The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-11-26

This is Mr.. Watterson,s utterance
to reporter of the I. q. G. duly COM
to interview him. But Mr..
Watterson is mistaken. Mr.. Bryan
polled largely more votes than Mr..
Cleveland polled In 1892. He polled
more votes than any democratic can
didate ever before polled. He polled
enough votes to have been elected had
there not been bushels of money spent
In the purchase of fraudulent ballots.
The gold democrats were not factor
in Mr.. NcKinley's election. They
made the most ridiculous spectacle
that has ever been known in the po-
litical history of the world. They
carried no state, no county, no pre-
cinct. They did not contribute one
iota to McKinley's election, either di-
rectly or indirectly, and yet Henry
Watterson, who has been red hot
opponent of everything Mckinley
stands for, now unblushingly puts
forth The claim that democrats like
himself helped elect Mckinley and
shows anger because he made no di
vision of the spoils. He tries to hedge
by saying that the republicans have
been as blind as the Bryanites. The
republicans have done nothing the
Bryanitts would have done. They
have done just what every sensible
| democrat knew they would do. They
have enacted the most sectional and
| iniquitous tariff tax that has ever yet
been inflicted on the American peo-
plea tax that Henry Watterson has
waged war against as robbery and yet
he pretends to be amazed. In their
| advocacy OF the Femonetiz ltion OF
silver, Mr.. Watterson pretends TO be-
lieve the Bryanits are blind and not
loyal to the teachings of true democ-
racy, yet some years before the assem-
bling of the Chicago convention, to-
wit: August 10, 1886, Mr.. Watterson
gave the republicans, and the single
gold standard advocates generally,
the following financial NUS TO crack
First: That the characterization of silver
which has prevailed for some years up to
this writing both in the United States and
Europe. has had the effect of advancing the
value of gold about 40 per cent
Second That this has been accomplished
by depressing the value of other property to
| that extent.
Third: That about 20 per cent. of the
property and producing resources Of the
people have thus been transferred to a COM
| parativeiy small class of men. whose stock
in trade is gold and gold investments.
Fourth: That in the exact proportion as
gold has risen the burden of debt and: taxa.
/ ton has increased. and that in proportion
property aud labor have declined the capac-
ityof the people to pay their debts and taxes
has diminished
, Firth: That the silver discount is creating
bonus Of more than so per cent. in tavcr
OF the farm productions of India and all
Asia, which. to that extent, cheapens the
wheat, Gotten aud various other productions
Of the United States.
Sixth; That these lamentable conditions
have been produced by anti-silver legislation.
/ Seventh: That they can be undone aud
prosperity be restored by prosilver legis-
Iation.
These arguments, clearly in line
with the Bryanites, have never been
answered. Mr.. Watterson himself
has never attempted to answer them.
| And as he has not done so, hut, on the
contrary, is denouncing democrats for
believing as be then believed, is it not
pertinent TO ask if he is mentally
sound, and if mentally sound, is he
politically honest?