Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-10-18
DEMOCRATIC SPEECH.
Candidate for State Auditor Speaks,

| excellent satisfaction To the democrats
Mr.. Gibson stands high, we suppose. in
the councils of his party, as he is its
candidate for high state office. The
state committee sent him here and we
have every reason to suppose that his
utterances represent truthfully the SEN
timent OF his party, national, state add
county.
The speech was adroit and able in
method, but in our opinion it was one OF
the weakest in it's positions ever presen-
ted to an Audubon audience. The
speaker made great pretense of being
honest. 1t is often we'll to watch such a
man, and this one surely deserved it.
Starting out he claimed the quantitive
question was practically the only ques
ton OF finance in discussion four years
ago, Bryan claiming that prosperity
would require more money in circula-
ton and that Mckinley claimed that
was unnecessary, and that recent events
proved Bryan's position right. He al
luded to Bryan's prophecies thus far
and then Stunned them. Ii he had
been honest he would have said Bryan
further claimed that with the gold stan.
dard it was impossible to get enough
money into circulation to bring good
times, that free silver coinage was the
only thing that would accomplish the
result IF we have the gold standard
prices are as certain to fall as the stone
which is thrown into the air" is quota
ton from one of Bryan's speeches in
1896 and is representative of his position
then. The speaker was dishonest enough
to try to conceal the truth and to mis-
lead his audience. His information
showed him to know better. He ac-
knowledged we had more money in cir
culation, though he didn't say this had
been brought about in spite of Bryan's
theory that it could not be done if we
we're on gold standard. He did not
tell his audience how quick money
came from hiding when mckinley was
elected, being put into business because
Of the confidence of the people in the
administration. ..u.
In speaking of prosperity he claimed
times we're not much better now than in
&c. just little, and that that little was
caused by the war. TO prove that they
were but little better he gave some fig
ures. He did not say who was his au-
thority for them so we suppose he is,
which is another evidence he deserves
watching when he says he is honest. He
claims it now takes more bushels of corn
to purchase those things farmer buys
than it took in '96. For example he said
it takes twenty bushels more corn to buy
wagon now than it did in 1896. In
October, 1896, good sound corn of the
previousyears crop was selling here at IA
cents, The Harrison wagon, standard
make, one handled here right along by
two of our dealers. sold then without
the tip-top box and spring seat at S55 to
$50. Thus it took 428 bushels of corn to
buy a wagon. Now last years corn is
selling here at 30 cents and the same
wagon sells at S58 to $50. Thus it takes
but 200 bushels to buy the same wagon,
now or 228 bushels less than in 1896 or
less than half as much. What object
the speaker had in making such state
ments we do not know. The list of
prices he gave was as unreliable as the
one we here give.
In treating the Philippine question the
speaker treated Aguinaldo as hero and
patriot, and as though he was the choice
of the people of those islands for their
ruler. He praised their acts and if his
speech could have been waited to the
Philippines it would have encouraged
and cheered on the Tagal bandits in
their bloody acts Of carnage and in their
attacks on our flag. In all this he was
cheered by most of the democrats in at
tendance. nr
He said the reason the Tagals look to
the democratic party for liberty is that
it is the only party here standing for
liberty He didn't say why his party
was so interested in the liberty Of those
Tagal rebels ten Thousand miles away
while they are so Indifferent to the en-.
slavement of the more educated and
civilized American negroes.
He met the charge that his party was
against the army by pointing out the
achievements of American arms IN each
OF our wars and asking the democrats
which results they repudiated. He
pointed to Gettysburg and Appamattox
and asked what democrat disclaimed a
part of those noble achievements. But
he didn't allude to the fact that his
party in national convention in those
dark hours declared the war for the
union failure and demanded its cessa.
| ton. He dared not tell the truth and
say those noble achievements were done
in spite of the opposition Of his party as
an organized body. He lauded Lincoln
and other republican leaders of long ago
to the skies, claiming their principles as
democratic now, but didn't once praise
the acts of Seymour. or Vallandingham,
or even Of Mcclellan or any of the demo,
cratic candidates and leaders OF those
days.
In the end he compared Bryan to
Lincoln and Mckinley to JEFF. Davis,
saying they were two pairs, take your
choice. And this was the man who was
advertised as one who would entertain
and instruct and not insult his audience.
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