Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-10-23
DEMOCRATIC MEETING.

held meeting al the Opera House last
night which was fairly well attended.
Mr. John H. S:rider presided and cali
ed attention TO the fact tina! Saturday
was the last day OF registration. He
then introduced Mr.. John II. Johnson.
Mr.. Johnson said MS apology for ap-
pearing second time during the cam
paign before al Alexandra audience
was MS great interest in the presiden-
tial election: ne believed if the cause lie
advocated prevailed 90 per cent. OF the
people in the country would be bene-
fitted; ne had conscientiously studied
the silver question for two years and
believed be vas on the right side. He
then supplemented what be had said
on the subject in his previous speech b.
additional facts TO show how the de-
precistion Of silver by its demonetiza-
ton sud the appreciation OF gold had
brought about hard times in the
country. He ridiculed the statement
OF the Palmerites the pail bearers OF
the republican party that they were
actuated by their conscience in
the course they were pursuing said
they had taken a position which had
been abandoned by both the demo
cratic and republican parties-the gold
standard-snd declared that they mad
organized to defeat in q treacherous
manner the democratic party. Having
been mem bers OF and having acted with
the democratic party, he seid they
should have aoided by the will OF the
majority, and that he would have more
respect for them if they came out
straight for the republican party a.
secret foe was more to be dreaded than
an open enemy. In referring to tns
money question ne stated that Daniel
Webster bad said fit was constitution
al to destroy the value OF one money
metal-silver it was constitutional to
destroy the value of the other-gold.
Mr.. Johnson then enumerated the
promises the republican party had made
| Of prosperous times II the people would
| have confidence and accept high tariff
and the repeal OF the silver bill, and
asked if any Of these promises mad beer
| fulfilled. He showed that the
statements made by the repubi-
CAPS that over production gas
the cause OF Deprecated prices wsr
incorrect and said that the increase
Of population was not taken into cJn
sideralion in these statements. He tnen
compared the prices OF farm products
cattle and horses and real estate OF
twenty years ago with those OF The pres
ent time, and showed by clear reason
ing that the decentralization OF silver
the destruction OF value Of one MALI the
money Of the world-was the Chief
! cause OF the declining prices. He then
I read what Allane, OF Belgium, and Bis
marck, of Germany, had said Of the
effect OF the decentralization Of silver
aud Mr.. Johnson added that the people
having found the cause OF depression
could easily apply the remedy. He
then told how the farmers, if they 90,
good products. would spend their
money with the merchants and ho"
everybody would be benefited, and
showed how the prosperity Of the coun
try depended upon the farmers. H
then read what Palmer. Carlisle. Nc
Kinley, Ingersoll, Flower and ingalls,
had said few years ago IN favor OF free
coinage and Of the distress which would
follow the demonstration Of silver.
and asked if what they had then pre-
dicted had not come to pass. He said
there would never be prosperity till
silver was restored to its full functions
as money, and it never would be re-
stored if we waited for England, which
country was immensely benefited BY
the gold standard. The United States.
he urged, should take the lead in the
free coinage OF silver, and he denied
the statement made by the republicans
that this would injure the working
men, boiling that the farmers and
working men would both be benefited
by free coinage, as would also both the
creditor and debtor classes, as such
free coinage would bring about great
er circulation. He closed by urging
loyal support Of Bryan, but said even
il he was defeated the warfare for free
coinage would go on.
Mr.. Johnson's speech abounded in
sound argument and was attentively
listened to throughout its delivery.
Mr.. Strider announced that Mr.. John
F. Rixey would speak at the Opera
House next Tuesday night.