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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1904)
",-' IttflRfM Second Speech. ' Following ia Mr. Bryan's, speech on tho last " night of tho St. Louis convention supporting his ? amendment to tho answer proposed to Judge - Parker's telegram: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen or the conven- - tion: I will first read the amendment which I pro- - pose to the telegram, and then I desire to submit a few remarks in answer to some things which have been said. Hero is the amendment: "But as you Will, if elected, be called upon to act on certain phases of tho money question, -wo desiro to know Whether you favor reducing the volume of silver dollars, whether you favor an asset currency and branch national banks, and whether you prefer national bank currency to United States notes." I wish to tako up several matters, and I will tako them up in order. I was willing in the committee to do everything possible in tho inter-, est of harmony, and I want you gentlemen to know that if there is discord in this convention, you can not lay it at my door. CAppiause.) I have been tho harmonizer. "When they, voted down my proposition to reaffirm tho Kansas City plat form, I did not present a minority Teport, and "When we voted doWn their posposition for the gold standard and they did not present a minority report, wo supposed that settled the matter. And my point now is that after we have done our part, after In the interest of harmony wo have given up our contentions, they snould not force upon us something worse even than their original proposition. (Applause.) Tho gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Carmack) says ho proposed a resolution, and I was willing to accept it. He read you part of it; let me read you all of it: "Wo recognize that tho great and unlooked for increase In the. production of gold has re lieved the stringency caused by the scarcity of metallic money, and that because of that fact tho money question as presented In the last two presi dential campaigns Is not now acute and does not require legislative relief. But it has at the same time vindicated tho demands of the democratic party in tho past for an increased volume of me tallic money, that demand not being, for silver as silver or for gold as gold, but for a sufficient quantity of standard money to maintain the level of prices and transact the business of the country." (Applause.) That was proposed by Senator Carmack as a substitute for the gold standard resolution offered by Senator Hill, and Senator Hill refused to accept It. I told him I would do satisfied with it if he would accept it. (Applause.) So in the interest of harmony Mr. B. W. Carmack of Tennessee: If the gen tleman will permit me, that is not exactly correct The Hill plank (At this point there was much disorder.) Mr.. Bryan: Do not interrupt the gentleman. Mr. Carmack (to Mr. Bryan): You need not do that. Mr. Bryan: If I make any mistake, I want to be corrected. Mr. Carmack: I am much obliged to the gentleman, but I will say to him that he need not trouble himself to cause his friends to keep order while I address tho convention. I will try to ao that in one way or another. The correction I want to make In the gentle man's statement is that tho Hill plank had al ready been voted down by the committee, and I offered this as an independent resolution and he accepted it. Mr. Bryan: My recollection, although I may be mistaken, because this covered several hours, is that when Senator Hill was speaking of the necessity of having something in tho platform on that subject, this was proposod to meet tho case, and I wa3 willing to accept it; but Senator Hill refused to accept it. That rosoiution not only stated that it was not now acute and did not need relief, but it stated the principle for which wo contended in two campaigns. And 1 wanted it in the platform. (Applause.) So much for that. Something was said about my saying that Mr. Parker ought to bo accepted as a platform. We were discussing platforms and several other things, and I suggested that wo might not need any platform if wo had a candidate whoso record was known, I think it was in that connection that I suggested that tho proper thing to do, if that was their plan, was to nominate Grover Cleveland for ho had such a record that ho would not need any platform. (Applause.) .. But, my friends, I think my recollection on . the subject Is corroborated by my question to Sen- The Commoner. f ator Hill and his answer that he did not know 1 the opinion of Judge Parker. I think that verifies my position, for if Senator Hill did not know Mr. 1-arker's opinion, I -would hardly say Parker him self ought to bo accepted as a platform. But I desire to refer to two or three argu rants that havo been made. It fs said first that wo ought to re'jogni7.e the gold standard as tho established law, that it is tho established law. Why notrecognize it? My answer is if this is tho law,' then why say anything about it? Shall wo put "in our platform a recognition or, ail the laws wo have? If this is law, if wo, therefore, ought not to object to it, then why is u necessary to state it? Senator Daniel says that we havo been de feated twice on ' the silver issue, and that wo ought to acquiesce in tho will of the majority. We havo been defeated twice on the tariff issue. Why not acquiesce in the will of the majority there? (Applause.) Why resist me will of tho majority? Why shall we array ourselves against "a settled public opinion' on the tariff question? This is not logic. And if it is true that we ought to accept tho gold standard as established racre ly because we have been defeated on the Issue in two campaigns, then by the same logic, we havo no right to contest the protective tariff. (Ap plause,) It is said that Judge Parker did not discuss this question and that nobody asked his opinion, because this question is so settled in New York that nobody ever thinks of mentioning it. If that . is true, then how did anybody discover that it was not in the platform? (Laughter and applause.) If it is so well settled that they never think of it, that they never ask about it, that they never talk about it, then why are they so quick to dis cover its omission from the platform? (Ap plause.) It is not logical, my friends. But, sirs,, there is another question, and I speak of it with some emphasis. My friend here (Mr. Hamlin of Mass.) holds out before you people of the south the danger of black domination, and you are virtually threatened that, if you do not accept tho gold standard, if you do not admit that it is irrevocably established, never to be interfered with, tho people down east will let you suffer from your black peril. In 1896, when, as the can didate of the party, I had all the south behind me, and was speaking for things in which tho south believed, my friend here (Mr. Hamlin) did not feel it necessary and I do not speak it in censure to join with us in order to help you out. (Applause.) Nor is he willing to admit now that the people of Massachusetts will join with you to save you from this peril unless you bow before their golden idol. (Applause.) I did bet ter than his people will do. I told you that while I believed in the doctrine I have been preaching, I would support a gold standard man to help you out. I was willing to waive my position on that subject. (Applause.) You were asked what difference it makes whether or not the man believes In the gold standard; whether or not his opiiilon is known, if he believes in it. The gentleman reminds you that I said I would support Governor Pattlson, who is a gold man. I said I would. I told you he was a gold man. But, my friends, If wo had nominated on that platform a man known to be a gold man, people could havo gone and voted as I would have gono and voted voted knowing that he was a gold man, but trusting him on tho other questions. But now our candidate comes and Injects Into the platform this question, and makes it not merely a gold standard plank, but, as has been suggested, makes it an Irrevocable gold standard proposition, denying us even the rlgjht to oppose it at a future time. Tho re publican platform Is not so strong on this sub ject as this telegram would make our platform. There may bo ono advantage in having this brought out now; yes, two. One is that having nominated the candidate, It is very embarrassing to do anything that he objects to, and all of this feeling of embarrassment will help to fasten the gold standard on tho party. That is one advan tage in bringing It up now. But, my friends, my objection to having this fight made in favor of the gold standard was that it would jeopardizo the success of our cam paign. I want us to win in this campaign. (AnI plause.) I want us to defeat the republican party and I think it is infinitely embarrasssing that this question should come in. I was rejoicing yester day, I was exceeding glad, that a difference which I feared we might not be able to reconcile had been reconciled, and it is distressing to me tlmt this opposition must bo met. ut if the ques tion is presented, what else can we do? Will you VOLUME 4, NUMBER 29. drive us homo like cowards and tell the nconu there that we did not dare to express ourseW (Applause.) We have our people's interest to ren. resent; we havo their welfare to guard You havo been told that it is to the 'east tn which you must look. Some reference has been made to the Force bill. I think, if my memorv serves me aright, that when the Force bili was before tho senate, the south and the north and the east did not furnish democrats enough; they had to come west to get enough senators to save the south from the Force bill. (Applause.) we now have some senators from the northwest, ana when the gold standard plank was before the committee and the question was asked, "Would it3 adoption do any harm," gentlemen arose not only from all the northwestern states, but from states north of tho Ohio, and trom states south of tho Ohio, and declared that that planic would jeopar dize success in those states. We did not want this ssue presented; we did not want this subject touched; but the action of the candidate has brought the subject in. I know but two ways of getting it out. One is so to amend this telegram to Mr. Parker as to state our .side, not on dead issues, but on living ones; and the other is to amend your platform and put in a plank that' will meet the case. If you want to amend your platform, I will agree now to Sen ator Carmadt's plank. Will tho friends of Judge Parker accept that as a sufficient aeciaration on the subject? (Applause.) I insist that the question having been raised, you ought to meet it; you ought to meet it can didly; you ought to meet it fairly; you ought to meet it honestly. It is my candid opinion that an open, frank declaration will not lose you any more votes than an attempt to dodge this issue and to ignore it, now that it has been raised. (Ap plause.) And if the question o money is to be in the campaign, we should know the candidate's position on several questions. If this attempt to contract the currency by melting snver ddllars is successful the administration can, by melting silver dollars, rob this nation of $578,000,000 of its standard money,' and thus take away from the people almost all the benefit that has come from the Increased production of gold. If the money question is in the campaign and we are 'to know that Judge Parker will put hia veto to "any attempt to Interfere with the gold standard, we ought to know whether he Is going to sign a bill which will give us an asset currency and make it so that we can not tell from day to day what is behind the dollars we carry in our pockets. (Applause.) We ought to know whether he is going to put his signature to a'bill which will give us a branch bank system and., fasten upon tnis country a money, monopoly like that which Jackson de stroyed, and by destroying whlcn made himself immortal in democratic history. (Applause.) These things we ought to know. We ought to know whether in this contest between government money and bank money our candidate stands on the side of the bank or on the side of tho peo ple. (Applause.) If he had kept his views to nimself on the gold standard question, we might have been will ing to take our chances on the others, but now that you have him sure on your side on that sub ject, it is a little unfair to leave us uncertain as to his position on these other questions. The Amendment Withdrawn. Mr. Bryan: Allow me a word. Mr. Williams": fto, sir. Mr. Bryan: I merely want to withdraw my amendment. Mr. Williams: I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska for the purpose of withdrawing his amendment. Mr. G. V. Menzies, of Indiana: Mr. Chairman- The Permanent Chairman: For what purpose does the gentleman rise? Mr. Menzies: ' In view of the fact that it la getting on to 1 o'clock, that the session lias been prolonged and the delegates are tired and worn out, I think, sir, a motion to adjourn would be in order. Tho Permanent Chairman: The motion is not in order at this time. Mr. Menzies: .1- think a motion to adjourn is always in order. The Permanent Chairman: A motion to ad journ is not in order when another motion is pending. " - ' Mr. Menzies: It seems that nobody on tno floor can get recognition. " Mr. Bryan: Mr. Chairman, I am going to i. " 9 fefeiv--.3 gfflft t m, . HmmMto,HtMt&tim Jlfctfl.M.1.-