Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1896-09-24

thursday evening to hear II. w. C,ayen
u'scuss the errors Of Populism. Prof. X.
l. campbell presided, and in manner
very creditable to himself. In his re.
marks he created considerable amuse.
meht OF kind not intended when,
putting OH one of his James Whitcomh
Riley smiles. he aimed witticism at
James Hamilton Lewis, for az soon as
the name was mentioned the admirers of
Lewis nearly took the roof off of the
house, and by the time the applause had
suosided the Whitcomb Riley smile had
entirely vanished from the face of the
speaker, and "Wandering Sheep" Hood,
VINO, when he saw where the applause
was coming from, had ceased his applause
and Strengthened himself up in his chair
with motion like the closing of a Jack
knife, and continued to look foolish for
about ten minutes.
The first speaker was F. G. Deckebach,
VINO made short address upon the
tariff, and who attributed all of our pres.
ent ills to the fact that the Mckinley
Dill had been repealed and that we were
now under free trade. He said good
many things that were no doubt true,
but he omitted to say good many more
that were truer, the main omission being
that under the Wilson bill we have an
average duty OF about SO per cent, which
ought to afford sufficient "protection"
to acknowledgements infant industries.
lie called particular attention to the
importation OF logs under the Wilson
bill, which for the year ending June 80,
1898, amounted to $l,l49,7 64, and for
the year ending June 30, 1896, 81, 5s4 ,43s;
but he forgot to say anything about the
exports Of logs during these same years,
which amounted to $l,Sl3,S 1896 and So.
796,O43 respectively.
He also referred to the large importa-
ton Of hops under what he was pleased
to term "free trade" notwithstanding
the treasury statistics show that for the
year ending June 80, 1898, under the
Mckinley law, there were imported
81, OS5, 4O7 worth Of hops, while during
the two years under the Wilson bill, end
ing June 80, 1896 and 1895 there has been
imported only $599,744 and 5000, 4l9
worth respectively. He also bewailed
the sad fate OF the farmer because of the
importation Of farm products, but these
same treasury statistics show that for the
year ending June 80, 1894, the year of
the Mckinley bill, the importations Of
"Articles Of food and live animals"
which constitutes the bulk OF farm prod
ucts, had been 1850 per cent OF the
whole imports, while for the next two
years, under the Wilson bill, they were
reduced to 1921 and 3O.3S per cent re-
spectively.
Mr.. Craven, the principal speaker, de-
livered his address in a manner which
showed up his side of the question as
we'll as could be done. His Populist
auditors were disappointed in not finding
out what their sins were. He devoted
the main portion OF his time to denounc-
ing the Democrats and in proving what
none deny, that business was active dur
ing 1892 and has been dull since the
panic and the repeal of the Sherman
law. He quoted Bradstreet and Dun's
commercial agencies to prove it, but he
forgot to tell the audience that neither
Bradstreet nor Dun attributed the dull.
ness to the Democratic party.
He then turned his attention to the
financial question, and proved conclu.
sively, unintentionally, Of course, all that
the silver men contend for. The speaker
laid down the proposition that "With
free coinage the coin is worth no more
than the bullion it contains" and pro.
ceeded to prove it by stating that an
ounce OF gold was worth $20.67, and
asked the question why it was, the an
swer to which he gave being because
our government has said our gold dollar
shall contain 1922 grains OF gold" and
not satisfied with making this statement
once, he emphasized 1t by repeating the
answer. That is just what the silver
men claim also, and if it be true Of gold,
as it is, it will certainly be tue that an
ounce OF silver will he worth $l.29 when
our government opens its minis to the
free coinage OF dollar containing 81 a
grains Of pure silver.
His statement that We were coming
silver today was half truth; but hall
truth is worse than lie, and he was
compelled to acknowledge after the meet
ing that the present coinage was Of
bullion already in the treasury, and for
every dollar Of such issue treasury note
was taken out OF circulation and de-
stoyed. Taking it altogether, the Re
publicans will have to make Il muci
better showing if they expect to stem
the tide toward Bryan.
II ,Hs,,mp