The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-03
I'LL FOR FREE coinage.
Free SllVtrltes In Convention So
Declare Themselves.
PIERCE'S POLITICAL STORIES
Not Received With Good Grace by His
Aud.t rs. and chair man Ihurber Had
to Administer Reproofto Him for Talk
ing About Everything Else But silver.

CHICAGO, Aug 3-The silverites met
yesterday at Central Music half The dec
laration that the convention was open
was the signal for pandemonium to begin.
j. S. Dougherty of Texas introduced a res
olution for the appointment OF one dele
gate from each state to devise plan for
the establishment OF free coinage so as To
save the Icoplc and country from utter
ruin and 10 urge the measure upon con-
gress An avalanche of motions and reso-
lutions was at once hurled at Chairman
Thurman. Finally Mr.. Dougherty's res
olution was adopted. Ex-senator Hill of
Denver was introd uced and read long
statistical paper, which seemed to arouse
little enthusiasm.
Congressninn Newlands OF Nevada, Gov
ernor Mclkinleys double, then stepped to
the platform. His speech was devoted To a
general denunciation Of English financial
methods. United States Senator Allen OF
Nebraska, Populist, aroused the delegates
to.a high pitch of enthusiasm. Charles 5.
Thomas of Denver made the last speech OF
the morning session. When he finished
recess was taken.
The resumption OF business was marked
the morning sessions Colin Limmons.
member of the executive committee of the
American Federation OF Labor. started the
afternoon session off with the statement
that the Federation Of Labor, representing
most Of the trades unionists of this
country, was for free silver on the ratio
OF l6 to J..
Then Came Governor Waito.
ha ioy tpr in oh0
and cheers when he appeared on the plat
form.
In marked contrast with the spirit of
enthusiasm aroused by Governor Waite
was xCongressman Rice Pierce's speech.
He started in TO defend the Democratic
party and score President Cleveland. The
convention very soon began to show 1t had
no desire to hear him. 1t would not listen
TO his stories. Finally. when he quit, they
chcered. Chairman Thurman added: II
am almost afraid TO call another speaker
for fear he will feel IL necessary to defend
the Prohibition or some other party.
This convention il here TO seek bimetal-
lism, not TO defend parties or abuse them.
Aud hope there will be no more of it,"
AT this point the committee eaA zTeso-
lutions was ready TO report and the con-
vention was ready TO receive 1t. Ignatius
Donnclly read the report Then John
Reagan explained that the committee had
felt itself bound by the call aud the
rules adopted by the convention to con-
1ne itself strictly to
Thu PlatfO IN
First. There must be no compromise OF
this question. All legislation demonetizing
silver and restricting the coinage thereof
must be Immediately and completely re-
pealed by an act restoring the coinage OF
the country to The conditions established
by the founders OF the nation; and which
continued for over 80 years. without COM
plant from any part of our people. Every
hours delay in undoing the corrupt work
in the interest of our foreign enemies is an
insult to the dignity of the American peo-
pie, crushing burden on their prosperity
and an attempt to place us again under the
yoke from which George Washington and
his compatriots rescued us. We protest
against the financial policy Of the United
States being made dependent upon the
opinion or policies of any foreign govern
ment and assert the power of this nation
TO stand Oh its own feet and legislate for
itself upon all subjects.
Second-We assert that the only remedy
for pure metallic financial troubles is to
open the mints Of the nation TO gold and
silver on equal terms, at the old ratio of
Is of silver to one of gold Whenever sill
Yer bullion can be exchanged at the mints
for legal tender silver dollars, worth 100
cents, that moment 412 1-2 grains of stand.
ard silver will be worth 100 cents, and as
commerce equalizes the prices of all com
modities throughout the world, whenever
Alp 1-2 grains Of standard silver are worth
100 cents in the United States they will be-
worth that sum everywhere else, and can
not bc bought for less While it will be
urged that such a result would enhance
the price of silver bullion it is sufficient for
us 10 know that a similar rise would be i'm
mediately made in the price of every kind
of property except gold credits in the civil
lied world. 1t would be shallow, selfish
class that would deny TO the mining indus
tries at the cost of banruptcy to the whole
people. The legislation to demonetize sill
Yer has given unjust increase to the value
of gold at the cost of the prosperity of
mankind, wheat and all other agricul-
tural products that have ever ridden side
by side with silver.
Third-While the SHERMAN act' of
July H. 1890, was device of the enemy
to prevent the restoration OF free coinage
and is greatly Objectionable because il con-
tnues the practical exclusion of silver
from the mints, and reduces IL from
money metal TO commercial commodity,
nevertheless its repeal, without the resto-
ration OF free coinage, would stop the ex-
pansion of our currency required by our
growth in population and business, widen
still farther the distance between the two
precious metals, thus making the return
TO bi-metallism more difficult, greatly in.
creasing the purchasing power of gold,
still further breaking down the price OF
products of the farmer laborer, mechanic
and tradesman. and plunge still further all
commerce. business and industry into such
depths of wretchedness as to endanger
peace, the preservation of free institutions
and the very maintenance of civilization;
we, therefore in the name of the Republic
and Of humanity, protest against the re.
peal OF the said act of July IL. 1890, ex-
cept by an act restoring free bi-metallic
coinage. as existed prior TO 1873. We
suggest that the maintenance Of bi-metal-