Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-29

A STATE MEETING FOR TALK AND
LITTLE ELSE.
LEADERS ON CURRENCY REFORM.
They Say There Will He Action I'm
Congress on the subject, and That
Mckinley Proposes to Keep the st.
Louis Bond.
Louis Bond.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. December B.-
Five hundred representatives Of the Re-
publican party Of Indiana outside Of the
city of indianapolis attended to-day's
conference The meeting was for talk
and little else. and was the largest of
year" meeting the party ever held.
The meeting was held a little late in
the year. in order that the Republican
United States Senator from the State
and the Republican Representatives
might be here. and they all came. IDfiu-
entail men in the party were encouraged
by the statements of the Senator and
Representatives that there is hope for
currency reform. not radical legislation,
but action that will tend to set the party
right before the people. The unanlmity
of the party in the State on the PROPOSE
ton that the currency must be reformed
was a surprise to u good many of the
men attending the conference. The
Democrats. 1t was averred, will declare
for free silver in their next State plat
form. and the Republicans will, OF course
take the opposite ground. In the event
OF tne IIllNft Oh 1OHBitoS W NhhN NNN'N'A
looking to reform OF the currency, MEM
bers OF the party said, the party IN TINS
State would go into the State campaign
embarrassed and on the defensive from
the start.
In the hotel Hobbies there was great
deal of talk against the civil service
law. but it came largely from men VINO
made application for Office Immediately
on the nomination Of Mckinley. ana
have been disappointed The prominent
men of the party agreed that no one
need fear that the Republicans OF lhul-
ana will ever declare against the law.
The chief speakers were United States
Senator Charles w. Fairbanks ana ex-
Governor Mount. Senator Fairbanks pald
a high tribute TO the President. lie sald
'In my humble Judgment, a more patri-
otic citizen of the republic never
graced the chair OF the Chief Executive
Senator Fairbanks expressed the beleI
that the Dingley law will prove Dlessins'
and bring a prosperity equalled only ny
the Mckinley law Itself. Some Oh our
Democratic friends say it will not raise
revenue sufficient for the government;
that IL is not raising sufficient revenue
now. This lis true as to the present. Pre-
vious TO the enactment OF the Dtngiey
law millions of dollars worth or pro-
ducts were sent into this country. For
eiqners knew the best friend to them was
the Wilson bill, and its doom was sealed
nv the Republican Congress. After these
nroducts sent TO us by the swiftest Snlps
which plough the seas, are consumed, we
shall have sufficient revenue from the
Dinglev bill. The bill will vindicate IL
self II will speaK more eloquently Tor
itself than any Republican spoke for II.
FAIRBANKS ON THE CURRENCY.
ON the subject OF currency REFORM
Senator Fairbanks spoke as follows:
''Our Democratic friends say to the Ole
Democrats the Republican party will no'
keep faith with us. When the Republl'
cans declared in favor of sound money al
81 Louis. they did not mean it. The Re-
publican party, with Mckinley as oui
leader. intends to keep foith, to preserve
| the gold standard unimpaired 10 th'
American people.
'"The currency question is a great ques-
| tion. and to il the President of the United
States and his advisers are addressing
| themselves with ardor and intelligence.
| saw the President but day before came
here T asked him if he had any message
| for the Republicans OF Indiana. He asked
me to say to you that he gratefully re-
members the encouragement ana assist
ance which the Republicans of this splen
did State have given him heretofore, ane
he further said: L am going to keep th'
bond. 1 am going 10 vindicate the sound
| money plank of the st. Louis platform
"a party which keeps faith with th'
American people will, in my Judgment, b'
| supported and sustained by them. NJ
party can afford to vary from It's plat
| form pledges the width Of solitary halr
| AT the coming session OF Congress th'
great currency question will be In debate
| | cannot foretell what will be the resul
| of the issue. as We have a majority only
In the House of Representatives. In tn
Senate the free-silver Democrats, free
silver Republicans, and Populists consti
tute a majority. Whether we can pas
| through the Senate any measure that VII
commend itself to the conservative judg
| ment of the American people l canno
say. but | do believe the American peopl
| will give us credit for an honest effort
| and that they will surely witness that. ]
| we fail II will not be because or any lacl
| of determination or perseverance In pur
nose on the part OF the Republicans OF tn
United States Senate"