I"
tcpt.'j, 1896
i 'THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT.
j
V.r tanpala ! r.lortlon.
Xohmal, Neb., Aug. 23. It seems to
in a as if the campaign on the part of
the gold standard people has degener
ated into a campaign of calling name
and misrepresen tat ions.
They are constantly making the
change that those who favor the free
coinage of gold and silver at a ratio of
16 to 1 are dishonest; are repudiators;
are anarchists, etc. They cannot con
aisnently make those charges, for they
say to the voters of this country that
they propose to do the same thing if
they can get the consent of "the most
enlightened nations of the earth." The
gold standard is either a good thing or
it is a bad thing. If it is a bad thing,
why should 70,000,000 of free born
American citizens fawn and crouch at
the feet of the effeminate aristocracy of
Europe and ask ther consent to legislate
a bad thing out of existence?
Humanity is divided into two great
classes, wealth producers and wealth ab
sorbers. We know enough of human na
ture to know that those who are en
abled by a certain system to draw tri
bute from the producers of wealth and
thus maintain themselves in easeand af
fluence, will advocate the maintenance
of that system.
But what becomes of their charges?
It seems as if their greatest accusition is
that the purchasing power of the dollar
will be little more than half what it is
now.. Well, what does that mean? Why
it means that all prices will double; that
an individual who owns property worth,
say $1,000, mortgaged perhaps for
$500, will find his property worth
$ 2,000, while bis mortgage remains the
same, and be will need to produce only
one-half as much corn or wheat to pay
the principal and interest as no , It
means that all those who have property
of whatever kind to sell will obtain
twice as many dollars for the same as
under a gold standard.
They thereby acknowledge that the
gold standard has cut prices in two in
the middle. It means that the shylocks
of the world can buy up only one-half as
much of the property of the world with
their dollars as they can now, and it is
indeed "sad" to think about. If a man
owns wheat he is interested in making
wheat of high purchasing power, in other
words, to have a rise in price.
If he owns dollars and evidences of
debt payable in dollars, he at once be
comes a "bull" in bis attitude towards
dollars; he wants to purchase more and
and more, and to his mind, the more the
dollar will purchase the sounder it be
comes. The truth is, they have acknowledged
the very claim that the advocates of bi
metallism have always made, to-wit:
that there will be a general rise of all
property as estimated in dollars.
And be assured that when that condi
tion is brought about the owners of
capital will at once invest it in property;
everybody will be desirous of buying
something, and the wheels of commerce
will again begin to move; labor will find
employment, and we will again find a
happy and contented people.
The opposition is pleased to term this
condition of things repudiation. In
other words any rise in the price of labor
or products is in their estimation repu
diation. If that be true, then I plead
guilty to the charge and will confess that
I am a repudiator of the rankest sort.
But I thank God I don't keep company
with Herr Most, the anarchist leader in
the United States who has declared for
the single gold standard. They are
welcome to their company.
We believe that the American people
are competent, and have the power to
legislate for themselves in all cases
whatsoever, even to tbe extent of de
claring our monetary independence of
Great Britian, and he who says no is
either sadly mistaken or he is a traitor
to the American Institutions.
The gold standard advocate constant
ly makes the assertion that prices will
all double but wages will remain station
ary, and therefore the wage-workers
would be injured. By the use of such
argument he ignores all economic laws,
the fundamental one of which is, that
the purchasing power of the dollar,
whether it be of labor or the products of
labor, varies inversely with the supply of
dollars.
I freely admit that the man who has a
position paying a fixed number of dol
lars, which number is not subject to
change, and the position a permanent
one is selfishly interested in the high pur
chasing power of the dollar; in other
words in low prices, so it is with all
annuitants and the income classes. But
the wealth producers who pay these sal
aries, annuities and incomes are certainly
interested in the opposite condition of
things.
We constantly meet this assertion
that if oue received twice as many dollars
for his labor and paid twice as many
dollars for that which he is compelled to
buy he is not benefited. Let us see
about this. To begin with the people of
the United States are in debt about
J30.000.000.
Suppose an individual owes $100. He
is working lor $ l per day ana pays ou
cents for his living. He saves 50 cents
per day. Not calculating any interest he
is compelled to work two hundred days
in order to pay that debt. Suppose we
double his wages and double the cost of
his living. He now works for $2 per day;
pays $1 for his living; saves $1 per day;
and is compelled to work one hundred
days to pay that debt. Every time
wages and prices are increased we in
crease his debt paying power.
But the greatest benefit is in the stim-
ulous given to enterprise, and the more
constant employment given to labor.
I know there are those who call, this
dishonesty, repudiation, etc. Then I
would like to know what name they ap
ply to it when the purchasing power of
the dollar has doubled, as it has in the
last twenty-five years, when the debtor
is compelled to sell more and more of the
products of his labor in order to secure
tne dollars to pay on bis debt.
All that free coinage men ask is that
we return to the old standard.
Voters of Nebraska, ask yourself this
Question: tor whom will "wall street"
vote? Whose election is Lombard street
interested in? Most certainly you must
answer William McKinley. Then if you
think your interests lay with theirs vote
for Mr. Kinley. (J. II. VV alters.
In clubs of ten or more campaign
subscriptions lOo each. No com
mission allowed.
AcrMeaU at Frmoal.
Fbkmoxt, Neb., Aug. 28. Norma
Marie Iteitz, littladaujtbter of Mr. and
Mrs. August Ileitx, was severely, al
though not dangerously, burned Inst
evening. The little girl with other chil
dren was playing with "Jack U Ivan
terns," which were made from shoe
boxes, when in some unaccountable
manuer Marie's clothes caught fire. Sot
ran home, and after not a little trouble
the flames were smothered by wrapping
a skirt about her. Her face and body
were badly burned.
Mrs. Morehouse, who resides with her
son, B. F. Morehouse, on the farm five
miles east of the city, suffered quite a
painful accident yesterday forenoon.
she was strolling about tne yara wim
the children and had an encouuter with
a little Jersey calf. Sho noticed the
young bovine coming toward ber, but
thought nothing 01 it, bnt it was not
long before she observed that it meant
business. She picked up a stick to pro
tect herself. She either leu or was
knocked down by the calf. She fell in
such a way that her hip bone was frac
tured. Medical aid was sent for and
everything done to ease the pain. Mrs.
Morehouse is over & years 01a.
It FeU Flat.
The republican gold bug demonstra
tion which has been so extensively ad
vertised for the past two weeks by the
State Journal and other local papers is
a matter of history. The desperate
straits in which this misguided element
was placed in grasping the opportunity
presented by the presence of several
thousand old soldiers in our midst and
the consequent failure to master up
more than 667 voters to march in line
must indeed be very discouraging. For
a city of such "tremendous republican
strength" as has been told us time and
time again, a city containing 60,000
population and with 10,000 old soidiers
iu its midst the fact that no more en
thusiasm could be aroused than was the
case last evening servee as the best pos
sible indication as to which way the
wind is blowing in this part of Nebraska.
Again the fact that the officers of the
parade, seeing that something must be
done to spur the boys on and create a
little excitement, permitted and, in fact,
ordered a large crayon portrait of W. J.
Bryan burned from the top of an Elev
enth street store building, which showed
to just what extremities these chaps are
willing to go to when hard pressed.
The burning of that portrait will cost
the republican party hundreds of votes
in the city and will be rebuked at the
polls by thousands of Nebraska voters
who do not believe a man is a traitor
who honestly disagrees with them. .
Another feature of the parade notice
able was that among all the banners dis
played not one read "vote lor the gold
standard." Now if they really believe
the gold standard is a good thing and
will bring prosperity, why don't they tell
the DeoDle so? They certainly lost a
great opportunity last evening in not
emphasizing this - important plank in
their platform. Here are some of the
evidences of their "educational cam
paign:"
"Bryan hates a Nebraska sheep."
''Bryan wants to pension the rebel
soldiers.
"We are near enough to hell now."
As an average example of their or
thography "strait" and "panick" may
be cited. The banners displayed as a
whole were disgusting to fair minded
men and unquestionably made votes for
Bryan. By actual count there were 667
voters in line and they had the whole
state and a reuuion to draw from.
After the parade many gathered outside
the Capital hotel bar room to listen to
speeches by Cady .candidate for congress,
General Cowen, Congressman Strode and
others. The very first sentence ut
tered by Mr. Cady should carry cheer to
Judge Green of the Sixth congressional
district. He said: "1 wish, my friends,
I could import about 2,000 or 3,000
Lancaster voters into my district to
make sure of my election.
KEEP IT UP GENTLEMEN.
An Easy Method of Making Converts
to the Cause of Silver.
The following has been handed us by a
well known republican, who asserts that
he has been a life long republican, but if
the members of his party in this city con
tinue their disgraceful actions he will
divorce himself from the party forever:
"The numerous outrages perpetrated
last evenintr in the name of republican
ism will not do Mark Banna's party
any good. Scores of decent republicans
were so incensed at the malicious con
duct of those with whom they had been
associating politically that they declare
their intention of separating tnemselves
from that party. The gross dis
respect shown Mr. Bryan in mali
ciously burning his picture was
so inexcusable and cowardly that
a prominent Lincoln republican who wit
nessed it tore off his MCKimey button
and said he would never again vote the
republican ticktet. Col. W. B.uutbrie,
an old soldier and a staunch Bryan man.
has the button. Let republicans con
tinue their political arrests and other
high-handed violations of the law. It
will make more democratic votes than
even John L. Webster's speeches on
wheat."
A Series of Blunders.
I have not read the full test of the
long delayed letter of Major McKinley
but I have discovered in his .financial
conclusions some more blunders worse
than crime. He says bimetallism can
not be secured by independent action on
our part. While all Europe say that
and that alone will force hngland to con
sent. He says Mexico and China have
both tried it. Will some one now arise
and tell us just when China tried it? He
says they are both on a silver basis now.
When did Chinaadopt asilver standard?
We find on pages 336 and 337 of 1895
report of the director of the mint that
19. The actual currency of China is
copper cash 927 grains of which make a
Mexican dollar. Silver and gold bars are
used by weight in large transactions.
20. Gold cannot be said to be at a
premium compared with the actual cur
rency of the country. It is a commo
dity of which the price varies at Peking.
It is slightly higher than at Shanghi be
cause it is bought, by wealthy officials to
be hoarded on account of the low price
of silver."
Mr. McKinley says we have more
silver in circulation than any na
tion except China and Japan. There is
but one other nation larger than this.
We find on page 40 of the 1895 report
that while this, the greatest silver pro
ducing nation on earth, has only $8.89
1
KEEP
of silver per capita at 16 to 1, France
which produces comparatively no silver
has $12.98; Spain $9.49; Netherlands
$11.96; Belgium $8.71, all of which is
maintained at 15J4 to 1. U. V. uavib.
A Magnificent Oration.
Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 28. No public
man ever received a heartier reception
in Buffalo during a political campaign
than that given William J. Bryan last
night.
The throng at the station when the
train came in was great in numbers, and
it manifested its enthusiastic interest iu
the candidate in such a way that Mr. ,
and Mrs. Bryan were nearly crashed by
the pressure around them. Norman E. !
Mack, editor of the Buffalo Times and
leader of the Bryan forces here; John
Cuneen, secretary of the democratic
state committee; Chairman Cuddeback
of the county democratic committee.and
a number of other local democratic
leaders, composed the reception commit
tee that met the nominee and escorted
him to the waiting carriages.
The reception took place in Music hall,
where an immense crowd had assembled.
The enthusiasm was of a character never
to be forgotten, when Mr. Bryan came
to the front and there was a raging tor
rent of cheers and applause.
He began his speech with expressions
of gratitude for the evidences of interest
that the people of the empire state are
taking in the campaign.
"I shall carry back to the people of the
west," he said, "the news that the Chi
cago platform is supported and indorsed
not by the west and south alone, bnt by
all the thinking millions of the east as
well.
"I am aware that in the making of a
platform it is impossible to suit the
opinions of all. I recognize that people
who think will differ and that we often
find in a platform things with which we
cannot fully agree, and we seldom fail to
find in it a mention of policies which we
recognize as important. But platforms
are not written by all of a party. They
are written by a majority of a party, and
when the majority of a party writes a
platform the others in the party must
either stand upon it or get out of the
party. (Cheers.)
While a platform covers a great many
questions, necessarily there must besoms
supreme issue in it, and in this campaign
there is a gold standard issue. The issue
is made between those who believe in a
gold standard and those who oppose a
gold standard. There is no middle
ground. Those who are not with us are
against us. There is no place between
the lines for people to stand. The repub
lican platform does that say that a gold
standard is a good thSui. There are
those who are supporting the republican
ticket who believe that a gold standard
is a good thing, but they have not the
courage to risk the issue before the peo
ple who have suffered from a gold stand
ard for twenty years. We must judge
people not by their words, but by their
acts. Our opponents tell us that they
will try to secure an international agree
ment, and that they simply want to se
cure a gold standard until other nations
will help us let go of it (Laughter.)
The democratic party is opposed to a
gold standard, not only opposed to it,
but unalterably opposed to it. It is so
much opposed to it that it will not per
mit the American people to be bound by
it though every nation on earth shall
demand it. (Applause.) We did not
achieve independence for the purpose of
bowing to the yoke of any foreign power.
(Cheers.) The arguii ents in favor of
bimetallism are directed towards the in
telligence of a man who thinks and the
heart of a man who feels.
If some men living in a foreign land
were to ask his nation to surrender the
power and the right of self-government
and vest legislative power in the United
States what would we think of that
man's patriotism? If we would despise
the foreigner who would attempt to de
sire to let the United States controltih s
nation, what contempt must foreigners
feel for those Americans who are willing
to surrender the right to govern them
selves. Applause.)
Our opponents tell us in their plat
form (and the one authority to construe
the platform emphasizes the declaration)
that this nation cannot undertake to
open the mints to silver without thecon
currence and aid of other countries. It
does not say that we are able to do for
a month or for a year or for only a
presidential term. According to the
statement this nation never will be able
to do it until other nations join us in the
act. This is the doctrine we must know
the gold standard, not for a few months
but for a definite duration of time."
Here Mr. Bryan quoted from Mr. Car
lisle's speech on bimetallism in 1878 to
the effect that the destruction of half the
property of the world, including houses,
ships and railroads, would not be felt
more sensibly than the permanent an
nihilation of one-half of the metal mon
ey of the world, and he commented upon
it by saying:
"Who are the anarchists? Are Ah
the ones who are to restore the gold and
silver coinage of the constitution? Are
they the ones who want to reinstate the
financial system which had the in
dorsement of all the statesmen from
Washington through Jefferson and
Jackson down to Lincoln? Or shall we
find the anarchists among those who
want a financial policy that would do
more than destroy half the houses, sink
rr
UP I
Rooky Mountain News.
half the ships and tear up half the rail
roads of the world? (Applause.) We
propose a financial policy. Our oppon
ents propose nothing. Without daring
to defend the gold standard they preach
the doctrine of 'grin and bear it,' and
they offer no hope to the human race.
(Applause.) We ask for unlimited coin
age. We have had it in the past. We
ask coinage at 16 to 1. And
we ask that the American peo
ple shall do their own legislating
for themselves, without waiting for the
aid or consent of any other nation, and
we have done it in the past. (Cheers.)
"Under free and unlimited coinage of
silver the United States stands ready to
take the ounce of silver bullion brought
from any place in the world and convert
it into $1.29 of American money. II you
say that it is not fair to take away a
part of the purchasing power of an ounce
t 11 T a -11 AL-ilA a .
01 goia, i ten you mat it was not iair to
put into that gold that part which law
has placed in it. The remonetization of
silver will not take out of gold any more
than the demonetization of silver but
into gold. They tell us that because
Mexico has failed to maintain the parity
between gold and silver, therefore we
must fail. There is just one kind of a
man who can think that, and that is a
man who knows so little of the geogra
phy or history as to think that Mexico
is as large as the United States. When
they argue that the failure of Mexico
proves that we must fail, they simply
argue tnat tne united states cannot do
anything that Mexico has not succeeded
in doing. Not only that, but tbey ar
gue that Mexico and the United States
cannot do anything that Mexico alone
has not been able to do.
"When the Creator made man He did
not use any superior kind of mud when
He made financiers," said Mr. Bryan in
conclusion, and this remark was greeted
with applause and laughter.
NO CHANCE FOR OOLDBUQS.
Burt County Ssie for Bryan Judge Am.
brose at fekameh.
Tekamah, Neb., Aug. 28. Judge
George W. Ambrose of Omaha spoke in
Tekamah last evening to the largest
crowd that has gathered at a po
litical meeting in this county .for
years. ine promoters had ex
pected a large audience, but
were hardly prepared to see tbe peo
ple nocic in irom town and from country
until standing room was at a premium,
the aisles completely blockaded and the
platform covered until the speaker had
scarcely had room to stand. For two
hours this immense crowd gave the best
ot attention. Ine greatest enthusiasm
prevailed and when the speaker illus
trated the republican stock arguments
of a "50-cent dollar," "it will make the
mine owner rich, 'and "you can't les-is-
late value into money," the crowd went
wild.
Following the speaking a Bryan club
was organized, making the eighth Bryan
club in the eastern part of Burt county,
with a total membership of nearly 600
names, where only about 1,000 votes
are cast and which heretofore has been a
strong republican district.
These figures do not include the clubs
in the western part of the county, the
club at Lyons alone having over 300
names. The gold craze is now dying and
Burt county will swing into line this fall
for Bryan, and 16 to 1.
SCHOENHEirS TRIAL.
It Will Occur Monday Morning at g
O'clock.
Judge Tibbets and twenty-four other
attorneys volunteered their services to
defend Jule Scboenheit, the young man
who was arrested at the goldbug blow
outJThursday evening because be an
swered a question put to the audience
by a gentleman who was speaking.
Tbe trial comes off on Monday
morning at 9 o'clock, and as the
accused is determined to make it warm
for the parties who had him arrested, a
lively trial is anticipated. Nothing but
words of condemnation for the republi
cans have been heard since the affair oc
curred and unless all signs fail some of
the rowdies and heelers in tbier camp
will be taught a lesson which they will
not soon lorget.
SAUNDERS IN LINE
Will Go For Brysn Dead Sure A
Rousing Meeting.
Wahoo, Neb., Aug. 28, 1896.
Cyrus Lindell, the colored orator of
Lincoln, and Mr. Sundean, a young at
torney of Wahoo, addressed a crowd of
more than 700 Deonle at Malmn lnat.
night upon the political issues of tbe
3 rr 1 . . .
aay. ine occasion was tne organiza
tion of a Bryan club. The speakers
handled the trreat Questions of the dav
in a masterly manner.
1 he Malmo band and Wahoo glee club
also did excellent service. Mr. F. It.
Scheel, a prominent business man of
,if 1 .....
nanoo, poued the business men of
WahOO and found fnrtv-flve for Hrvnn
and twenty-two for McKinley. Mr.
Scheel also says that the old soldiers of
the town are about equally divided.
Saunders county goes for Bryan first,
last ana an tbe time.
That I'roatlM Affair,
The article which appeared iu last
evening's issue of the Port entitled
"Prentiss Bad ItreHk"met the approval
of nearly all the veterans attending the
reunion as well as the citizens of Lincoln
generally. Had it not been for the fact
that the general Is well along in years
and his days of usefulness about over
the veterans awmbld would have
raised a much greater howl than they
did. They hoped, however, that there
would not be a repetition of such speeches
by any other speakers invited to address
the reunion, and, in fact, Commander
Culver in very plain English declared
that such must not be, but the speakers
at the women's relief corps meetings as
well as those of the old soldiers yester
day continued to exhort their bearers to
vote for the candidate of their choice.
However, as the reunion lasts but one
day longer and a large-sized family row
is a thing to be avoided it is not believed
that any further attempt will be made to
eliminate political utterances from the
present gathering.
Nevertheless, the old soldiers are very
warm under the collar and declare that
it this sort of thing continues the G. A.
R. reunions will be thlugs of the past in
a very few years. They claim that the
sole object of the reunions is to keep
alive the memories of the past; to talk
over the battles in which they fought
and bled; to renew old friendships and
associations; but to inject politics into
the reunions is just as sure to result in
their disruption as anything could pos
sibly be. Many of the vetrans who cams
miles in covered wagons traveling night
and day and underwent no end of dis
comforts and sacrifices to be present at
the reunion and greet their old friends
only to be maligned by publio speakers
because tbey did not happen to agree
with them ou tbe political issues of the
day have expressed themselves in the
deepest terms ot disgust, declaring that
they will never again attend a reunion
while such a condition of affairs exists.
We, together with thousands of
our citizens, regrets deeply that this un
fortunate occurence has taken place and
hopes that before another yaar rolls
around efforts will be made to make the
reunion of 1887 an affair which will be
free from every objectionable or dishar
monious feature.
10 campaign ubsoriDtions $1.00.
Send in your order.
CAMPAIGN LITERATURE.
The First Installment, Towns's Great
Speech, Reaches Lincoln.
The local silver people committee have
just received their first installment ot
campaign literatura, consisting of 8,000
copies of Congressman Towne's great
speech on silver. This is a standard au
thority. As tbe free silver movement has
no big corporations or other
institutions back of it those who
have the campaign in charge
will not be able to supply the literature
gratuitlouly. I bey will, however, sup
ply it at a mere nominal sum. The fol
lowing publications will soon arrive and
can be bad at headquarters:
Facts about silver; Mitchell on mar-
quette statue; McMillin on 54th congress;
Cockrill on silver: Towne on silver; Sib
ley on silver; Allen on Rep's prepare to
issue bonds; Teller, revenue not the rem
edy; Walcott on the state of the nation
al finances; Lane, report on payment of
contracts; Ked Book, JNat. Asso. demo
cratic clubs; Wilson and McKinley tariff
bills compared;democratic pIatform;Dan
iel on silver; Bryan's speech at Chicago
convention; Jones, Arkansas on silver.
Fitzgerald on sectarian appropriations;
Bryan on income tax; Extract from
Scott Wike; McMillin, report on income
tax; McKinley's corrupt campaign;
Bryan on finance; Map showing silver
and gold states; Bailey on silver; St,
John's speech at St. Louis convention;
Large portrait of Bryan; Fathers of tbe
country on silver; Stewart, History of
demonitization; The gold . standard;
Hatch, depression of agriculture; Poster,
business men's campaign; Poster, depre
ciation of values; Leter of lien. Butter
worth; Terry, battle of standards.
A Housing Meeting.
One of the largest political rallies of
the campaign took place at Bohanan's
hall last night. Notwithstanding that
the meeting had been very hastily ar
ranged and not advertised except in the
evening papers, the house was crowded
with citizens anxious to hear Judge Old
ham discuss bimetallism. Theenthusi
astic meeting of last evening serves to
show the growing interest in this city iu
the cause Judge Oldham represents.
At 8:30, Mr. Manahan, chairman of
the democratic county central commit
tee rapped for Order. As Judge Oldham
bad not arrived in the hall he entertained
the audience very agreeably for a few
minutes. . He made a very apt allusion
to the political arrest of Thursday even
ing by saying:
"In democratic meetings free speech
will be tolerated. Democracy is not yet
ready to go back upon that part of the
constitution of the United States which
vouchsafed to every man free speech.
If any wished to ask questions he would
not make himself liable for arrest for so
doing.
Tbe campaign as conducted by tbe
democrats differed widely from that of
the republicans. The democrats bad no
money for display, and would not make
use of such a campaign argument as Cap
tain Billingsly on a horse. The issues of
the present campaign were not to be de
termined by such appeals. The demo
crats proposed to conduct the campaign
in a manly, straighforword manner.
With truth on our side it will not be ne
cessary to cast slurs upou our adversar
ies." He was greeted with enthusiastic ap
plause when he said:
"What spirit actuated those who ma
liciously burned tbe photograph of their
great opponent? They may destroy tbe
canvas upon which the portrait is
painted but they cannot deface from the
heart of the American people the image
of the.original."
Judge Broady being called for re
sponded and was greeted with cheers
lasting several minutes. He had scarce
ly started speaking when Mr. Oldham
entered the hall.
Mr. Manaban, in introducing Judge
Oldham, said: "An event of great con
sequence in this compaign is the crime of
'73. Mr. Oldham is especially qualified
to talk on the subject, being a criminal
lawyer of note."
Judge Oldham, always eloquent tr.l
forreful, made of one of bis characteristic
speeches and knows bow to hold an au
dience. He made a happy hit on the
start and got everybody in a good
bnmor. In reply to those wbo criticized
him for choosing the political associa
tion of a pop like Bill Green or a repub
lican like Judge Scott to tbe pleasure of
tbe company of the sage of Arbor Lode
he said, "I first went to the political
bunk of Morton and found J. Sterling in
the frost of tbe coses, Haana is tbe
back and Herr Most in tbe middle. As
there wasn't room for me I went across
the hail and crawled in with Bill Green."
In discussing tbe great issue of the
campaign he said in substance: "The
democratic party has adopted a declar
ation of principles in favor of ires and
unlimited coinage of silver at 16 to 1
without the aid of any other nation on
earth. Tbe party has declared for the
maintenance of the present gold stand
ard until it can be changed by interna
tional agreement. Both admit that the
single gold standard is not a good thing.
Both declare that it should be done
away with. One says, 'Let's do it our- '
selves.' The other asks the permission
of somebody else. Oue says we shall
have an American system ef finance.
The other says we must be under Euro
pean domination. This latter is not a
new idea. In colonial times, the nucleus
of the democratic party were being
found, the colonists were urged always
to petition the king for a redress of
grievances, or to use the modern phrase,
resort to international agreement. Bat
tbe colonial cry for international agree
ment was answered by the democratic
doctrines of Thomas Jefferson, the Dec
laration of Independence. Thomas Jef
ferson's party said we will not wait for
international agreement.
"llait Columbia," "Yankee DooG'e."
"America," and all the patriotic sos.'i
are on our side, while our adversarial
have only "God Save the Queen."
Bimettalism is not a new thing. It
stood tbe test from tne birth of tLs
public and was never found wantic.
The departure was made .in 1873. It
changed our nation from the most pros
perous on eartn to a discontented ana
unhappy people. It enriched a few os
the one hand and made an army ot
tramps on the other. It extorted iron,
the producers and gave to tbe consumer.
Those who oppose the tendency of onr
financial legislation are denounced cj
repudiationists. But their denunciation
and abuse is but an admission of their
lack of argument. They cannot arjtj
fifteen minutes without contradictir-;
themselves. I am not surprised thai
they arrest men for asking them ques
tions. That, however, is not onr idea cf
free speech, it is a departure from the
policy ot Thomas Jefferson. It react)
more like an age ot darkness than a mat
ter of record ot this enlightened 18th
century.
They tell us that under free coinage (1)
we will have 63 cent dollars and thego' 1
will be driven from our circulation; ()
that it will enrich the mine owner. Whrt
profit would there be in marketing CJ
cent dollars? How long would it take to
get rich at the business?
lhey also say that it is dishonest to
pay a debt in a dollar the purchasicj
power of which is less than that in which
the debt was contracted. I would ack
them, is it less dishonest to pay in a dol
lar that constantly increases in purchas
ing power and hence become more di3
cult to obtain.
But tbey relax slightly in their morel
code and say that bimetallism is a'l
right if you get England, Germany an f
enough other people to participate. L
bimetallism is dishonest, if it is repudia
tion, is it not equally dishonest whether
undertaken by many or few? Is inter
national repudiation any better thxr
national?
About the first act of congress nndc
the constitution was to provide for ttl
coinage of the silver dollar . which wa:
designated the unit of value. Provisio:
was also made for the coinage, of tJa
gold dollar. Tbis bimetallic standan
was maintained for years, when owiir
to slight variations in the metals, th
size of the gold dollar was changed bu
tbe silver dollar remains the same toda'
as it was in 1872. We maintained thil
system until 1873. In the mean tinv
England bad changed. But not unt;
she bad made herself the great commer
cial power of the world and the otbe '
nations were pouring their gold into he.
coffers. Not nntil she was thecreditot
of her fortunate neighbors. Then no'
till then did she stop silver coinage. Th
reason is apparent.. )
Germany followed the English pre
cedent in 1871 after the overthrow c
the French armies and had mad
France her debtor for millions. Afie
the war with Germany, France ei
Eanded her currency. This was follows
y a period of great prosperity. In i
few years she bad removed her war del
and had placed in circulation $34 t"
capita. France had no silver mines. i
thus fixed the bullion and coinage prk
of silver at $1.32. I make the propos
tion, and it cannot be controverted, tha
the bullion price never did and never wi
fall short of the highest coinags ratio c
a civilized nation. But France not beini
a producer of silver saw tha
it was , not . to her advantar
to fix the price of silver and the
she thought best to discontinue its coir
age in 1874. Mark you not till then di
the price of silver fall and with it th
products of the farmer and the wages c
labor. And this decline in values wi
continue until the United States elect
that peerless champion of democracy
W. J. Bryan, to the presidency, and tha
grand statesman, Judge Broady, to cor
gress, men pledged to rest ore silver to it
rightful place as a money metal. Whs
reason was there for demonitization o
the part of the United States? We ha
nothing to enhance but a burdensoni
debt, and hence we are justified in callin
the act that increased tbeoppressivenet
of that debt a crimeand the perpetratoiT
criminals. . And yet our republican friends sal :
that money is not the issue, but that tl, ; '
trouble lies with the tariff. Ifarrisc
took hold of the reins of governmei
with a surplus of $171,000,000. In fot
years, under the operation of an ideal r
publican protective, tariff, viz., the M':
Kinley act, this democratic surplus n
only disappeared, but bond issues we
required to make up the deficienc ;.
Bond issues will be necessary so long si
the infamous ruling of Secretary Fost
of redeeming in gold instead of coin, 1
mains in vogue.." " -
Judge Oldham closed bis speech with!
very eloquent peroration in which
prophesied the election of W. J. Bryan
the next president, which prophesy w
greeted wun snouts 01 approbation.
Ripans Tabules cure headache.
