The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-05-19
BLAND AS THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
FOB PRESIDENT,

BLAND AS THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
FOR PRESIDENT.
In brief editorial note yesterday we
! intimated our belief that the Hon r.
P. Bland, OF Missouri. had been launched
in very suspicious manner as Demo-
cratic candidate for president by the
Democratic convention OF that state.
The day is passed when the mere fact
that man halls from what was form
erly known as southern state would
obstruct his chances for the presidential
nomination of either OF the great ma
tionsl parties. Missouri is in fact, and
in geographical location. distinctively
western rather than a southern state.
In addition, the war closed about thirty
years ago, and it is utterly impossible to
revive its sectional echoes.
Mr.. Bland comes to the front as one
OF the two or three most valuable public
men who have figured in. congress since
the war. the first great step in con.
verting the United States from a region
of plenty. which attracted immigrants
from all quarters Of the world, into
scene of Industrial disturbance
and poverty, was taken when
Republican congress and president
demonetizsd silver in 1873. 1t was
rightiul and lurid accompani-
ment of the Jay Cook panic of that year.
1t was dictated to the American congress-
from England. a country that desired to
encourage the growth of cotton and
wheat by theinnumerable ryots of India,
and which also desired to add to the
value et the debts which, as creditor
nation, it held against all nations. 1t is
due to President Grant to say that he
repeatedly declared that. if he had
known the significance of this un-Amor-
lean act, be would never have signed it.
Quite number of the most distinguished
members OF both houses of congress and
of both parties got up in their places in
the respective houses. and announced,
on their honor, that the demonstration
clause OF the act of 1873. was surrepti'
tiously inserted, and the grsvameu of
the testimony would lead a fair minded
man to the belief that the silver de-
monetizing feature of the act OF 1873
was not surprise but forgery.
Let that be az it may. the passage of
the act. and the appearance of the dem
onetizing clause in the revised statutes,
did it's perfect work. Wheat and cotton
began to fall Immediately, correlatively
with the fall of silver, and there is no
telling whore the disastrous progression
would have landed the United States if
it had not been for the appearance of
Congressman Bland, in 1878, who pro-
cured the passage Of the act which
bears his name, and who made it COM
pusory upon the secretary OF the treas
ury to purchase and coin minimum OF
two million ounces OF silver monthly.
But for that act silver would now be
selling for about the price of copper,
and the wheat and cotton interests of
the United States would have been ex
| tngnished. Slave labor in India would,
by this time, have extirpated both the
American farmer and planter.
Congressman Bland sprang into the
gap at precisely the critical moment.
He stood for the twin moneys of
the constitution -gold and silver.
He did in 1878 the best he
could, and he has never since
iRtermitted bis noble labors in the in
terest Of the people and of the debtor
clssses OF the United STATES and of the
world. The silver purchasing clause Of
the Sherman bill. enacted in 1890, wac
intended to head off Mr.. Bland's cru
sade for the free coinage of silver Its
repeal has shown how deadly we're the
aims OF the people of Wall street and of
their masters, the money changers of
Lombard street. in London. Every
thing was to be lovely after the repeal
of the purchasing clause of the Sher-
man act. and the goose was to swing
uncommonly high. We all knew what
tbs sctuRl result has been. Both sides
of the continent have been parslyzed
and Industrial" armies are marching
anywhere and everywhere. Any one
gifted with any degree of prescience can
not fail to see that counterpart of the
French Revolution OF 1889 is at hand
unless wise counsels shall prevail in
congress.
What man in any party ought to be
stronger than BLAND es a Democratic
candidate for president? He represents
the Democratic idea in superlative
manner. There is nothing in parlia-
mentary history more noble or courage
GUS than his fight for silver and for Il
genuine American policy for the United
| Gtataa Paranna LIN ha hnlnnrn H.