Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-26
MIX BULLETS WITH BALLOTS
What the Radical Element Of the Silver
Faction Would Do.
FEATURE OF wEBSTER's SPEECH
Mentions Instances where the Bryan
Advocates UnNc Declared for
thc Success OF the white
Metal or War.

ITHACA, Neb.. Sept. 25,-(Spccial Telc-
Eram)-A Mckinley ratification meeting,
held In a tent here was addressed by Hon.
John l.. Webster OF Omaha. over 1000
people attended. The Mckinley and Ida
Mckinley marching clubs of Wahoo and
delegation from Ashland were present. Mr..
Websters speech was well received and lis-
tened to attentivcly. In concluding, Mr..
Webster said: | wish to call the attention
OF all patriotic and law-abding people who
are members OF the free silver party, to the
existence of dangerous element which
seems either to be in control or IL not In
control is at least politically recognized
among the active workers of that party 1t
is political element which has become so
fanatic of the money question that 1t de-
clares in either open or disguised terms
that 1t will have free silver or free bullets.
There are many men in the city of Omaha
who have heard that covert threat made
by persons who form part OF the FREQ
silver gatherings that stand about the street
corners Similar utterances have been made
in such gatherings in the streets of other
towns in this state.
TALKING ABOUT FIGHTING.
but a few weeks ago, after having made
a speech in Polk county, was told by an
old veteran who was believer in Mckinley
and sound money, that frequently he had
nCafu Tree silver pOpullStS Ill tnc StreelS Oh
Stromsburg say that this contest meant
either free silver or free bullets. So long
such utteranCes were confined to tho
statements of an excited man upon the
street corner, 1t was not sufficient justlnca-
ton for alarm. Such declarations were or
dinarily passed by idle remarks. AS
time has gone on. they have become more
frequent and have assumed bolder shape.
But a few evenings ago public speaker
at the free silver Headquarters in Omaha,
after the usual TRADE AGAINST the SO-called
goldbugs, the money power and Wall street,
told his audience that If they could not get
their rights and free silver by the ballot,
they could get Ii by this As he uttered
this last statement, he held up between his
thumb and two fore fingers in fun view of
his audience, bullet. This action on the
part of the speaker was received by that
gathering with great applause.
Il am not making this statement upon
mere idle rumor. | only make IL because
its correctness has been verified by persons
who were present in that room. heard the
declaration, saw the presentation of the
bullet and listened to the vociferous APP
plause with which the free silver people
present approved of 1t.
NOT MENACING VOTERS.
'Mr. Bryan rarely makes speech with
out making a reference either by direct
statement or by insinuation that the cor
porations of the country are compelling
their employees by force threats to vote
the republican ticket. So far, l have never
observed that he has given any evidence OF
the correctness of his statements, and yet
he goes on repeating them, day after day,
as if they accepted and proven truths.
Yet all men of experience and wide OBJ
servaton know that such declarations are
without foundation and that in this free
country all people have been permitted to
vote they pleased, without hindrance
intimidation, except in the free silver state
of Arkansas and its sister states of Mssis
sippi and the Carolinas.
But if all that Bryan has charged be
true, and if it be subject to just condemna-,
ton, nevertheless, Bryan in the course he
pursues puts himself in worse criminal
situation. because in all his public speeches
he undertakes to excite the unemployed
against the employers. His campaign ia
campaign in which tho chief endeavor is to
arouse the passion of the workingmen, as
well as the passions of the unemployed, and
after uniting them with feeling of preju-
dice and hatred, to hurl that united power
against all moneyed and corporate interests
of the United States. 1t is the course al
ways pursued, perhaps in more aggravated
form, by the agitator who would incite riot
and insurrectiOn.'