The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-08-04
SILVERITES' PLATFORM AT
Bimetallism Demanded on Ratio
Of Sixteen to One.
DANGERS OF A SINGLE STANDARD.


The United stntes Must Settle Her Finan-
Other acknowledgements waite's Rad
ical Views Evoke Thunders of Applause.
CHICAGO. Aug. g. While waiting for the
report OF the committee on resolutions at
the silver convention dispatches were read
from several labor unions. urging free sill
yer, and addresses were delivered by ex-
Senator Hill, of Colorado, and Senator
Allen, OF Nebraska. Finally the conven-
ton took recess, and on reassembling the
resolutions committee presented its report.
The Lengthy preamble, after stating that
bimetallism is as ancient as human his
tory, speaks of the efforts of the mono
metallists to create a single standard as
an attack on the rights Of the people which
would have the effect of reducing the
price Of all commodities produced by la
bor arresting enterprise, impoverishing
the toiler and degrading mankind. The
preamble quotes at length from the utter~
ances of James G. Blaine, Daniel Web
ster and Secretary Carlisle in favor of BIZ
metallic currency and from Senator Sher-
man against the dangers of monetary con-
traction. The platform declares:
There must be no compromise of this
question. All Legislation dem onetizng sill
yerand restricting the coinage thereof must
be Immediately and completely repealed
by an act restoring the coinage of the coun-
try to the conditions established by the
founders OF the nation, and which con-
tnued for over eighty years. without COM
plant from any part of our people.
We protest against the financial policy
of the United States being made upon the
opinion or policies of any foreign govern
ment, and assert the power of this nation
to stand on its own feet and legislate for
itself on all subjects.
We assert that the only remedy for our
metallic financial troubles is to open the
mnts of tho nation to gold and silver on
tho equal terms, at the old ratio of l6 of
silver to of gold. Whenever 4l2% grains
of standard silver are worth 100 cents in
the United States they will be worth that
sum everywhere else, and cannot be
bought for less. While it will he urged
that such result would enhance the
price of silver bullion. it is sufficient for us
to know that similar case would be i'm
mediately made in the price of every kind
of property except gold and credits in the
civilized world. The legislation to de-
monetize silver has given an unjust in
crease to the value of gold ut the cost of
the prosperity Of mankind, wheat and all
other agricultural products that have
ridden side by side with silver
While tho Sherman act of July a. 1890,
was device OF the enemy to prevent the
restoration of free coinage and is greatly
objectionable because it continues the
practical exclusion of silver from the
mints, and reduces il from money metal
to commercial commodity; nevertheless
its repeal, without the restoration of free
coinage, would stop the expansion of our
currency required by our growth in popu
lation and besides still widen the difference
between the two precious metals, thus
making the return to bimetallism more
difficult; greatly increase the purchasing
power of gold, still further breaking down
the price of the products of the farmer,
laborers, mechanics and the tradesman,
and plunge still further all commerce.
business and industry into such depths Of
wretchedness as to endanger preservation
of free institutions and the very mainten-
ance of civiliZ alton, we therefore. in the
name of the republic and of humanity.
protest against the repeal of the said act
of July "A, 1890, except by an act restoring
free bimetallic coinage, as it existed prior
to 1873.
We assert that the unparalleled calam-
ties which now atfiict the American people
are not due to the so called Sherman act
of 1870; and in proof thereof we call atten-
tion to the fact that the same evil condi-
tions are now prevailing over all the gold
standard world. We are now convinced
that, bad ms is the state of affairs in this
country, it would have been ST i'll worse but
for the Sherman act. We insist upon the
execution of the laws without evasion so
long as it is upon the statute books.
We won Ia call tbe at Df ,ka 49,
pie to the fact that in the midst of all
troubles of times the value of national
bonds and the national legal tender
money, whether made of gold. silver or
paper. has not fallen IL particle The dis
trust is not of the government or it's
money, but of the banks, which have. we
believe, precipitated the present panic on
the country in an ill advised effort to con-
troll the action of congress OIL the silver
question and the issue of bonds We in
vite the bankers to attend to their legiti-
mate business and permit the rest of the
people to have their full share in the con
troll of the government. We denounce the
attempt to Internationally repeal the
Sherman law rs an attempt to secure gold
mOnometalism. in fragrant violation of the
last national platform of all the political
parties.
The first speaker of the afternoon session
was John b. Lennon, of New York, repre-
senting the executive council of the Amer
can Federation of Labor. The Federation
people, he said, are silver men because
they are union men.
There was great applause when Cover
nor Waite, of Colorado, was introduced as
the next speaker. A number of enthu-
siastic delegates had been bowling for two
days for Waite, and when the chief execu-
tive OF the Centennial state mounted the
platform their cup of JOY was overlooking.
Cheer after cheer was given by delegates,
Vhn ef0nd