Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-10-08

Demonstrations - Last Nights
wood Meeting--Political
Notes.
Hon. Ross ]. Alexander, Of Bridgeport
delivered an address to a big audience
in the Fourth ward last night. The
meeting was TO have been held in the
open air, at the corner of Wood and
Eighteenth streets, but owing to the
cold weather the crowd was taken to the
BeabOut Club room, on Wood street.
which was not large enough to accom-
MEDIATE It. The speaker was escorted
from his hotel by the Fourth Ward
Club, and the Faulkner, Watts and
German-American Silver cubs. Thera
was a great deal Of enthusiasm along the
line Of march, and it manifested itself
during the meeting at every mention of
the name OF Bryan.
The meeting was ca.eld to order by
Mr.. T. NJ. Darrah, who named Mr.. f. II.
Lange as chairman of the meeting. He
was given three cheers. and in response
he promised that if sent to Charleston
he would faithfully erye his con-
Gt;tuents. He introduced Mr.. Alex
a1der in a neat speech, and the cheering
was enthusiastic and prolonged.
This year" said Mr. Alexander,
everybody is talking politics" He pro-
ceaded to show the gravity of Tne money
question, and stated tina; in Ohio parry
lines are broken, and Republicans are
Hooking to the free silver standard. He
said it was not only the silver legislation
which has brought about existing hard
times, but Republican legislation for
many years in the interest Of wealth.
He said the New England states are well
named because they are so English,
Cont you know" He proceeded to show
why New England. New York and
Pennsylvania are for the gold standard.
These states have more of the national
bank capital than all the rest of the
county combined He read statistics
showing the per capita wealth of these
states, Maine, $3.50; Virginia. S26 New
Hampshire, ten times as much rs
West Virginia. These are the creditor
states, and because they have the money
they are for gold
The Republicans tell how much
money is in the country. They add
the per capita Of Massachusetts and
Georgia, and average it. They take one
man who has $4,000 and another who
has nothing, and then make the per
capita Of the two men $1,000. The Re
publican party never wanted the ma
tional debt paid, and the speaker pro-
posed to show why. Legislation had
been in the interest of wealth. The
speaker believed in Jefferson's prn-
ciple, equal and exact justice to all
men,
Mr. Alexander showed that not an
acre was acquired by the United States
except under Democratic adminisTa-
ton, and the heritage given to the
American people by that party Will make
one hundred states the size Of Ohio.
The Republican party gave 296,0O0,OO0
Of acres, more land than the original
thirteen states. to railroads. That
amount was squandered by the Republi-
can party, and in addition it legisiated
millions of money TO the railroads. All
that property is lost II has made a
few mu,ti-millionaires. and every one Of
them is to-day opposed to Bryan.
Under % years OF Democratic admin
istratiOn. including wars. the acquisi-
ton of vast territory, and all other eX-
penses. the government expended less
than two billions. Yet under Republi-
can administration the amount would
not run the the government three years.
Mr.. Alexander took up the bond-hOli-
ers, and showed that they are not COM
PEELED to pay anything on their wealth,
as their bonds are not taxable. Those
bonds. when first issued. were payable in
currency. Under the refunding act of
1869. they were made payable in coin.
Then came the GemOnetiZatiOn of silver,
which made the bonds payable in gold
only. Al; this was in favor of the bond
holders. The legal tender value Of silver
was destroyed, but afterwards restored
by the Bland-Aliison act. With no per-
son asking for the decentralization OF
the white metal, and unknown to all
but a very few persons, the act OF 1870
was passed.
At that time the only countries on a
gold basis were England, Portugal and
Thirty-eight millions of peo-
Dle were on a gold basis. against two
hundred and fifty millions on a bime-
rallic basis No Republican can tell why
silver was d5monetizsd Ne wonder Is
is called crime, Mr.. Alexander quo
5ed from leading members of Congress
Of both parties. in 1878, to show that no
nerson knew the true purport of the act.
Ii was conceived in sin, and brought
forth in iniquiy.
Since 1873 the government has pur-
chased sos, O00,O 600 worth Of silver bull
ION. and issued silver certificates, which
is about the only money now in circula-
ton. and if that money were TO be VIVA
drawn. thtre would be universal bank
ruDtcv. All that silver cost the govern
ment a dollar and two cents an ounce.
cents an ounce was MADE
off The silver mine owners amounting
in rtb9 a aggregate to S132. o09,C0 That's
, free will Offering Of the silver mine
owners to nay the c0untry's debts. what
did the gold men pay? Not cent. All
he taxes on wealth, and the speaker
enumerated some Of them. have been
removed He mentioned oher laws
which were repealed. which would nave
cei1 the national debt. He argu that
he Renublican party never intended to
NV off the national debt. He read from
,bo Penublican platform in 1888, de-
tn efforts TO demonetize sill
YER. in 1892. demanding the use OF gold