The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-08-11
SILVER.
Second Day of the Convention at
Chicago.
The Friends of Silver Had the FIoor-Gov
Waite, of Colorado. Makes Sensa
tional speech-The Resolutions
Close of the Convention.

CHICAGO, Aug. 3.-There was tremen-
dous applause when Gov. Waite, of
Colorado, was introduced to the BIZ
metallic convention at Central Music
hall A number of enthusiastic dele
gates had been shouting for two days
for Waite and when the chief execu-
tive of the centennial state mounted
the platform their cup of joy was over
flowing. Cheer after cheer was given
by delegates, who stood up and waved
their hats wildly and the ovation term
mated with ''three cheers for Gov.
Waite
Gov. Waite spoke at great length.
He asserted that since 1872 no congress
had convened but that a ma jority in
both houses were in favor of restoring
the free coinage of silver. Congress
never had been able to enact such
law because the president,
whether republican or democrat had
always been dominated by Wall street
and stood ready to interpose his veto,
equal to a two-thirds vote in both
houses of congress. The effect of the
gold-bug conspiracy, which has denied
free coinage of silver since 1878, has
been to increase the purchasing power
of money, or to put the statement in
another form to decrease the value of
all commodities. Abraham Lincoln
said that if debt was created with a
certain amount of money in circulation
and then the government contracts the
money volume before the debt is paid,
it is the most heinous crime which the
government can commit against the
people.
And that" said Gov. Waite, ''is eX-
actly what this government has been
doing since 1873. Congressional legis-
lation and nothing else has reduced the
price of silver bullion from 81. 80 per
ounce in 1878 to 20 cents per ounce in
1898, and legislation for which the two
old parties are equally responsible has
reduced the price of wheat in the same
time from sl.41 per bushel to 5S
cents The same legislation has
reduced the price of cotton from
10 $40 cents to $40 cents in the same
time. The ratio of value of silver as
bullion as compared with the gold dol
lar has been increased from 16 to to
221E or "a to l. 1t has not only dimin-
ished the value of silver bullion, but
also diminished in almost the same
proportion the value of wheat, corn,
pork, beef, cotton and the wages of
labor We hear much about over-pro-
duction, law of supply and demand,
etc, but with the single standard gold
men of Europe, who have the reins in
their own hands, there is not the same
necessity to lie about it and no such
dishonest attempt to dodge the issue.
Not long ago" said Waite, Gladstone
was told by Mr.. Thompson in the Brit
ish parliament that the gold standard
was crushing out the agricultural and
the commercial industries of England
by compelling the business to be done
upon falling markets, debtor classes
being reduced to industrial slavery, and
taxes while pominally the same as in
force from India were double the
amount of her products which a few
years ago paid tax. Gladstone unblush
ingly declared that England as a cred
itor nation could stand any amount of
appreciation in the value of credits
and added. the governments were not
concerned about philanthropy"
Considering the condition of che
masses in England and in India, Waite
said this was the most brutal remark
since Cain. with the blood of his muir
dered brother crying from the ground,
insolently asked the Almighty: Gam
l my brothers keeper" The proposal
bv the false friends of silver and their
allies in Wall street to adopt the pres
ent price of bullion silver as compared
with gold as a new money ratio, would
simply crystalize all wrongs and in
juries the money power has inflicted
upon the public for the past twenty
years This, as compromise, beats
one the devil proposed to Jesus Christ
on the mountain.
Waite said that the international con-
ference for the purpose of settling our
money affairs by the dictation of for
eign money power was the most con-
temptible and God-forsaken idea that
ever entered the brain of an American
citizen.
IF we have become under the rule
of the two old parties only province
of European monarchies." he said,
''then we need another revolution;
another appeal to arms and to the God
of hosts"
This evoked great applause. In
closing Gov. Waite said:
''Wko rs Grover Cleveland and who is
Benjamin Harrison and who are their
supporters in Wall street and Chicago
that they dare assume to drive into
poverty and exile half a million of
American freemen? There's no use
crying peace when there is no peace
Most dangerous tyranny is that en-
forced under the forms of law. Our
weapons are argument aud ballot, free
ballot and fair count If the money
power shall attempt to sustain its usur-
patton of our rights by strong hands,
as in other lands, we will meet that
issue if it is forced upon us. for it is
better, infinitely better, rather than
that our liberties should be destroyed
by tyranny that is Expressing human
ity all over the world, that we should
wade through seas of blood-yea, blood
to horses brides" Tremendous ap-
plause-
Ex-Congressman Rice Pierce, of Ten
nessee. the lieutenant of Chairman
Bland in the last congress, was re-
ceived with great enthusiasm, and pro-
ceeded to make a speech which was
the sensation of the day in its arraign-
ment of President Cleveland.
After Mr.. Pierce had resumed his
seat President Thurman, who had in
his opening address expressed the
greatest personal regard for President
Cleveland, criticised Mr.. Pierce for
drifting into partisan discussion.
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