The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-15
SOUND MONEY MEETING.
MR EtRTON n. UiSL'S ADDRESS AZ
JONES' PRECINCT LiSTNIGHT.
A Strong Argument in Favor of an Honest
Currency-Thc Speaker Was Given
Respectful Hearing.

Mr. Barton II. Wise, the Democratic
elector for this district addressed the
meeting at Jones precinct IN Henrico
county. last night and was given
most respectful hearing throughout.
There was no disorder or hoOdlumism.
Mr. Fairamb presided over the meet
ond and introduced Mr.. Wise who de-
iivered Il clear ana convincing argument
showing why a gold standard OF currency
should be maintained in this country TO
sustain the honor asd good name of the
nation. The hall was filled with listen
era, and Mr. Wise was several times IN
terrupted by applause.
After brief introduction Mr. Wiz.
dwelt at some length upon the effect upcL
the working man IL the free and unlimit'
cd coinage of silver should become
law. IL the end attained should be
bimctallism. said ne. the experience OF
our country and that Of other countries
shows beyond a doubt that this Is not
practically through tNe free coinage OF
both metals a single standard should
be adopted i'm countries where both gold
and silver were circulating. In Mexico,
Japan. Chill. and other countries where
free coinage was 4 law the more valu-
able money was driven out Of circulation
By the cheap money and this was an
Interchangeable law that would operate IL
this country as well as I'm others.
Mr. Wise then referred TO the so-calied
crime Of ls73 when silver was demone-
TIED. He said that the reason no OBJ
lection was raised 10 the passage OF the
bin was the fact that there was no one
who had any snocial interest IN so act
ing. lie quoted from speeches made By
Senators Jones and Stewart. Of Nevada.
veritos. I'm which those gentlemen had
advocated a gold standard Of currency,
and had omphatically declared gold
was the only practical monetary stand
ard which the civilized nations of tbs
world could adopt These speeches OF
Senator's Jones and Stewart we're made
I'm 1874. and were among the most earn
est speeches eyer made by those two pol
iticians
WHY THE PRICE WAS LOWERED.
The output of tho silver production
during the twenty years following 1873.
said the speaker. had been three times
as great as before, and silver bullion
had therefore quite naturally fallen IN
price. The silver mine owners OF the
West had concluded that the proposed
free coinage law would greatly increase
tho urice of their bullion IL was ac-
he hard M work 10 get the law through.
Senators jones and Stewart had changed
from pronounced advocates cf gold
standard OF currency 10 free silverites.
In discussing the amount of silver, Mr.
Wise said that from 1875 TO the lst or
Julv. lsa6 the United States government
had coined about 43300000o silver dollars
as against only about S.OnoO silver DOL
lars during the eighty years between i'sz
and fS-2 when the free coinage or boln
metals was q law. Tho silver leaders
,r.i,,od 20 be disintorestcd personally.
and IN he DESTROYS above all things or
aQordine financial relief 20 the country
and the people. Yet ii was wen NhoMn
fact that most OF the Democrats III ''',
mart ~ the country were IN FAVOR %
b,viua repealed the 10 per cent tIN
~, soto hanks but despite this fact the
cit.,oo marty had utterly ignored this
81, the Chicago platform and had given
tbe,~ whole time and energy 10 the Tree
silver movement so as 10 get free com
AGE above everything else. The truth
ie said he. that the Chicago party dld
NOT care 20 afford relief through the otn-
or medium. but were determined 10 iorce
rree silver ahead OF all other questions
That came up for consideration.
Continuinq. Mr.. Wise stated that II was
not true that the present inah'ial roun-
les Of the country were due 10 lack OF
money. The amount OF money IN circu-
lauOn per capita az this tine, ne a.
clared. was greater than ever peiofe' INC
p.. capita circulation now was between
S2l and 81. ID 1873 it was Sie ana III lS''
it was only $40.
Tho sneaker quoted from 4 speech or
senator Vest. made i'm lsli. I'm which that
Gentleman had said that the silver aslta-
tlon WAS throwing a pail over the couh-
trv and was causing general deprcs-
sion i'm business. Senator Vest had siih
there was 10 reason why the country
should not be prosperous. but Tor the
fact chat the silver agitation was doing
a great deal toward parMy1lng business
WOULD Make TIMES HARDER.
Mr. wise. continuing said that what
ever might be the merits OF the free com
40. Of silver business men who had
any money 10 invest did not believe in
II II Mr.. W. J. Bryan should be elected.
said he. for at least year the capitalists
and manufacturers and other men who
carried on extensive business interests
would be slow to put out their money
into circulation, not knowing what the
outcome would be. The consequence
would be that the people might expect
even harder times than they were now
having Especially would this be true OF
tho working mon.
The speaker went on 10 explain tnat
It was not true that sold had appreciated
az contended by the advocates OF free
silver. The best practical test was the
amount os interest money would COM
tnand. The rate Of interest now was
lower than I'm. past years.
In conclusion Mr.. wise explained how
free silver would be damaging 10 the In
tercsts Of the working man, and he made
a clear and forcible argument along this
line. showing how prices varied according
10 the law Of demand and supply.
He appealed 10 the working men 70 sup
port an honest currency that would be
the only safe monetary system for
civilized nation.