The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-08-05
BARI OF DOODLE.
Hon. J. F. Wilson Relates His
Conversion to Silver.
The Indications All Point to q Liberal
Use OF Yellow Grease In the
Coming Campaign In the
Buckeye State.

There has been great deal Of con-
troversy lately relative to the political
beiief of Hon. James f. Wilson, the
Democratic nominee for state treas
urer, and an effort made to place him
In the ranks of different parties. That
much mooted question has at last been
settled by Mr. Wilson himself, in a
straight forward, honest and manly
utIterance a few days ago. In public
statement he gives the history of his
life and tells of his conversion to the
ranks of the silver hosts, and why ne
left the Republican party. His rea-
sons are given in the following:
''My life has been an uneventful one.
l was born 81 years ago In Warren
township, TrumbuH county, Ohio, one
of family of fourteen children. My
father, after whom l was named, was
born in 1900, and was the first male
child born in Youngstown. His an
cestors came to Massachusetts, before
The revolutionary war. My mothers
maiden name was Wefy, coming from
Maryland, and l am nearly related to
John G. WeHy, of Canton. or my
family, FIVE brothers are now active
in the Methodist ministry, of which
denomination / am a member. l was q
veteran of the late war, serving in the
Nineteenth regiment, o. V. l., whose
roll Of honor is third In this state.
"In 1871 l graduated from Allegh eny
college, Meadville, Pa, From 1871 10
1878 was superintendent of the pub
lie schools, of Chagrin Falls three
years and at Ashtabuia four years.
Since 1878 have resided in my native
place. Warren.
THAT city is called the capital OF
the Western Reserve and Gibraltar of
Republicanism, and UP to one year ago
l had always been a Republican.
was active among them, having been
chairman of the county central COM
mittee and secretary of the executive
committee many years, and had oeen
honored by them on many occasions.
My conversion is a simple tale.
II began the study of silver and
kindred questions four years ago, when
President Cleveland convened congress
to repeal the silver purchasing act as
the primary cause of the money panic.
l could not understand how the COIN
ing of silver dol!are drove the gold out
Of the country.
II became intensely interested and
extended my study, covering the legis-
lation upon money from the founding
OF our government. Then tariff and
taxation were studied in connection
with their practical workings in our
government. l can not now describe
my feelings Of Indignation as it dawn
ed upon me how the common people Of
the country had been deprived of WIN
believed to be their God-given rights.
May 20, 1896, in a memoria. address
at Newton ] all, | presented the silver
question and publicly announced that
I never would support a party not ad-
vocating the restoration of silver at
the legal ratio. l told my friends be-
fore the st. Louis convention that
would not support Mckinley unless the
platform pronounced positively for the
restoration OF silver.
Immediately after that convention
/ L hOLhiNh VII iNVpubiANfhl II
the parting Of the ways had come.
mo man in this part of the state
watched the proceedings of the Chi
cago convention with more anxiety
than I, and when that convention I'D
journed, l said: 4 will vote for Will
liam j. Bryan, and / notified the Dem
ocratic executive committee of this
county that l was a Democrat and was
at their service for any kind OF work.
mo thought of being a candidate
before the state convention for any
Office had for a moment entered my
mind. We went early Monday to talk
with delegates and see the candidates
and ascertain their records on the sill
yer question. retired early at the
Chittenden House. The next morning
I learned that the delegates from the
Nineteenth district and the delegates
from Mabop ng and Columbiana coun-
ties were booming me for the treas
urership, and that my candidacy wac
favorably received. l was nominated
on the third ballot by the greatest stale
convention ever held In Ohio"