The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-08-24
AN ELOQUENT SPEECH.
REPRESENTATIVES, BRYAN'S PLEA IN
BEHALF. OF sIMETALLISM.


jured-Ths Democratic Party Must
Choose which NJ aster It, VIII Sorye, tho
People or tho Monopoli.ts.
WASHINGTON, August 16.-The de.
bate in the House today on the Wilson
repeal bill began with but little pre-
liminary. 1t was started by Mr.. Nc
Call O2ep.) of Massachusetts,, in favor
of the repeal of The purchasing clause
of the Sherman bill, and was closed by
Moses (Dem) Of Georgia. in opposition
thereto. Sandwiched between these
two speeches were remarks by C0Ombs
(Dem.) Of New York, Bryan Oem.) OF
Nebraska and Henderson (Rep.) of
Iowa. The first named made au ad-
dress, from business standpoint, in
favor of the repeal of the Sherman
law, and Bryan made the speech of the
day, and although he occupied more
than two hours In it's delivery, he COM
manded the earnest attention of his
colleagues throughout. He was one of
the apostles Of birnetallism, and his
sympathlZers regarded his arguments
As unanswerable
But the same thing was said of the
speech OF Henderson by the opponents
OF free coinage, and, taken altogether,
the days debate might be put down in
the category of a drawn battle. Mr..
Bryan said that he would fully accom-
plish his purpose if he were able to
impress upon the members of this
House the Importance of the question
which was now under consideration,
and to quicken their appreciation of
the grave responsibility which pressed
upon them. Upon the action of this
Congress depend not only the welfare
OF the United States, but the welfare
of humanity itself for ages to come.
Some outside of this hall had assumed
that the recommendation of the Presi-
dent imposed some obligations upon
Democratic members to do as he de-
sired, and some had even been hardy
enough to suggest that a failure to fall
IN with Recommendation there made
would subject the dissenter to admin
lstrative displeasure; but those persons
did the President great injustice. The
President would not for moment for
get the independence of the two
branches of Congress. Let the P.esi-
dents own language rebuke those who
would froR false feeling change their
convictions upon the subject IN order
to conform to his suggestions.
In the message of 1885 TO Congress,
at the beginning Cf the first session,
there would be found these words
"The jealous Watchfulness Of our con-
stituents, great and small, supplement
their suffrages, and before the tribunals
they establish every public servant
should he judged" Among the many
grand truths Expressed by our Presi-
dent, none disclosed u truer sense and
clearer conception Of official RESPONSE
billty, or spoke in clearer terms of our
duty to our constituents. In 1885 the
same forces were at work aS We're at
work now; the same pressure was
brought to bear then AS now. But he
called attention to the fact that tho
Democratic party at that time in power
recognized its duty to its country, and,
he it SAID to the credit of that party,
that in this House only 33 Democrats
voted to sustain the recommendation
and l3O stood by the interests of their
constituents. 1t proved that the Dem
ocratic party at that time recognIZad
that the suggestion Of the President
came for consideration and not tor
control. And time had demonstrated
that these Representatives, following
the wishes of their people, rejecting
the sentiments of their constituency,
were wise; than the President, who re-
commended.
II he could understand the language
OF the message, it meant but one thing
1t meant the burial of silver, with no
promise of resurrection. 1t was the
argument of the gold standard. 1t led
to universal gold monometallism, to
the realm over whose door Was writ
ten, "Abandon hope all ye who enter
here"
There is but one way of bringing
gold from abroad Except the issuing
OF gold bonds), and that was to sell our
products and secure the yellow metal.
But II we established single gold
standard, gold would be put upon the
auction block. Every time gold went
abroad the farmers of the United States
must lower the prices of their products.
Then the farmers of England would
lower their prices, in order to got the
gold back. Then we must again lower
ours, and no one could tell the price at
which at last our products would settle
down.
He was opposed to a single standard
of value, be it gold or silver, and was
IN favor Of a double standard. The
question now presented was, whether
the United States was going to say
that 1T was an English coloney or an
independent nation. ApplauseI. If
there be some person living on the
eastern shore who were better acuua,nt-
ed with the beauty of the Alps than
WIN Ihe grandeur OF the Rockies bet
Ter acquainted with the sunny skies of
Italy than with the invigorating
Dreezes of the Mississippi valley, let
them Know that there are people who
are willing to cast their all on fate of
this Republic, and riae or fall with it.
lApplausel
Bryan spoke in favor of the reten-
tion of the ratio of lG to 1, arguing
that an increase of that ratio would be
detrimental to an International agree
ment as to the coinage of the two met
ais. The trouble now was not a lack
of confidence in Great Britain. The
United States had got along before
without the confidence of England,
ana, thank God. it could do so again.
lLaughter.l He wanted to restore
confidence among the people; but he
dld not believe in curing a headache by
putting mustard plaster to the feet
or the patient. [Applause.1
= Let some bill be passed here which
would make the banks safe nl.cao of