The National tribune., 1893-03-02
THE RI-METALLISTS.
Free-Silver Men Hold = Convention and
Elect Officers for the Ensuing Year.

Efect OfHcsrS Tor the Ensuing rear.
The American Bi.Metallic League. which
was organized in Washington last May, held
its first annual session here last week. The
platform of the League is the free and I'M
limited coinage of silver on an equality with
gold, ratio of IS to l."
About so delegates from the Western States
were present. including Gen. Weaver. On the
first day Mrs. Mary Lease, of Kansas, was in
troduced to the Convention. She said that the
people of the West had felt the crushing effects Of
legislation enacted by the two great political par
ties for the past 30 years. This legislation she
compared with the conspicuous patriotism of
Jefferson Davis" legislation that gave TO the
State of Massachusetts, many millions of dollars
aud deprived the Western farmers Of the
slightest recognition. The people of the West.
she said. demanded free trade. free silver, and
free citizens. and if there is any thiBg else good
in sight they are In favor Of that also. They
demanded com petition in the open markets OF
the world, the expense OF the Government to
be maintained from an income tax. She attrib-
nted the present financial condition of the
country to the Joint efforts of John Bull and
John Sherman, who fastened the existing stat
utes upon u.s."
At the second days session the Committee
| on Resolutions submitted their report In the
preamble to their resolutions they state that
the great moral and financial crime of the 18th
| century was the demonetizing Of silver in 1873
| by the Congress of the United States, acting
under the influence of British persuasion and
| British interest.
The resolutions denounce unconstitutional
and revolutionary all legislation which in any
way discriminates between silver and gold s5
money metals, and as inconsistent with sound
| public policy to confer or advise, directly or
| indirectly. with any foreign nation as to what
| the money currency OF the United States
| should be. They also denounce the recent at
| tempt to repeal the act Of $780, requiring the
| Treasury Department to make monthly pur-
chases of silver, and also the measure, now
| pending before Congress, to authorize an addi-
| tional issue of Government bonds, AZ vicious
and wholly unwarranted by the present inan-
| cial condition of the country and as an attempt
! to extend and perpetuate industrial servitude-
The report gave rise to considerable discus
sion, but was finally adopted unanimously.
At the meeting in the afternoon addresses
were made by F. G.. Kolb, of Alabama, Senator
Jones, of Nevada; Gen. Field, of Virginia, and
others.
The attendance was small at the third morn
ing's session. President Warner said that
while he waited for the report Of the Com
mittee ON Ways and Means the convention
would be glad to listen to short talks from any
one. T. I'll. Tibbles. Nebraska farmer, said
the farmers had been advised lately to keep ont
Of politics, but their answer was: You 90 to
old Harry We've tried that before and
nothing came Of it Heuceforth We propose TO
vote as we think and in our own interests"
Farmer /. z. Dean, of New York, said that
never before had there been greater desire to
hear questions discussed affecting the farmers
welfare, yet they had all the Vaccinations of
the devil and the crushing grasp of the moneyed
classes to con tend against. He referred to Pres
dent Harrison as this experiment." "this
thing" terms which were loudly applauded,
and said il had taken the price Of nearly
100 COO bushels of wheat to pay his salary.
Joseph Shaddon said he came from darkest
New England, where facts and arguments on
the silver question were badly needed. John
Bull sat by the side of President Harrison aud
dictated his policy, just as he was going to sit
by the new President and dictate his policy.
DR.. 8. w. Fish. Populist Representatives,
LATE Pence, of Colorado; Populist Representa-
ative-elec Henry A. Coffeen and E. B. Stark
participatedsin tbs speechmaking.
The annua. election of officers that afternoon
closed the meeting. Gen. A. ]. Warner was
reelected. without opposition. w. n. Barring
ton was chosen Secretary and Treasurer. The
members of the Executive Committee are:
Francis @. Newlands, of Nevada; L. NJ. Rum
sey, of Missouri; r. @. Davis. of Montana;
Willis Sweet, of Idaho; Lee Crandall, of the
District of Columbia; Senator Daniel, of Viz
ginia; ]. L. Johnson, of Colorado. and Senator
Colqutt, of Georgia.
The Convention was declared an unexpected
success. The Third Party men were in the
majority, but there were many Southern
Democrats. and even q few Western Republi-
cans among the delegates, well as National
lists and single tax men. Yet the Convention
stuck to its text remarkably well.