The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-08-31

In the House of Representatives, on
the 10Th, Mr.. Bryan, Democrat, the
brilliant young member OF Congress
from Nebraska, who made such
favorable impression by his tariff
speeches in the last Congress, spoke on
the financial question, as the advocate
and champion of silver. The dis
patches tell us that Mr.. Bryan made
the speech of the day, and although
he occupied more than two hours in
its delivery, he commanded the earnest
attention of his colleagues throughout.
He was one of the apostles of bi-metal-
lism and his sympathizers regarded his
arguments as unanswerable.
We make the following extract from
his remarks: Mr.. Bryan said that he
would fully accomplish his purpose if
he were able to impress upon the
members of the 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 might depend
not only the welfare of the South and
West, 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
desired, and some had even been
hardly enough 10 suggest that a
failure to fall in with the recommended
tions there made would subject the
dissenter to administrative displeasure.
But these persons did the President
great injustice. The President would
not for a moment forget the independ-
ence ofthe two branches of Congress-. 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 written
"Abandon hope all ye who enter
here" There in but one way OF
bringing gold from abroad except the
issuing of gold bonds) and that is to
sell our products and secure the yellow
metal. But if 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 prices OF
their products. Then the farmers oI
England would lower their prices in
order to get the gold back. Then we
must again lower ours; and none
could tell the price at which at last
our products would settle down. He
was opposed to 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 it was an English colony or an
independent nation. Applause. II
there be some persons living on the
Eastern shore who were better &C.
quainted with the beauty of the Alps
than with the grandeur of the Rockies;
better acquainted with the sunny skies
of Italy than with the invi vigorating
breezes OF the Mississippi valley, let
them know that there are people who
are willing to cast their all on the fate
of this Republic, rise or fall with it.
[Applause.J
Mr.. Bryan spoke in favor of the
silver ratio of 16 to I, arguing that an
increase of that ratio would be
detrimental to an international agree.
ment as to the coinage of the two
metals. The trouble now was not a
lack of confidence in great Britain
The United States had got along
before without the confidence o.
England and thank God, it could dc
SO again. [Applause.] He wanted tc
restore confidence among the people
but he did not believe in curing q
headache by putting mustard plaster
to the feet of the patient. [Applause.
Let some bill be passed here which
would make the banks safe places o
deposit. 1t was fear of the banks and
not Of the Government that had
caused the present stringency. 1t wa
asked that there should be peace
There could be no peace so long a
there were people here who would chair
this country to a single gold standard
| There would be war here, ane
eternal war. [Applause.] If th'
Democratic platform meant anything
it meant that the Sherman law was :
make-shift but it proposed something
hettar than thot and that S0mefhinf