The record-union., 1893-08-03

NSo' "9 " tiItd4geT Iue peace anu
preservation Of free institutions and the
very maintenance Of civilization.
We, therefore, in the name of the Re-
public and of humanity, protest against
the repeal of said Act of July IA, 1890, ex-
cept by an Act restoring free bimetallic
coinage, as it existed prior to 1873. We
suggest that the maintenance of bimetal-
lism by the United States at ratio of
l6 to will increase our commerce with
all the silver-using countries of the
world, containing two-thirds of the
world, without decreasing our commerce
with the nations which buy our raw ma
terial, and will sooner compel the adop-
ton OF bimetallism by the nations of
Europe than any other means.
w assert the unparalleled calamities
which now af1lict the American people
are not due to the so-called Sherman Act
OF 1880, and in preof thereof cali attention
to the fact that the same evil conditions
now prevail over all the gold-standard
world.
We are convinced that bad as is the
state of affairs in this country, it would
have been still worse but for the Sher-
man Act, by which the nation has oh
tanned, to some extent, an expanding
circulation, to meet the demands of the
Continent in the process of colonization
and the business exigencies of the most
energetic and industrious race that ever
dwelt on the earth, and we insist upon
the execution of the law without evasion.
so long as it is upon the statute books,
and upon the purchase of the full amount
OF silver each month that it provided for,
to the end that the monthly addition to
the circulating medium the law secures
shall be maintained and that we would
call the attention of the people to the fact
that in the midst of all the troubles of the
time the value of the national bond and
the national legal tender money, whether
made of gold, silver or paper, has not
fallen particle.
The distrust is not of the Government
or its money, but of the banks, which
have, as we believe, precipitated the pres
ent panic on the country in an ill-advised
effort to control the action of Congress on
the silver question and the issue of bonds
I'VE invite the bankers to attend to
their legitimate business, and permit the
rest Of the people to have their full share
in the control of the Government. In
this way they will much sooner restore
that confidence which is so necessary to
the prosperity of the people,
ut must not be forgotten that, while
the Boards of Trade. the Chambers OF
Commerce. the bankers or money dealers
u
places, the republic can more safely re-
pose upon the great mass of its peaceful
tollers and producers, and that this, "a
business mans age is rapidly extermi-
mating the business men of this country.
The time has come when the politics of
this Nation should revert, as far as pos
sible. to the simple and pure condition
out of which the republic arose.
1--WE suggest for the consideration of
our fellow-citizens that the refusal of the
opponents Of bimetallism to propose any
substitute for the present law or elaborate
any plan for the future indicates either an
ignorance of our financial needs or I'M
willingness to take the public into their
confidence, and we denounce the attempt
of the unconditional repeal of the Sher-
man law as an attempt to secure gold
monometalism, in flagrant violation of
the last National platforms of all the po-
litical parties"
The committee also recommended that
the convention Immediately appoint a
committee composed Of a member from
each State and Territory to act in con-
junction with the American National BIZ
metallic League. jointly to devise a plan
and provide ways and means for i'm
pressing upon Congress and the people
the impending perils from the final de-
monetization Of silver.
When Reagan moved the adoption of
the platform there was loud protest
from Carl Brown of California, who OBJ
jected to the second clause. wherein he
alleged the committee had declared gold
and silver to be the basis Of all money.
He thought land should also be regarded
as the basis of money.
This met the unanimous approval of
the Populists, and for moment it
seemed that Brownies amendment would
sweep the convention.
Donnelly of the Committee on Resolu-
7.
said the resolutions only state that the
Constitution of the United States declares
gold and silver to be the basis Of money.
1--WE are a great body of men," he said.
"but we cannot amend the Constitution
OF the United States"
II yield" said Browne, gracefully. s'to
the gentleman who compels us to believe
that Shakespeare did not write this i'm
mortal work" [Uproarous laughter.
II would simply say retorted Don
nelly. that this reminds me of the time
when all fools in Spain laughed at
Columbus for wanting to go to discover
America"
"I yield" said Browne once more. ito
the man who, greater than Columbus
has discovered the lost continent in
Atlantic"
The laughter which greeted this re-
joInder of the Californian was so general
that DonnelIy also Joined in the nerri-
ment over the allusion to his book.
After some further talk and much ex-
element the word "basis" was stricken
out and the words STANDARD value" in
serted in lieu thereof The resolutions
were then adopted by acclamation.
The Ways and Means Committee was
then announced. including the following:
Arizona, b. Heyman: California. c. l..
Belshaw; Colorado, n. 2. Hill: Idaho. G.
". Bryant; Nevada. Thomas Wren;
Montana. w. A. Clarke; Utah, c. S.
Allen; Washington, D. c. Kingsbury.
on motion Of Bryant, the address of
Chairman Warner of the Bimetallic
LEAGUE, delivered before the convention
yesterday, was adopted as the address OF
the convention to the American peonle.