The herald., 1894-03-23
THE SILVER AGE IS UPON US.
Brighter Prospects Ahead for
the White Metal.
The Bimetallic Convention at Des
MOines Ended.
Stirring Speeches And ResoIutions-Pres
ident Cleveland Denounced as
Worse Traitor Than
JEFF Davis.

BY the Associated Press.
DEs MONIES, March 22.-The national
silver convention closed this evening.
At the morning session brief speeches
were made on the question, What Is the
Proper Remedy, and How May 1t Best
Be Applied2
President johnson OF the Bimetallic
league OF Kansas, was the first speaker.
Among other things, he said: "The
silver age is upon US. England holds the
key to all values in gold. The repeal of
the Sherman act was the death of silver
in this country. and gold bullion value
depreciates values depending upon free
coinage. The end Of the fight may be
the death Of the ring of gold. An inter-
national conspiracy seems to have been
at work to reduce silver far below its
true value. Amy change in the relative
value between silver and goldis treason
on the part of congress. A conspiracy
on the part of capital has given us
mortgages today amounting to $3,000,-
100000, payable only in gold"
Among the radical statements which
Mr.. Johnson made. and which was
loudly applauded, was that Grover
Cleveland is a greater traitor to our gov
ernment than was JEFF Davis.
Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota made
brief address, in which he said: "The
demonetization OF silver was colossal
conspiracy and crime, the greatest ever
perpetratad against the human family.
1t is demonaic."
Mr.. DenEelly said be wished the Lord
would interfere more frequently with the
schemes of men. With few we'll directed
thunderbolts he thought come good
could be done in Washington. Hu.
manity stands today with lot OF infer
mai bankers on its neck. These bankers
were the lineal descendants of those
Christ had driven out of the temple.
They were using means which must
eventually serve to destroy liberty In the
country. The founders OF the govern
ment would blush if they could see the
present state OF affairs, and if they
could appear they would go at once for
their uniforms and muskets.
He urged all to proceed on constitu-
tional lines. Tho two old parties were
responsible for the fearful condition OF
the country. He warned the people not
to trust all who cry for Stree silver"
There were traitors in the ranks. "We
should never trust man who has put
the knife into u.s."
F. Bray, ex-speaker of the Montana
legislature, spoke for the west and said
the rights of the populous west justified
the prophecy that the capital would yet
be in the west.
E. s. King OF Kansas City was then
introduced. He went into the small
parts. of the matter OF demonetizing
silver. saving it was we'll for the people
of the north and south and west, OPP
posed to the east, to get together, to
come here and study their own interests.
At the afternoon session P. G.. Bow
man of Alabama said: ut occurs to me
that there is way that we can again
establish free coinage in this country.
| am convinced by what l sec that there
is community of interest between the
people of Iowa and Alabama. Their
legislation affects the agriculturist in the
northwest the same way it affects the
cotton growers of the southwest, and we
come here today to make with the peo-
pie Of the north covenant as strong on
the question of free coinage as that
made by God with Abraham"
The next speaker was Attorney-Gen-
eral Standish of North Dakota, who
urged free coinage.
The league before adjourning adopted
the following resolutions:
Whereas, The terrible condition which
now exists in our country is due to the
crime of demonetizing silver, which has
increased the purchasing power of gold,
decreased the value of all commodities,
closed our mines, shops and factories
and bankrupted our business men and
Whereas, %hree-fourths of the people
OF this country are in favor of the full
remonetization of silver and opposed 20
the single gold standard and
Whereas, Silver was stricken down
by fraud through the gold conspirators
in the old political parties, notwith-
standing the pledges of both platforms
to the contrary therefore, be it
Resolved, That we commend that
nominations from the several districts
should be made by the friends of free
silver who are unequivocally in favor of
the unrestricted coinage of silver and
gold on the basis of Is to 1, and whose
past acts are the best guaranty OF their
good faith, and who will stand on the
resolutions adopted by this convention.
And that the said nominations be made
either by political organizations of can
didates who are known to be earnestly
in favor OF free coinage, or by independ-
ent asssmblages of men of all parties,
the candidates being pledged, if elected,
in case the election of president of the
United States is thrown into the house
of ranrasan kntivas TINT thav will vote