The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-20
IT WILL Be AGGRESSIVE
Bailey Opens the Fall Campaign
in Virginia.
IS ABOVE ALL CRITICISM
Not a Blot on Democracy's Record Dur
ing the War-Arraigns the Repubis-
can Party for Incompetency.
The Bond Issue.

| DanviIle w. Va, Sept. 19-Congress-
man Bailey spoke at Chatham, the coun-
/ ty seat, to-day in the interest of c. A.
/ Swanson. democratic nominee for con-
| gress from the fifth district People for
1 miles around were in the big crowd to
hear the Texan.
In his speech to-day Representative J..
W. Bailey of Texas made it plain that
the democrats mean to make the pres
ent campaign an aggressive one. Among
other things Of similar import he said:
For months republican politicians
and republican editors have talked and
written incessantly about the mistakes
of the democratic minority in congress,
but now that they are required to speci-
fy our mistakes. in order to divert pub
lie attention from their own, they find
1t impossible TO make good their re-
peated and reckless assertions. In or
der to escape the just and universal in
dignation which has been aroused
against them by the suffering inflicted
upon the volunteer army through the
incompetency or the dishonesty OF those
whom they have placed in power. they
have been searching the congressional
some damaging accusation which they
can sustain against US. But they have
not found ii, and they will not find il.
The record of the democratic party
throughout the last and stirring session
Of congress is absolutely above all crit
icism. / do not say il with the purpose
Of claiming any credit for myself, but
as a matter Of simple justice to my
democratic associates, l declare that in
all the history of this government no
minority party ever passed through a
war session OF congress with so much
credit as did the democrats of the pres
ent congress.
The only important vote which we
believed at the time we cast IL could
ever become the subject of reasonable
controversy was our vote against the
war revenue bill. and events have COM
pletely vindicated our course in respect
to that measure. We opposed the pas
sage OF that bill because we believe that
II authorized an unnecessary sale of
interest-bearing bonds. and the condi-
tion OF the treasury proves conclus1vely
that we were right. When congress
convenes I'm December next IL will find
that the surplus in the treasury above
the 500. 900. 900 gold reserve will exceed
the amount received from the sale OF
bonds. thus demonstrating that there
was no necessity for the government
To sell it's bonds.
Our republican friends cannot ex-
cuse themselves by saying that they
could not foresee the early termination
OF the war. because every man was rea-
sonably well informed about the con-
dition Of Spain. and understood that IL
was impossible for her TO continue a
long and expensive struggle. Owing to
the greater distance between her base
Of supplies and the seat of war II was
certain that IL would require the expen-
a M af agf I.lH - %
on the part OF Spain to meet the ex-
penditure of every dollar on the part
OF the United States. IL was certain
therefore, that II the war cost US $500
100000 il would cost Spain $3.50. 600. 900.
and where could she raise any such sum
as that? Torn with civil strife. her
throne claimed by pretender. her peo-
pie Impoverished. she could not levy ad-
ditional taxes without precipitating
bread riots within her own borders and
her only means Of carrying on the war
was 10 borrow money.
This she could not hope to do. be-
cause her bonds were already selling at
30 cents on the dollar in the markets
OF the world. and had she attempted to
borrow $3.50. 0O0.0 600 she would have been
to issue $500. .000. 900 worth Of
bonds Before she could have sold one
half Of that amount her credit would
have fallen still lower and her bonds
would not have commanded 20 cents on
the dollar.
With a treasury unable 10 raise
money by taxation and powerless TO
borrow II. the end OF the war was in
sight before IL began. The ringleaders
knew this well as we did. and il they
did not know IL they are not wise
enough to be entrusted with the admin
istration OF this government. but with
the knowledge that the war must soon
end and knowing with all their waste
fulness and extravaganza IL would prob
ably not cost over 5000. 600 600 they pro-
ceeded 10 enact a law which imposes
sl50 100000 in annual taxes upon the
people and authorizes the contraction
of $500 600 debt. Upon that mon-
strous proposition almost every demo-
,rat in congress voted no. and our only
regret to-day is that there was a single
one Of US who felt called upon by his
sense of duty to support it,"