The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-27
A FREE-SILvER AUDIENCE.
Address of Franklin Landers Before
Progress Club Yesterday.
We send samples.

The money question, or, rather. the silver
question, was holly debated before the Prog
ress Club yesterday afternoon. Outing the
argument one man became so warmed up
to the subject that when speaking of GER
tain statements that had been made by
other speakers. said: IF that Is true, say
damn such conditions" This was passed
without comment. except a litter that
passed around the room. Soon the speaker
had occasion TO use the same language
again. AT this gentleman in the rear of
the room rose and protested against the use
OF such words. which he termed profanity.
and said 1t not right to accept the
hospitality OF the congregation of Plymouth
Church and then use such language.
If the gentleman will look in the diction-
AIRY he will find that the word means to
condemn said the man who had used it,
The later dictionaries also give it as a word
of profanity and also as curse word call
ing upon God to condemn forever. The
chairman said he did not think such words
should be used. even If the speaker did use
them in the simple sense OF forcible con-
demnaticn. without thought OF profanity.
on account of the association OF the word
which caused II to be tabooed as a word of
strong emphasis.
The principal address was by Franklin
Landers, who replied to the argument made
q few weeks ago by Philip Rappaport in
favor OF gold standard currency. Mr.
Landers used no manuscript and no notes
except Coins Financial School," to which
he referred quite often. Quite frequently
he read passages from this book. He con-
tended that this government, having, as he
thought, its principal export trade with sill
ver-using countries, could stand alone in the
adoption OF the free coinage of silver. He
said he was bimetallist. but in his argu-
silver by the United states. in unlimited
Quantities. at the ratio OF 16 to j, regardless
Of the action Of European countries. The
question of intrinsic values came in for a
share OF his argument.
After Mr.. Landers had finished, Philip
Rappaport arose TO answer some OF his ar
guments, but he was in an audience whose
sympathies We're with the other speaker.
and he received a rather cold, although
sod sSs yse tRa does Sot tna
that the use OF a cheaper money in this
country would soon drive all the gold away.
answer a question that VAS put TO him.
that was not Endorsed by the other men
present who were on his side OF the argu-
ment- He stated that gold is money regard
less Of a government stamp. This was
answered By T. y. Martindale. who said
anything passed as money that did not have
the stamp of some government or authority
on II: that Is. IL was not legal money. but
might De accepted Dy the people because
they had faith In the fact that IL contained
the intrinsic value for which 10 passed. This
had reference TO the token money that was
in circulation in California during the early
days OF gold mining in that State.
Undoubtedly the free-silver men had the
hest OF the argument. for there were only
two who took the other side OF the question
E Il. Martindale and Philip Rappaport
Besides this. the gold men had only 1--WE
minutes In which TO speak. while MIR. Ian.
derss time on the opening was unlimited
and he had ten minutes to close. In his
closing statement he said he had never vel
seen a man who was fool enough 10 give
more than a dollar of kind OF money
for a dollar OF any other kind. but qualified
che statement with the remark. unless hs
could use the other dollar to a better ad
vantage"