
midst Of the foe. and spurred on by thi.
noble act the hosts rushed on the infidel.
| and won glorious victory. And SO Me
| Kinley will enshrine the great heart o.
Lincoln in his breast: Lincoln whom h,
| followed in 81 and supported by the pa
triotic and liberty-loving people Of thi.
Republic. he will hurl that magic talismaI
| into the midst of the Bryan hosts and vii
a glorious and transcendent victory.
The audience had heard of Hon. d. d
Woodmansee. the president of the Ma
tional League of Republican cubs. ant
| NOIh tlc CdU IL
1t had also heard of the Nationa
League of Republican clubs and it.
great achievements. 1t had both IL
mind when he stepped to the from
of the stage. and for quite. a. = perioC
he was unable to proceed IN, Rcc0unt o.
mansee speaks Z Il sedfeeiy an effort
He has strong fssonant voice. which
enables him to make himself heard IL
every corner of the house. while as
suming a conversational style Of de
livery. He is most happy in his Illus
trations and is much given to pleasing
anecdotes. which are always mos
filling and opportune. Laughter pene
trates his remarks quite as often a.
applause and it might be said tha
he was quite as entertaining as he wa
Instructive. He is undoubtedly one o
the country's greatest campaign ora
tors. He said. in part: