The Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, August 20, 1896, Image 3

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t BRYAN TO 1 Hti NATION
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Speech of the Democratic Candidate at Madi
1 son Square Garden New York
p w
CHAIRMAN gentlemen of the
committee and fellow citizens I
shall at a future day and in a formal
letter accept the nomination which is now
tendered by the Notification Committee and
I shall at that time touch upon the Is
sues presented by the platform It Is fitting
however that at this time In the presence of
those here assembled I speak at some length
In regard to the campaign upon which we
are now entering We do not underestimate
the forces arrayed against us neither are we
unmindful of the importance of the struggle
In which we are engaged but relying for
success upon the righteousness of our cause
we shall defend with all possible vigor the
positions taken by our party We are not
eurprlsed that some of our opponents in the
absence of better argument resort to abus
ive epithets but they may rest assured that
no language however violent no invectives
however vehement will lead us to depart a
single hairs breadth from the course marked
-out by the National Convention The citi
zen either public or private who assails the
character and questions the patriotism of
the delegates assembled In the Chicago con
Tentlon assails the character and questions
the patriotism of the millions who have ar
xayed themselves under the banners there
raised
It has been charged by men standing high
In business and political circles that our
jplatfonn Is a menace to private security and
public safety and it has been asserted that
those whom I have the honor for the time
being to represent not only meditate an
attack upon the rights of property but are
the foes of social order and national honor
Those who stand upon the Chicago platform
are prepared to make known and to defend
-every motion which influences them every
purpose which animates them and every
hope which Inspires them They understand
the genius of our institutions they are
stanch supporters of tho form of government
under which we live and they build their
laith upon foundations laid by the fathers
Andrew Jackson has stated with admirable
clearness and with an emphasis which can
not be surpassed both the duty and the
sphere of government He said Distinc
tions in society will always exist under
every just government Equality of talents
-of education or of wealth cannot be produced
by human Institutions In the full enjoy
ment of the gifts of heaven and the fruits of
superior industry economy and virtue every
man is equally entitled to protection by
law We yield to none In our devotion to
the doctrine just enunciated
Object of the Campaign
Our campaign has not for Its object the
j econtructlon of society We do not propose
to transfer the rewards of industry to the
lap of indolence Property Is and will remain
the stimulus to endeavor and the compensa
tion for toll We believe as asserted in the
declaration of Independence that all men
are created equal nut that uoes not mean
that all men are or can be equal In posses
sions In ability or In merit It simply means
that all shall stand equal before the law
and that Government officials shall not in
making construing or enforcing the law
discriminate between citizens I assert that
property rights a8 well as the rights of per
sons are safe In the hands of the common
people Let them beware of surrendering
a political power which they already possess
nd which power If surrendered will surely
be used to close the doors of advancement
against such as they and to fix new disabili
ties and burdens upon them till all of liberty
shall be lost
We are not surprised to find arrayed against
tis those who are the beneficiaries of Gov
ernment favoritism they have read our
platform Nor are we surprised to learn
that we must in this campaign face the
hostility of those who find a pecuniary ad
Tantage in advocating the doctrine of non
interference when great aggregations of
wealth are trespassing upon the rights of
Individuals We welcome such opposition
It Is the highest indorsement which could be
bestowed upon us We are content to have
the co operation of those who desire to have
the government administered without fear
or favor It Is not the wish of the general
public that trusts should spring into exist
ence and override the weaker members of
society it is not the wish of the general
public that these trusts should destroy com
petition and then collect such tax as they
will from those who are at their mercy nor
Is It the fault of the general public that the
Instrumentalities of government have been
so often prostituted to purposes of private
gain Those who stand upon the Chicago
platform believe that the Government
should not only avoid wrong doing but that
it should also prevent wrong doing and they
believe that the law should be enforced
alike against all enemies of the public weal
It follows as a necessary conclusion that
vicious legislation must be remedied by the
people who suffer from the effects of such
legislation and not by those who enjoy Its
benefits
The Income Tax Law
Tho Chicago platform has been condemned
hv some because It dissents from an opinion
given by the Supreme Court declaring the
s income tax law unconstitutional Our critics
even go so far as to apply the name
to those who stand upon that plank
-of the platform It must be remembered
that we expressly recognize the binding force
of that decision so long as it stands as a part
of the law of the land There is In the plat
form no suggestion of an attempt to dispute
the authority of the Supreme Court The
party Is simply pledged to use all the con
stitutional power which remains after that
decision or which may come from its re
versal hy the court as it may nerearter oe
fconstltuted Is there any disloyalty In that
pledge For a hundred years the Supreme
Oourt of the United States has sustained
the principle which underlies the income tax
I shall offer no apology for the Income tax
plank of the Chicago platform The last
income tax law sought to apportion the bur
dens of government more equitably among
those who enjoy the protection of the gov
ernment At present the expenses of the
Federal Government collected through In
ternal revenue taxes and Import duties are
especially burdensome upon the poor classes
of society A law which collects from some
citizens more than their share of the taxes
md collects from other citizens less than
their share is simply an Indirect
means of transferring one mans prop
erty to another mans pocket and while
the process may be quite satisfactory to the
men who escape just taxation it can never
be satisfactory to those who are overbur
dened Not only shall I refuse to apologize
for the advocacy of an income tax law by
the National Convention but I shall also re
fuse to apologize for the exercise by it of
the right to dissent from a decision of the
Supreme Court In a government like ours
every public official Is a public servant
whether he holds office by election or by ap
pointment whether he serves for a term of
years or during good behavor and the people
have a right to criticise his official acts
The Itfoney Problem
The paramount issuein this campaign Is
the money quesfcfon It Is scarcely necessary
to defend the principle of bimetallism No
national party during the entire history of
the United States has ever declared against
it and no party in this campaign has had
the temerity to oppose it Three parties
the Democratic Populist and Silver have
not only declared for bimetallism but have
outlined the specific legislation necessary to
restore silver to Its ancient position by the
side of gold The Republican platform ex
pressly declares that bimetallism Is desirable
when it pledges the Republican party to aid
In securing It as soon as the assistance of
certain foreign nations can be obtained
When they asserted that the efforts of the
Government should be steadily directed to
ward the establishment of International bi
metallism they condemned monometallism
There can be no sympathy or co operation
between the advocates of a universal gold
standard and the advocates of bimetallism
Between bimetallism whether Independent
or International and the gold standard there
Is an impassable gulf Is this quadrennial
agitation In favor of international bimetal
lism conducted In good faith or do our op
ponents really desire to maintain the gold
standard permanently If they are bending
uielr energies toward the permanent estab
lishment of a gold standard under cover of
a declaration in favor of international bi
metallism I am justified In suggesting that
honest money cannot be expected at the
bands of those who deal dishonestly with
the American people
What Is the test of honesty In money It
must certainly be found In the purchasing
power of the dollar An absolutely honest
dollar would not vary In its general purchas
ing power It would be absolutely stable
when measured by average prices A dollar
which increases in purchasing power Is just
as dishonest as a dollar which decreases In
purchasing power It cannot be successfully
claimed that monometallism or bimetallism
or any other system gives an absolutely just
standard of value Under both monomet
allism and bimetallism the Government fixes
the weight and fineness of the dollar Invests
It with legal tender qualities and then
opens the mints to its unrestricted -coinage
leaving the purchasing power of the dollar
to be determined by the number of dollars
Bimetallism is better than monometallism
not because it gives us a perfect dollar
that Is a dollar absolutely unvarying In Its
general purchasing power but because It
makes a nearer approach to stability to
honesty to justice than a irold standard
possibly can Any legislation which lessens
the worlds stock of standard money in
creases the exchangeable value of the dollar
therefore the crusade against silver must
Inevitably raise the purchasing power of
money and lower the money value of all
other forms of property
Farmers Opposed to Gold
Our opponents sometimes admit that it was
a mistake to demonetize sliver but insist
that we should submit to present conditions
rather than return to the bimetallic system
They err in supposing that we have reached
the end of the evil results of a gold stand
ard we have not reached the end So long
as tho scramble for gold continues prices
must fall and a general fall in prices is but
another definition of hard times The farm
ers are opposed to the gold standard because
they have felt Its effects Since they sell at
wholesale and buy at retail they have lost
more than they have gained by falling
prices and besides this they have found
that certain fixed charges have not fallen at
all Taxes have not been perceptibly de
creased although It requires more of farm
products now than formerly to secure the
money with which to pay taxes Debts have
not fallen The farmer who owed 1000 is
stui compelled to pay 1000 although it may
be twice as difficult as formerly to obtain
the dollar with which to pay the debt The
wage earners have been injured by a gold
standard and have expressed themselves
upon tho subject with great emphasis In
February 1S95 a petition asking for the
Immediate restoration of the free and un
limited coinage of gold and silver at 10 to 1
was signed by the representatives of all or
nearly all the leading labor organizations
and presented to Congress The farmers and
wage earners together constitute a consid
erable majority of the people of the coun
try Why should their Interests be Ignored
In considering financial legislation
Our opponents have made a special appeal
to those who hold fire and life Insurance poli
cies but these policy holders know that since
the total premiums received exceed the total
losses paid a rising standard must be of
more benefit to the companies than to the
policy holders Much solicitude has been ex
pressed by our opponents for the depositors
in savings banks but these appeals will be
In vain because savings banks depositors
know that under a gold standard there Is
increasing danger that they will lose their
deposits because of the Inability of the
banks to collect their assets and they still
further know that if the gold standard Is to
continue Indefinitely they may be compelled
to withdraw their deposits In order to Dav
living expenses
It Is only necessary to note the Increasing
number of failures In order to know that a
gold standard is ruinous to merchants and
manufacturers These business men do not
make their profits from the people from
whom they borrow money but from the
people to whom they sell their goods If the
people cannot buy retailers cannot sell
and If the retailers cannot sell wholesale
merchants and manufacturers must go Into
bankruptcy Salaries In business occupations
depend upon business conditions and the
gold standard both lessens the amount and
threatens the permanency of such salaries
The professional classes in the main receive
their support from the producing classes
and can only enjoy prosperity when there Is
prosperity among those who create wealth
Its Effect Upon All Classes
I have not attempted to describe the effect
of the gold standard upon all classes in
fact I have only had time to mention a few
but each person will be able to apply the
principles according to his own occupation
It must also be remembered that It is the
desire of people generally to convert their
earnings Into real or personal property
This being true in considering any tem
porary advantage which may come from a
system under which the dollar rises In Its
purchasing power It must not bo forgotten
that the dollar cannot buy more than for
merly unless property sells for less than
formerly Hence It will be seen that a large
portion of those who may find some pecuni
ary advantage in a gold standard will dis
cover that their losses exceed thelr gains
Jefferson has said that one of the main duties
of government i3 to prevent men from In
juring one another and never was that duty
more Important than it is to day It is not
strange that those who have made a profit
by furnishing gold to the Government In
-the hour of its extremity favor a financial
policy which will keep the Government de
pendent upon them
In 1SG9 Senator Sherman said The con
traction of the currency Is a far more dis
tressing operation than Senators suppose
Our own and other nations have gone
through that operation before It is not pos
sible to take that voyage without the sorest
distress To every person except a capital
ist out of debt or a salaried officer or annui
tant it Is a period of loss danger lassitude
of trade fall of wages suspension of enter
prise bankruptcy and disaster It means
ruin to all dealers whose debts are twice
their business capital though one third less
than their actual property It means the
fall of all agricultural production without
any great reduction of taxes What prudent
man would dare to build a house a railroad
a factory or a barn with this certain fact
before him
When Mr Sherman describes contraction
of the currency as disastrous to all the peo
ple except the capitalist out of debt and
those who stand in a position similar to his
he is stating a truth which must be apparent
to every person who will give the matter
careful consideration Mr Sherman was at
that time speaking of the contraction of the
volume of the paper currency but the prin
ciple which he set forth applies if there is
a contraction of the volume of the standard
money of the world Mr Blaine discussed
the same principle in connection with the
demonetization of silver Speaking In the
House of Representatives on Feb 7 1S7S
he said I believe the struggle now going on
In this country and other countries for a sin
gle gold standard would If successful pro
duce widespread disaster in and throughout
the commercial world The destruction of
silver as money and the establishing of
gold as the sole unit of value must have a
ruinous effect on all forms of property ex
cept those Invested which yield a fixed re
turn In money These would be enormously
enhanced in value and would gain a dispro
portionate and unfair advantage over every
other species of property
Is it strange that the holders of invest
ments which yield a fixed return In money
can regard the destruction of silver with
complacency We may not expect the hold
ers of other forms of property to protest
against giving to money a disproportionate
and unfair advantage over every other spe
cies of property If the relatively few
whose wealth consists largoly In fixed in
vestments have a right to use the ballot to
enhance the value of their Investments
have not tho rest of the people the right to
use the ballot to protect themselves from
tho disastrous consequences of a rising
standard The people who must purchase
money with tho products of toll stand In a
position entirely different from tho position
of thOBe who own money or receive a fixed
income The well being of tho nation ay of
civilization itself depends upon the pros
perity of theimasses What shall It profit us
to have a dollar which growB more valuable
every day If such a dollar lowers the stand
ard of civilization and brings distress to the
people What shall it profit us if trying
to ralBe our credit by Increasing the pur
chasing power of our dollar we destroy our
ability to pay the debts already contracted
by lowering the purchasing power of the
products with which these debts must be
paid If it is asserted as it constantly is
asserted that the gold standard will enable us
to borrow more money from ahroad I reply
that the restoration of bimetallism will restore
tho parity between money and property
and thus permit an era of prosperity which
will enable the American people to become
loaners of money Instead of perpetual bor
rowers Even If we desire to borrow how
long can we continue borrowing under a
system which by lowering the value of
property weakens the foundation upon
which credit rests If the holders of fixed
Investments will not listen to arguments
based upon justice and equity I appeal to
them to consider the Interests of posterity
Not a New Experiment
As against the maintenance of a gold
standard either permanently or until other
nations can be united for its overthrow the
Chicago platform presents a clear and em
phatic demand for the immediate restora
tion of free and unlimited coinage of silver
and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to
1 without waiting for the aid or consent of
any other nation We are not asking that a
new experiment be tried we are insisting
upon a return to a financial policy approved
by the experience of history and supported
by all the prominent statesmen of our nation
from the days of the first President down to
1873 When we ask that our mints be opened
to the free and unlimited coinage of silver
Into full legal tender money we are simply
asking that the same mint privileges he ac
corded to silver that are now accorded to
gold When we ask that this coinage be at
the ratio of 10 to 1 we simply ask that our
gold coins and the standard silver dollar
which be It remembered contains the same
amount of pure silver as the first silver dol
lar coined at our mints retain their present
weight and fineness
The theoretical advantage of the bimetallic
system is best stated by a European writer
on political economy who suggests the fol
lowing Illustration A river fed from two
sources Is more uniform In volume than a
river fed from one source the reason being
that when one of the feeders is swollen the
other may be low whereas a river which
has but one feeder must rise or fall with
that feeder So In the case of bimetallism
the volume of metallic money receives con
tributions from both the gold mines and the
silver mines and therefore varies less and
the dollar resting upon the two metals Is less
changeable In Its purchasing power than
the dollar which rests on one metal only If
there are two kinds of money the option
must rest either with tho debtor or with the
creditor Assuming that their rights arc
equal we must look at the Interests of soci
ety in general in order to determine to
which side the option should be given So
ciety is interested in having the option
exercised by the debtor Indeed there can
be no such thing as real bimetallism unless
the option is exercised by the debtor The
exercise of the option by the debtor compels
the creditor classes whether domestic or
foreign to exert themselves to maintain
the parity between gold and silver at the
legal ratio whereas they might find a profit
In driving one of the metals to a premium
If they could then demand tho dearer metal
Rijrhts of the Debtor
The right of the debtor to choose the coin
In which payment shall be made extends to
obligations due from the Government as
well as to contracts between Individuals A
Government obligation Is simply a debt due
from all the people to one of the people and
it is Impossible to justify a policy which
makes the Interests of the one person who
holds the obligation superior to the rights of
the many who must be taxed to pay It
When prior to 1873 silver was at a prem
ium it was never contended that national
honor required the payment of Government
obligations in silver and the Matthews reso
lution adopted by Congress In 1878 express
ly asserted the right of the United States
to redeem coin obligations In standard silver
dollars as well as In gold coin Upon this
subject the Chicago platform reads
We are opposed to the policy and prac
tice of surrendering to the holders of the ob
ligations of the United States the option re
served by law to the Government of redeem
ing such obligations in either sliver or gold
coin
It Is constantly assumed by some that the
United States notes commonly called green
backs and the treasury notes issued under
the act of 1890 are responsible for the recent
drain upon tho gold reserve but this as
sumption Is entirely without foundation
Tho fault does not He with the greenbacks
and treasury notes but rather with the
executive officers who have seen fit to sur
render a right which should have been exer
cised for the protection of interests of the
people This executive action has already
been made the excuse for the Issue of more
than S250000000 in bonds and it is impos
sible to estimate the amount of bonds which
may hereafter be issued If this policy Is
continued
We are told that any attempt upon the part
of the Government to redeem Its obligations
In silver would put a premium upon gold
but why should It The Bank of France exer
cises the right to redeem all bank paper In
either gold or silver and yet France main
tains the parity between gold and silver at
the ratio of 15 to 1 and retains in circula
tion more silver per capita than we do In
the United States It may be further an
swered that our opponents have suggested
no feasible plan for avoiding the dangers
which they fear The retirement of the
greenbacks and treasury notes would not
protect the treasury because the same policy
which now leads the Secretary of the Treas
ury to redeem all Government paper in gold
when gold Is demanded will require the re
demption of all silver dollars and silver cer
tificates in gold if the greenbacks and treas
ury notes are withdrawn from circulation
More than this if the Government should
retire its paper and throw upon the banks
the necessity of furnishing coin redemption
the banks would exercise the right to fur
nish either gold or silver In other words
they would exercise the option just as the
Government ought to exercise it now The
Government must either exercise the right
to redeem its obligations In silver when sll j
verbis more convenient or it must retire all
the sllyer and silver certificates from circu
lation and leave nothing but gold as legal
tender money Are our opponents willing
to outline a financlal system which will carry
out their policy to Its legitimate conclusion
or will they continue to cloak their designs
In ambiguous phrases
Necessity for Bimetallism
There is an actual necessity for bimetal
lism During the last twenty three years
legislation has been creating an additional
demand for gold and this law created de
mand has resulted In Increasing the purchas
ing power of each ounce of gold The res
toration of bimetallism in the United States
will take away from gold just so much of
Its purchasing power as was added to It by
the demonetization of silver by the United
States The sliver dollar Is now held up
to the gold dollar by legal tender laws and
not by redemption In gold We contend that
free and unlimited coinage by the United
States alone will raise the bullion value of
silver to Its coinage value and thus make
silver bullion worth 129 per ounce In gold
throughout the world The best known lmr
of commerce Is the law of supply and de
mand A reduction In the volume of money
will raise the purchasing power of the dollar
a new demand for silver created by law will
raise the price of silver bullion Internation
al bimetallists must rest their opposition
upon one ground only namely That the
supply of silver available for coinage Is too
large to be utilized by the United States
In discussing this we must consider the ca
pacity of our people to use silver and the
quantity of silver which can come to our
mints We live in a country only partlallly
developed our people far surpass any equal
number of people in the world In their power
to consume and produce Now how much
silver can come here Not the coined silver
of the world because all of it is more valu
able at this time In other lands than it will
be at our mints under free coinage We
will be required to coin only that which Is
not heeded elsewhere but if we stand
ready to take and utilize all of It othe na
tions will be compelled to buy at the nrlcp
I which we fix It is folly to refuse te the
people the money which they now need for
fear they may hereafter have more than
they need By opening our mints to free
and unlimited coinage at the present ratio
we can create a demand for silver which
will keep the price of sliver bullion at 129
per ounce measured by gold
Some of our opponents attribute the fall
In the value of silver when measured by
gold to the fact that during the last quarter
of a century the worlds supply of silver
has Increased more rapidly than the worlds
supply or gold This argument la entirely
answered by the fact that during the laBt
five years tho annual production of gold has
Increased more rapidly than the annual pro
duction of silver Our opponents cannot Ig
nore the fact that gold Is now going abroad
In spite of all legislation intended to pre
vent It and no silver Is being coined to take
Its place Gold must continue to go abroad
as long as the preBont financial policy is
adhered to unless we continue to borrow
and even then we simply postpone the evll
because the amount borrowed with Interest
must be repaid In appreciating dollars There
Is only one way to stop the increasing flow
of gold from our shores and that Is to Btop
falling prices Bimetallism will Btop falling
prices and will to some extent restore
prices by reducing the demand for gold
Will Be No Fifty Cent Dollars
Perhaps the most persistent misrepresenta
tion that we have to meet Is the charge that
we are advocating the payment of debts In
50 cent dollars Under present laws a silver
dollar when melted loses nearly half Its
value but that will not be true when we es
tablish a mint price for Bllver and leave no
surplus silver to drag down the price ofi
bullion Under bimetallism silver bullion
will be worth as much as sliver coin justj
as gold bullion is now worth ad much as
gold coin and we believe that a sliver dollar
will be worth as much as a gold dollar t
The charge of repudiation comes with poos
grace from those who are Beeklng to add to
the weight of existlncr debts bv leelslatlon
which makes money dearer and who con-
ceal their designs against the general welJ
fare under the euphonious pretense thati
they are upholding public credit and national
honor In answer to the charge that gold
will go abroad It muBt be remembered that
no gold can leave this country until the
owner of the gold receives something in re i
turn for it which we would rather have In
other words when gold leaves the country
those who formerly owned it will be bene j
flted There Is no process by which we can
be compelled to part with our gold against
our will nor Is there any process by which
silver can be forced upon us without our
consent Tho one thing necessary in order
to maintain the parity is to furnish a de
mand great enough to utilize all the silver
which will come to the mints That Mexico
has failed to do this is no proof that the
United States would also fail
It is often objected that the prices of gold
and silver cannot be fixed In relation to each
other because of the variation in the relative
production of the metals This argument
also overlooks the fact that If the demand
for both metals at a fixed price Is greater
than the supply of both relative production
becomes immaterial If as Is asserted by
our opponents the free coinage of sliver p
Intended only for the benefit of the mine
owners it must be remembered that free
coinage cannot restore to the mine owners
any more than demonetization took away
The restoration of silver will bring to the
people generally many times as much ad
vantage aB the mine owners can obtain
from it While It is not the purpose of free
coinage to especially aid any particular
class yet those who believe that the restora
tion of silver is needed by the whole people
should not be deterred because an Incidental
benefit will come to the mine owner
Projects for Change of Ratio
The argument that a silver dollar Is
heavier than a gold dollar and that there
fore silver Is less convenient to carry in
large quantities is completely answered by
the silver certificate which Is as easily car
ried as the gold certificate There are some
who while admitting the benefits of bimetal
lism object to coinage at the present ratio
Those who have advised a change in the
ratio have usually suggested that the silver
dollar be doubled If this change were
made it would necessitate the recolnage ot
4000000000 of silver Into 2000000000 of
dollars There would be an Immediate loss
of 2000000000 but this would be the leasi
of the injury A shrinkage of one half In tho
sliver money of the world would mean a
shrinkage of one fourth in the total voluma
of metallic money The people of the United
States would be injured by a change in the
ratio not because they produce silver but
because they own property and owe debts
and they cannot afford to thus decrease tho
value of their property or increase the bur
den of their debts In 1878 Mr Carlisle said
Mankind will be fortunate Indeed If the
annual production of gold and silver coin
shall keep pace with the annual Increase of
population and Industry A change In the
ratio Is not necessary Hostile legislation
has decreased the demand for silver and low
ered its price and by increasing the demand
for gold has raised the value of gold when
measured by other forms of property
We are told that the restoration of bi
metallism would be a hardship upon those
who have entered Into contracts payable in
gold coin but this is a mistake It will be
easier to obtain the gold with which to meet
a gold contract when most of the people
can use silver than It Is now when every
one Is trying to secure gold The money
which Is by law made a legal tender must
In the course of ordinary business be accept
ed by ninety nine out of every 100 persons
Why should the one hundredth man be per
mitted to exempt himself from the general
rule Special contracts have a tendency to
Increase the demand for a particular kind
of money and thus force it to a premium
Have not the people a right to say that a
comparatively few individuals shall not be
permitted to derange the financial system
of the nation in order to collect a premium
in case they succeed in forcing one kind of
money to a premium
Wait for No Other Nation
In conclusion permit me to say a word in
regard to international bimetallism We
are not opposed to an international agree
ment looking to the restoration of bimetal
lism throughout the world The advocates
of free coinage have on all occasions shown
their willingness to co operate with other
nations in the reinstatement of silver but
they are not willing to await the pleasure of
other governments when immediate relief is
needed by the people of the United States
We shall not offend other nations when we
declare the right of the American people to
govern themselves and without let or hin
drance from without decide upon every
question presented for their consideration
In taking this position we simply maintain
the dignity of 70000000 citizens who are
second to none In their capacity for self
government The gold standard has com
pelled the American people to pay an ever
Increasing tribute to the creditor nations of
the world a tribute Jhich no one dares to
defend I assert that national honor re
quires the United States to secure justice for
all Its citizens as well as do justice to all
its creditors Honest differences of opinion
have always existed and ever will exist as
to the legislation best calculated to promote
the public weal but when it is seriously
asserted that this nation must bow to the
will of other nations and accept the policies
which they Insist upon the right of self
government is assailed nnd until that ques
tion is settled all other questions are Insig
nificant
Citizens of New York I have traveled
from the center of the continent to the sea
board that I might In the very beginning
of the campaign bring you greeting from
the people out West and South and assure
you that their desire is not to destroy but
to build up I ask I expect your co-operation
It is true that a few of your financiers
would fashion a new figure a figure rep
resenting Columbia her hands bound fast
with fetters of gold and her face turned to
ward the East appealing for assistance to
those who live beyond the sea but this
figure can never express your idea of this
nation With a government which derives
Its powers from the consent of the governed
secures to the people freedom of conscience
freedom of thought and freedom of speech
guarantees equal rights to all and promises
special privileges to none the United States
should be an example in all that is good and
the leading spirit in every movement which
has for its object the uplifting of the human
race
The Advance in Machine Work
Some idea of the great changes tak
ing place in machine work can be ob
tained from the fact that when the first
monitor was built the tapered bolts
used in fastening the turret plates to
gether were turned in a common lathe
each one separately centered and turn
ed in the usual way Now there are
machines by which one can turn oiii
1200 tapered bolts in ten hours
NOTES ON EDUCATION
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO PU
PIL AND TEACHER
Sir Edwin Arnold on Corporal Pun
ishmentNew Dean of Women of
Knox College The End of Hazing
Seems Near Incompetent Principals
The Teacher Taught
Sir Edwin Arnold in the volume of
autobiography which he has just pub
lished tells the unique story of how
as master of the Birmingham grammar
3chool he was caned by one of the
boys
The class was engaged on Cicero
Some disordedr occurred near the mas
ters chair and seizing the cane he
gave a nasty cut upon the too tempt
ing back of one youth who seemed to
be the offender If you please sir
said the boy squirming I did noth
ing It was Scudmore that kicked me
In the stomach underneath the desk
The statement was true Scudmore
had demanded from his neighbor quite
Illegitimately the explanation of an
obscure passage and not being attend
ed to had taken this much too emphatic
means of enforcing attention Having
called the class up Arnold said to the
doubly wronged boy who was still rub
bing the place It is I who am most to
blame for having dealt you an unde
served blow Take that cane and give
It back to me as hard as you got it
No sir the lad answered I cant do
that The whole schoolroom was now
listening master and all Arnold in
sisted Jones you must obey me and
If you disobey I am sorry to say I shall
make you write out that page of Cicero
three times staying to do it
Whether it was desperation at this
dreadful alternative or the sparkling
eyes of his class fellows evidently
longing to have the good luck them
selves of licking a master that sud
denly inspired Jones I know not What
I do know is that he reached forth his
hand took the cane and dealt me no
sham stroke but the severest and most
telling cut over my shoulder I had no
idea that the ridiculous instrument
could sting as it did like a scorpion
Rubbing the place in my own turn I
managed to thank Jones for his oblig
ing compliance and then said to him
Break that detestable weapon across
your knee and throw it out of the win
dow Never will W2 have- anything to
do with such methods here
Sir Edwin Arnold adds that corporal
punlsmment is in his view a cowardly
and clumsy expedient and that he
who can not teach without the stick
had better get some other business
Dean of Women
Knox College has been most fortu
nate in securing Miss Katherine L
Courtright of Chicago to be its dean
of women In Miss Courtright the
young women of Knox will have an
ideal example of refined womanliness
Her kind and sympathetic disposition
is linked with a rare grace and charm
of manner Furthermore she is beau
tiful with an experssive and attractive
face She never attended college but
since leaving the high school her
KATHEKIXE L COTTnTKIGHT
vate study has made her conversant
with most college subjects while her
wide experience has given her more
than a university course offers During
her seven years of residence in Chicago
she has been very active in educational
affairs The first two years she taught
in a private fashionable school for girls
But wishing to work on a broader
scale she established a private school
of her own in which studies from kin
dergarten to college preparatory were
taught Prior to going to Chicago Miss
Courtright spent five years in Philadel
phia as a teacher in the Wellesley
preparatory school After leaving her
home in McConnellsville Ohio Miss
Courtright had been in the kindergar
ten work a year in Lancaster Ohio
and a year in Columbus Ohio before
oing to Philadelphia
Blazing
At West Point recently a cadet of the
third class who was caught in the act
of hazing a plebe was ordered into
confinement for one year stripped of
all his privileges for the same period
including his three months furlough
sfor the summer and commanded to do
guard duty every Saturday after the
return of the other students in the fall
The sentence is said to be the most
severe that was ever inflicted upon any
hazer in the United States but it wilL
be sustaiued by public sentiment
The chief reason why the authorities
of American colleges have not been
able to stop the fiendish custom of haz
ing was because of their lenient treat
ment of offenders In many instances
the latter had far exceeded in brutality
the acts for which this West Point stu
dent is thus made to do penance but
the punishment was so light that it bad-
no deterrent effect whatever ana tne
fun still went on Upon the theory
that boys will be boys boys were
allowed to become fiends and exercise
their most brutal Instincts to the suffer
ings of their associates Every proper
feeling revolted at much of what they
did but still their conduct was con
doned or the punishment made only
nominal Had the press of the country
not taken up the subject it is probable
that the custom would still flourish in
all Its brutality
If the sentence of the West Point
offender is carried out it will mark the
end of hazing In that institution Let
other prominent institutions follow the
example If educational institutions
tolerate rowdyism and vandalism and
thus lay the foundation for bad citizen
ship and ignore the very object for
which they have been established z
were better that their doors should be
closed A college ought to make young
men better not worse
Data Is Wanted
The Biographical Committee of the
Emma Wlllard Association of Troy Fe-
mala Seminary have undertaken the
preparation of a biographical record of
the 10000 pupils of that school from its
founding by Mrs Emma Wlllard In
1821 to the retirement of Mr and Mrsr
John N Wlllard In 1872 It Is a colos
sal undertaking which has occupied
four years and after this month no
more data will be sought yet the com
mittee wish none to be omitted At
their annual banquet next October they
hope to have cause for great rejoicing
trusting their success will enable them
to bring most of the names from the
mists of the past to the light of this
end of the century Friends or relatives
who can give one item of Information
in regard to names are earnestly re
quested to do so without delay Among
the names yet untraced are the follow
ing
Elizabeth S Adams 1859 Chicago
Mary H Bunks 1857 Peru 111
Jane M Bassett 1869 Minneapolis
Sarah E Bates 1854 Chicago
Mary A Boyd 1847 Calumet Wis
Cora Cheever 1868 Ottawa 111
Katrine B Cobb 1859 Waukegan
Angie B Conkey 1859 Chicago j
Mary H Connick Dubuque Iowa
Margaret E Dixon 1860 Dixon III
Susan L Dodge 1858 Shawano Wis
Stella F Earll 1S68 Chicago III
Sarah M Graham 1S50 Dixon 111
Harriet L Grant 1866 Chicago
Juliette E Gridley 1855 Bioomington
111
Anna S Hackney 1855 Aurora 111
Nancy R Hall 1S51 Rochester Wis
Adele Holbrooke 1852Michigan City
Ind
Sarah S Jones 1862 Milwaukee
Caroline Lee 1S62 Davenport Iowa
Anna C Marsh 1869 Chicago
Clara B McClintock Alton 111
Charlotte M McKenzie 1S4S Palmyra
Wis
Isabella W Merrill 1807 Beloit Wis
Catherine A Riittle 1801 Chicago f
Frances A Sanford 18G1 Chicago
Anna P Saunders 1S66 Columbus
Ark
Caroline B Shaw 1863 Cedar Falls
Iowa
Theresa Shuler 1866 Dixon III
Cornelia A Thompson 1S67 Geneva1
Wis
Margaret E Wilson 1869 Denver
Colo
Isabella Weston 1S61 Davenport la
Sarah J Waterman 1865 Sycamore
111
Any information with regard to these
or any other unreported pupils of the
Troy Female Seminary will be gladly
received by the Western secretary
SARAH F HOPKINS
Kalamazoo Mich
Iead Pencils
Very often we hear complaints re
garding the use of lead pencils in prim
ary classes The children are con
stantly losing them and much time is
wasted in discovering who are without
and distributing to them This is the
case only when the children are allow
ed to have charge of their own pencils
A better plan is to have them collected
at the end of the day and given out in
the morning before nine oclock Of
course the pencil should be marked so
that every child receives his own A
good method of marking consists in
pasting securely toward the end of the
pencil a small piece of paper on which
the name may be written A special set
of pencils should be kept for the draw
ing lesson Once a week the points
should be examined and sharpened
where necessary If there are no pupils
in the room old enough to do this two
or three boys from one of the higher
classed will be delighted to attend to it
Educational Journal
Incompetent Principals
The most awful experiment Is to put
a girl fresh from the high school on a
cram examination without a scintilla
of the art of taching or a faint suspi
cion cf it in charge of fifty immortal
souls and next to that even more aw
ful if possible to put a college graduate
chock -full of conceit and of little else
at the head of a school Thousands of
schools are now in charge of principals
who have not the faintest idea how to
direct and teach teachers Col F W
Parker
Aided a Composer
A curious story is told of the manner
in which the Rothschilds aided a fa
mous composer The latter was far
f roi i rich and his principal income was
derived from a snuffbox And this in
the way of it The snffbox was given
to the composer by Baron James DeJ
Rothschild as a token of esteem The
impecunious man of music sold it twenty-four
hours later for 50 to the same
jeweler from whom it had been bought
This became known to RothschilcL who
gave it again to the musician in the
lowing year The next day it returned
to the jewelers The traffic continued
till the death of the banker and longer
still for his sons kept up the tradition
to the great satisfaction of the com t
poser
Nicola Tesla began his career as u
electrical inventor when about
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