Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-08-05
THURMAN AT MANSFIELD.
He Splits OH the Platform.

THURMAN Al MANSFlELD.
He Spits OH the Platform.
Senator Thurman addressed an audi
ence of about eight hundred persons at
at Mansfield, on Saturday. A large
proportion of the audience were from
abroad, many representative men Of
the party being present from different
parts of the State and Nation. The
Senator read his speech from printed
pamphlet, occupying an hour and three
quarters. Leading Democrats con-
denim his efforts to explain away the
Objectionable feature of the initiation
plank in the Democratic platform and
belittle its importance in the present
canvass, as piece of demagoguery, and
unworthy of his dignity and an insult
to the intelligence of the people.
The following is a verbatim report of
the Senator's reference to the initiation
plank of the platform:
You, my fellow Democrats of Rich
land, are what are called hard-mOney
men, and | am hard-mOney man
that is to say, we do not believe in an
irredeemable paper currency; we be-
lieve that such currency must neces-
sarily filuctuate in value, lead to spec
ulatiOn and extravaganza, and benefit
no one but money-shavers and specula-
tors. We believe that our currency
should consist of gold and silver at the
will of the holder. In this we concur
with the uniform teachings of the DEM
ocratic party, with the opinion of every
really eminent political economist the
world over, with the lessons of expert
ence found in the history of every COM
mercial nation, and with the views OF
almost the entire body of the business
men of America. Now, it has been
roundly asserted, and with violence of
speech that might be considered intem-
perate, that the platform of our late
Convention means just the opposite OF
our opinions; that it means an irre-
deemable paper currency now and for
ever, and, consequently, that gold or
silver, or paper convertible into gold
and silver, shall never form part of
onr circulating medium. But certainly
no such idea is expressed in the plat
form, nor do l believe that it is enter
tanned by a majority of those who ap-
prove it. / know that there are men
who advocate the abandonment of gold
and silver as money; who scout the
idea of redeemability of the currency;
who assert that whatever the Govern
ment calls money is money, and who
regard irredeemable greenbacks as the
best currency the world ever saw. But
l don't think that these men cOusti-
tuted majority of the late Convention
or of its committee on resolutions. Had
such been the case their views would
have been expressed without ambigui-
ty. But you look in vain in the plat
form for direct expression in favor OF
irredeemability, or a direct assertion
that gold and silver should be demOne-
tiZed. 1t advocates the substitution OF
greenbacks for National Bank Lotes,
| but it nowhere says that the green
backs should be irredeemable. On the
contrary, it contemplates that it shall
be brought TO par with gold, and al
though we may not be quite able to see
how that can be done in the mode pro-
posed, its desirableness is most distinct
ly and fully recognized. And then, as
to imitation, the platform does not ex-
pressly demand more currency. 1t de-
nounces contraction, but does not say in
plain words, give us imitation. y hat
it does say is, "that the volume of cur
rency be made and kept equal to the
wants of trade:" and this is all. Now,
suppose that there is not, and never
has been, man in any civilized coun-
try who would not say that the volume
of currency should be equal to the
want of trade. To say so is to utter a
mere truism, mere abstraction. The
practical question is, have we that vol
ume now? and upon this question the
platform Is silent. To him who be-
lieve that the present volume is suffi
cient, it means no initiation, for in his
mind it is already quite 'equal to the
wants Of trade" To another man, who
thinks that more currency is needed, it
does mean expansions; and so, whether
it means the one thing or the other,
depends upon the precOnceived opin-
ions of every one who reads it. Sup
pose, for instance, that an Ohio MEM
ber of Congress, having to vote upon
an initiation bill, should look to this
platform for his guidance, what light
would he get? What is there in it to
tell him whether he should vote for an
increase of currency of ten millions, a
hundred millions, five hundred mil
lions, or no increase at all?
Now, the gentlemen who framed this
platform are able and bold men, mas
tiers of the English tongue, capable of
saying what they mean, and by no
means afraid to say it. When, there
fore, they plainly denounced contrac-
ton, but fail to expressly advocate in
fiation, is not the presumption fair that
they do not mean Initiation? Under
stand me, am not defending the plat
form, for in some particulars l do not
like it, and 1 leave to those who ap-
prove it the task of its advocacy. Nor
am criticising it, for l have no dispo-
sition to be critical, and l leave that
role to our common adversaries. But
/ think it but justice to say that the
platform has been constructed to mean
more than is expressed in it, and more
than was meant, as believe, by those
who fromed it. In saying this do not
lose sight of the Interpretation placed
upon it by some of its friends. know
that some of its warmest advocates re-
gard it rs declaration again-t gold and
silver, and for an irredeemable green