Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-08
BRYANlSM EXPOUNDED.

The campaign for free silver was
formally opened in this city Saturday
evening last a. Opera House by Mr.. NJ.
NJ. Riley of Milwaukee. The speaker
was pleasantly introduced by Mr. D. D.
Conway, democratic candidate for Dis
trict Attorney. Obtaining the floor Mr..
Riley discoursed for three hours and
ten minutes; in fact until the majority
of the audience had become thoroughly
tired out and disguised with the man
and his rambling, indirect methods of
treating the subject in hand We
cannot say that Mr.. Riley is either an
entertaining or eloquent speaker, or
profound thinker. But of his interim
nable flow of words there is no question
OF doubt. As campaigner his reckless
juggling with figures and "historic"
readings must place him we'll to the
front. His ability for continued parti-
san assertions without proof has had no
equal here for very long time, if ever.
His strongest argument, "Now [ have
proved that; Of course l have" was
frequently repeated, but the ridiculous
assumptions could not be so conclusively
accepted by the listeners as they were
readily made by the speaker. InteIli-
gence is not converted that way.
Notwithstanding the 80 ponderous
volumes he had piled before him as
pretended backing, Mr.. Riley advanced
tallacy upon fallacy, contradicting and
stultifying himself in that same dispo-
sition to bulldoze all opponents by mere
statement which has been shown by
the silyerites since the beginning of the
campaign. We do not attempt to follow
his tale of wild theotizing, but here are
just few gems of his thought
Mr.. Riley's opening proposition was
in effect as follows:
1--WE are charged by Republicans that
the silver speakers are arraying labor
against capital, that we seek to arouse
class prejudice: We deny it, and place
the evil at the Republican door"
Then he closed his talk with one of
the most rabid, reviling and severe
TRADES against the oppression of capital
that could be listened to. Such bold
inconsistency of statement served only
to weaken his entire talk and to place
the stamp of discredit around his
efforts.
AS to our alleged dependence upon
foreign syndicates this:
I'VE are about to allow ourselves to
become prey to the great money
changers Of the nation"
Yes, if we should fall to Il silver basis,
the standard up one day and down the
next, what a picnic the big money
gamblers would have. And Mr. Riley
thinks voters are about TO be entrapped
that way. When the votes are polled
next November he will know different.
His view of American statesmen:
Il know of Dutchmen and Irishmen
Ill their own country that are better
Americans than any Americans in this
country"
AS to markets:
Il don't need to quote statistics to
show that the purchasing power of
gold dollar has increased, and the price
of commodities measured by it has gone
down since 1873"
Well, how does he square this. Silver
has declined 3 cents an ounce, and
wheat has advanced is cents bushel
since BrYan's nomination.
He labored to leave an impression
that if the gold standard were main
tanned, 1t, and it alone, would be respon-
slble for the issuance of millions in |
bonds from time to time to maintain
the expenses of our Government One |
thought of tariff is enough to show the |
shallowness here
Mr.. Riley attempted to support the |
exploded notion that one nation can |
stand supremely free within itself, |
independent entirely from every other
nation, and in conclusion remarked:
"lf this country isn't great enough, |
good enough, big enough and grand |
enough to give us what we want to
make us prosperous and happy, then
let US put ourselves under the guardian |
ship of some other nation that is great |
enough, good enough, ETC., to give us
what we want to make us prosperous and
happy"
Readers can you vote for the dishon-
est scheme of cutting in half the value
of the dollar in which working men get
their pay? Do you want the guardian
ship above suggested. If so put in your
strength for free silver, the policy that
would degrade our money standard
and entail the practical destruction of
our nations credit. If not, remember
the ''honest dollar" which has helped
to make US the leaders and the peers of
every nation of the earth, without their
guardianship, though still part of
them.