Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-25
COL. BILL DBNSON 
  h a Speech Defnes His Political Position on
NATIONAL AFFAIRS MOS THY,
But on State Affairs Mildly. Has Not Yet Quit De-
 moCraCy.

DOUBLE SPRINGS, July 20. Especial Correspondence. l-Hon. W. H. Denson addressed the voters at this place today.
 A representative of the press having called
 his attention 10 an editorial appearing in the Birmingham AGE HERALD of the 18th f,
 headed "Under Which King" calling on Colonel Denson to define his position with regard to the state campaign, he said:
 "LADIEs AND GENTLEMEN: l wish to preface my remarks today by saying that certain newspapers and individuals in tn s state have accused me of being untrue 10 the democratic party, and of wavering be- tween Kolb and Oates. My friends, 1 have never rode two horses at any one time in my life. l have ever had well defiu political convictions, and have stood by them squarely and fearlessIy under all cir cumstances and conditions, and shall con- t;nue to do so.
 ''I am an avowed advocate of the free and unlimited coinage of both gold and silver at ratio of Is to 1, and the use of both metals as standard money. I believe the financial question the most important, and paramount over all other questions save an honest ballot. Until this financial ques- tion is settled there can be no content, peace or prosperity of our people. believe they are threatened with destruction of their freedom if the gold standard is fixed upon them, and l shall never aid or agree to put my people in any such condition.
 t'I disagree with Colonel Oates as to the silver question. He says he advocates free coinage of silver at ratio of 20 to when this can be accomplished with the mainte- nance of safe and sound currency.
 VI believe it can be done now, by the United States alone, at the ratio of 16 to l, and with no detriment to our currency, but with great advantage to our people, and will ada to the stability of our financial system.
 "I do not indorse Colonel Oates' position on the financial question, and this right to differ is expressed in the state platform.
 'I believe in a fair ballot and an honest count of the same, and obedience to the re- sult, and Colonel Oates an nnounces on every stump he believes the same.
 nIhis financial question being national 1t can only be determined and settled by national legislation.
 'FI am no way desirous to sunder my re- lations to the democratic party, and shall wfit until the next national democratic conpention makes its declaration on this question, as it alone has the. authority to do so. And if that convention does not make clear and unambiguous announce ment in favor of the free coinage of silver and its use as standard money, then twill be time for all to take reckoning of their position and future conduct.
 "With these differences as to the position of Colonel Oates and knowing the state convention cannot settle them, I shall con- tinue my allegiance to the democratic party until the national democratic party eGpouses the cause of the single gold stand ard if it ever does.''
 Colonel Denson then took up the finan- cial question, which he said he regarded as paramount to and above all other ques- tions. He said the great cause of commer- cial and industrial stagnation in this coun- try was the scarcity of money; that this scarcity had been brought about by a series of unwise and unjust laws; that the first step towards the commercial and industrial enslavement of this people was made in 1862, when the money lenders of this coun- try and Europe forced the national bank ing system upon the people. He called at- tent ton to the Hazard circulars and other papers sent out by banking associations to their correspondents, instructing them to get control of the religious and agricultural press and influence their congressman to pass laws whereby they, the bankers, could control the volume of currency, and thereby control labor. He argued that the late panic, from which we are yet suffer- ing, was not, as had been claimed by politicians, brought about by the opera
  act, o but was conspiracy of the bankers to create panic and 1pthe blame upon that law, and thereby Ire it's repeal and | the estabiishment single gold standard. system could not now be eliminated, as | many of the charters do not expire until | 1907, but he wished his people to under stand that by no vote of bis would another | national bank ever be chartered.
 nI,au 1rnr k1ak, t<lAx flao nil tion.3 He said he knew he was being de- | nounced as demagogue by certain news papers in Alabama and by number of | village statesmen, who had sat around on beer kegs and goods boxes expounding their gold bug ideas until they had worn out the seats of their pantaloons, but he did not care.- He was standing squarely on the Chicago platform, which had declared in favor of "honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the constitution and cir money without loss.' He said that had been the doctrine of the democratic party Tor 10 these many years. It was doctrine | taught by Jefferson, Madison, Webster and other great democratic leaders. It was doctrine that had been sustained by An 1rew Jackson, and if his (the speaker's) position was undemocratic they were not democrats. for he was following in their footsteps.
 He argued that tbe United States was not pr ougnt not to pc uependent on european iictation for it's financial policy; that his government was amply able to sustain tself against the onslought of combined Europe in a financial or any other sort of ! contest; and that even though silver lad been demonetized and disgraced, and vas now only used in this country in he arts and sciences, it had, nevertheless, to sustain value of about 80 sents per ounce, and that were it rein- 'tated to the position it occupied previous