Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-10-09
ELOQUENCE.
Hon. J. Wight Ciddings and
Hon. N. B. Bradley on the
Issues of the Day.

anxious to learn concerning the pending
issues of the campaign. The opening
address was delivered by Hon. n. b.
Bradley of Bay City, man well known
IN the Saginaw Valley for his upright
ness and firmness of conviction. In
opening, he said, that he was not speak
ing on the issues of the day this year,
but had at the request of the chairman,
consented to define his position on the
present issues. II appear as one firm
in the faith that sound money is what
we need. / come as farmer, to speak
to the farmers" He then by a series of
sound logical arguments, showed that
the crime of 1878 has not caused the de-
cline of prices on farm products, but
that over production and decrease in
consumption have largely influenced
the matter. See the advance in the
| price of wheat until today it sells in the
market of Detroit for 7734 per bushel
| and yet silver has not risen in price He
then went on to show the utter fallacy
of adopting law for the free unlimited
coinage of silver, at the ratio Of 16 to l.
In closing, he showed how VIM. j.
Bryan refused while in congress, to al
low the representatives of the laborers
and farming classes to appear before the
committee of resolutions, while it was
framing the Wilson tariff bill, and that
he was free trader to the very heart. |
The audience cheered wildly at the |
close of the address. The college glee |
club next rendered two exceedingly APP
propriate selections, which We're re-
ceived with great enthusiasm.
In opening his address, the orator and
giant of the evening, portrayed in the
most beautiful terms the scene on old
Lookout Mountain, the feelings that
filled ones mind with patriotism and
devotion to our country as he reviewed
it. All brave deeds were not done on
the battle field, we have as great, as
brave acts as those, performed
when great crises are at hand and
issues pending
when the metals were placed in the
earth at creation, God established law
and no man is able TO break it, The
parity OF the two metals cannot be made
by law. When our silver friends talk
about the crime af 1878, they tell you
that Grant did not know what was in
the bill when he signed it, Do you have
that idea Of our noble general? They
say Blaine, Roscoe Conklin and Beck
lid not understand what they were
voting for. Can these men be called to
No they have long since
passed away. Why don't they call on
Stewart, Jones or Sherman? / will
luote you Senator Stewart. l don't go
% the graveyard for my witnesses. "
lie then read from the congressional I
'ecords the words of the great free silver
apostle, where he declared himself for I
yold and that alone. "There is no t
question that the adoption of the free /
liver coinage law would make us ii
nation. History plainly l
hows it. t
Did the cry for silver originate in
Michigan, did it originate in Illinois or
Nebraska? No it came ripping over
he Rockies from the silver mines.
'hey say 53 cents worth of silver will
e worth one dollar have you any to u
DIN, If not, where is your gain coming L
n? Who will make the 47c profit p
,cho answers plainly, the mine owner.
The rate of interest is higher in the
liver than the gold counties, so what
an you gain by change?
1t will be easy enough for the merch-
mt to double his price, but can the poor
rage Garner mark up his wages? No,
ne working man must come last, wages
re the last thing to advance every
me.
Bryan says we will have a panic, but e.
etter times will follow, so the physi- %
an says you will feel better after an -,
tack of typhoid fever, if you don't O.;
lie. But how many are willing to try !,
he experiment. So it is with Bryan's -,
leory, we are not willing to run the =,
lances of destroying our nations cred 81
, for the sake of benefiting the mine !,
gners and syndicates. They talk -
bout increasing the volume of cur. 90
'ncy, did you ever hear of making =,
lings more by making them less? 1t =,
not the amount of money, but its =;
,tivity that produces prosperity.
They object to placing the volume of
Irrency in the hands of the banks. but ed
ish rather to place it in the hands of a hc
w silver owners - ~,
He spoke of how Altgeld and Slywere it,
IT willing to take silver for their goods. cii
1t wanted gold, still they keep urging "a q,
pom the people to adopt the metal they m
Iemselves spurn. pa
We don't believe the money question cll
the issue, but we have met IL because nv Nv
G Republican marty is NOT afraid to | l.