Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-05
The Gold Standard.


what some persons regard as a high bid
for the next Republican nomination for
President Of the United States made by
Senator Cameron. Of Pennsylvania, IN his
letter Of "a few days ago TO the Conyen-
ton OF Republican Leagues, then In SEES
sion in Colorado. That letter is styled by
some. we say. "a bid for that nominations;
but we ought to add that 1t Is too good
letter to be thus characterized. Senator
Cameron could not have expressed him
self so eloquently, so strongly. and with
so much fervor. II he had not devoted
much time 10 the study Of the subject,
and become thoroughly convinced that the
mun0metallists are on the wrong side OF
thu question and the bimetallists on the
right side Of II. Pennsylvania has been
so unswcrvngly devoted to the financial
teachings of Wall street that she has al
ways been counted on as State In which
there was no appearance even of turning.
She stood by McCulloch Sherman, and all
the rest OF the gold bugs in all their
financial schemes, and never "wabbled'
until Cameron had studied the silver ques
ties.
We gave several days ago an extract
from Senator CamerOn's Colorado letter
which defined his position clearly enough
SO far as silver was concerned We give
now another extract from that letter
showing how he stands affected towards
gold. Here are his own words. Read for
yourselves:
mo party and no party leader has ever
approved of the single gold standard. Not
one American in hundred believes in 1t.
We are more unanimous in hostility 10 II
than We are on any question in politics.
A vast majority in all parties agree that
the single gold standard has been. IL, and
will be, a national disaster OF the worst
kind. What is still more strange. almost
the whole world sympathizes with US.
Nine tenths of mankind are hostile 10 the
single god standard. our 100000 peo-
pie are unanimous against IT, Most OF
the great European nations and their
governments dislike IL. South America
rejects IT, The whole Of Asia knows only
silver, and India. which contains five
sixths of all the subjects OF the British
crown, is as hostile TO II as ourselves.
Yet the bankers of London have said that
we must submit. and we have submitted"
The man who writes thus cannot be
"whistled down to wind by the smart
Alexis" who in every city In the country
are now crying out, Great is Diana OF
the Epheslans." The clamorous crew Of
monometallists will not even take the
responsibility of calling another interna-
tional blmetallic conference. but keep up
from morning till night the cry that the
United States Government Is coming
"ffty-cent dollars" AID flooding the land
with them.
Mr. Cameron's statements are worthy
of the profoundest study. They show that
he Is not me:e offlce-seeker. but IL
bent upon finding or making the right
read for sound fnlnciels 10 travel. With
such a state If facts MS ne sets fo';h
as the foundation of his financial creed,
ie stands upon solil ground. Hear him
further:
THE whole agricultural class; the whole
class, or classes, OF small proptic'crs,
the farmers that make the bulk ana
sincw of our race: the artisan whose IN.
terests are bound MP in the success OF
our manufactures; all these join hands
with what Is left OF their ola enemies, the
landed arstocracy Of Europe, to protest
against n revolution made for the benefit
OF money-lendcrs alone 0he demone-
tization OF silver.
Had all the despo'ic governments that
have existed i'm Il thousand years united
their intelligence TO set class against class,
TO breed corruption. 20 stimulate vio-
lencc, and to shatter the foundations Of
society. they could have invented no de-
vice more effective than this decree, which
at one stroke doubled the value of CAPT
tai destroyed the value Of industry, and
swept the small proprietor everywhere
into bankruptcy.
"'rhe whole conservative force Of the
world protects against 50 violent and
despOtic q change"
This is fierce denunciatioa of the act
Of Congress Of 1873 demonetizing silver.
Had that act never been passed, and
silver never been discredited. the present
hard times would never have mate,
ralizcd."
How long are these hard times to be
allowed to last?