The morning call., 1894-06-27

|
the twenty years since the gold standard took
possession OF the world, some generation, not
very remote will see in the broad continent of
America only half dozen Overgr0wn cities,
| keeping guard over mass Of capital, and lend
ing II out TO population of dependent laborers
| on the mortgage of their growing crops and
handiwork. Such sights have been common
enough In the worlds history, but against them
we all rebel Rich and poor alike, Republi-
cahs, Democrats. Populists. labor and capital,
railways, churches and colleges, all alike and
all IN solid good faith, regret such future as
that.
Ihis agreement Is the least part of ithe situa-
! ton. at least we can be sure that no on is
deliberately conspiring against our safety.
Even on the burning ground OF gold and silver
we agree in principle. No party and no party
leader has ever approved Of the single gold
standard. Not one American in 100 believes
in H. We are more unanimous In hostility than
we are on any other question in politics. A
vast majority In all parties agree that the single
Roiu standard has been, Is, and must be a ma.
| terlal disaster OF the worst kind and what Is
| stlll more strange, almost the whole world
| sympathizes with us. Nine-tenths OF mankind
are hostile 10 the single gold standard Our
| 100000 people are unanimous against IT,
Most OF the great European countries and their
Governments are against 1t. South America
REJECTS it. The whole of Asia knows only sill
yer; and India, which contains five Sixths of
the subjects OF the British crown, is as hostile
to it as ourselves. Yet the London bankers say
we must submit and we have submitted. so
strange spectacle has never been seen In our
history, and argument and even the compulSive
proof brought by worldwide ruin seem 10 be
helpless against such an astonishing power.
What is the use of argument when we are con-
Vlneed, and when at least nineteenth of the
civilized world agree that England holds us by
the single gold standard, by the force OF capital
alone, more despotically than she could hold us
TO her empire In 1916. The mere threat OF her
dispieasure paralyzes mankind.
The most Instructive point OF all is that our
great majority consists of the interests in the
whole class who have been from time i'm
memorial reckOned as the safest and most
conservative. The whole agricultural class,
the whole class of small proprietors, the
farmers who make the bone ana sinew of our
race, The artisan whose interests are bound I'D
Il Inc success of our manufac urers. all these
join hands with what is left of their old enc
mics. the landed aristocracy of Europe, TO pro-
test against revolution made for the benefit
of mOney-lenderS alone
On the other hand, the revolution is more
radical than any which has been accomplished
by progress and reyOutionisIs. Had all the
despOtic governments that have existed in a
thousand years united their intelligence to set
class against class, 10 breed corruption, 10
stimulate violence and TO shatter the founda-
tiOns of society, they could have invented no
device more effe ctiye than this decree which at
strohe doubled the value OF Industry and
swept the small proprietor everywhere into
bank ruptcy. The whole conservative force of
the world protests against so violent and
despotlc a change. We protest against it the
more because we know enough of politics TO
fear the reaction against such extravaganza.
we see the risks TO which the gold mania is ex-
posing US. We have reason TO know the popu-
lar feeling, and We do not believe that the
single gold standard can be long maintained.
We want real money-cOin carrying Intrinsic
value. Yet If England succeeds IN her obstinate
effort to destroy the value of silver for coinage
nothing can save US from paper. England may
well succeed; she seems already TO be on the
point of success greater han her Government
wanted; and, in that case, irredeemabe paper.
fiat money stares us In the face.
Something then must be decided and quickly,
for delay itself is likely 10 BE- decision. The
Republican party must either fix the single
standard on the nation or reject IL. This time
we can no longer escape the issue. and what.
ever we do, must be done openly. When a
great policy is TO be entered upon the straight
forward rSth is the best The Republican
party held power for whole generation and
during all that time made only one fatal mis-
terests, acting IN what WAS then believed the
true interest of the country, the party fell Into
the foreign conspiracy for making a single gold
standard, and, what was worse, did IL with the
foreign air OF conspiracy
We cannot afford 10 repeat that error The
time has come for decision and the decision
must be open. No such moment can recur.
You can act with confidence that your iudg-
ment is at least as good as that of auy other
m han
other has for the time right to claim superior
knowledge or wisdom. In view of the ruin
they have wrought and the vasier ruin which
they threaten, no risk that in their opinion you
may seem TO run can cause moments fear.
Even those who oppose the return OF the Re- |
publican party TO its old principles will admit
that those principles would give il power for
another generation. We need only be true to
ourselves. We need only do so to assist and
maintain our own convictions, ana no other
party born or unborn can take the field from US |
as long as we choose 10 hold IL. No other |
party can represent as we do the whole rational |
instinct; all our industries, all our popular en-
ergies all our conservative caution. As long |
the Republican party holds TO It's duty OF |
representing he nation il must hold sway un-
less something stronger than the nation arises |
The task before us Is to restore normal ac- |
tvity. to break down he barriers of sectional |
ism, TO check the increasing tension between 1
the rich and poor, to relieve agriculture and TO
save the small farmer and manufacturer-in a |
word. TO smooth away the threatening dangers |
of discomfort. The Republican party alone has |
power 10 do this and 10 carry on our society for
at least another generation without further |
disaster you have only TO adopt platform OF |
four words and 10 take your stand on it firmly, |
ouTaeeously, with honest determination to be |
true TO It. The party has always maintained |
the rational principle OF high tariff. You, |
whose deepest and best interests depend upon |
It's success have alone the power To add free |
silver" Very truly yours, j. ID. CAMERON.
At the conclusion Of the reading of the |
letter three cheers were given, and, on |
motion, the letter was referred to the COM
mittee on resolutions.
L. p. Goodell Of Texas presented the |
report of the committee of uine appointed
at Louisville last year to consider tha
question Of negro representation in South |
erp State League conventions. The CON-
mittee recommended that those States
which desire to do so be allowed to adopt
the following basis of representation: One
W white and one colored delegate for each
county, and one additional delegate for
each 200 votes and fraction of one-half
over for Harrison. spportioned on the
basis Of the census of 1880. The report
was adopted without discussion.
The league was then invited by the
chairman of the Minneapolis delegation
Id 10, 81 Az