Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-06-07
Democratic Duty.

ment of the ratio.
Democratic Duty.
In the course of his admirable speech
on the tariff bill, Senator Walsh made
the following remarks on the silver
question:
While it is desirable to secure the re.
monetization of silver by international
agreement, still, if the opportunity Of
fered, would n OF hesitate to vote for
free coinage with or without interna.
tional agreement. believing that the i'm.
mense resources and productive ener-
gies of this country would enable our
government to sustain it on a parity
with gold, and compel recognition for
it from the enlightened governments of
| Europe. If our ccnsus returns be cor
| rect, and take it for granted they are,
the decade from 1880 to 1896 shows the
marvellous growth in population and
wealth in the history of the world. The
increase in population has been from
$1,000. 900 to 62,O00,O 900 or "a per cent,
and the increase in wealth from $43,-
| 900, 900, 900 to $65, 900, 900, 900 or about
| 50 per cent. With this immense growth
of population and wealth, the United
States ought to be in a position to es-
tablish and maintain it's own financial
policy, as it does it's republican form
of government, independent of the ma
tions of Europe.
agree with the Senator from Penn
vi mr. No fhaf tho
United States would cut herself adrift
from Europe and take outright to silver,
she would have all America and Asia
at her back, and would command the
markets of both continents. The bar.
rier of gold would be more fatal than
any barrier of a custom house. The
bond of silver would be stronger than
any bond of free trade"
Then the senator quoted an extract
from The Financial News of London to
the effect that if the United States were
to adopt silver basis tomorrow Brit
ish trade would be ruined befor the year
was out.
1t is refreshing and good to hear
such straightforward declaration in
favor of a Democratic principle and a
platform pledge-particularly at this
time when so many men are hedging
aud lodging and quibbling. There
never was time when the Democrats
of the country more needed informa-
ton as to the attitude of those whom
they have chosen to be their leaders.
They see men, who for twenty years
have professed to be in favor of the re-
monetization of silver as one OF the es-
sentials of Democratic policy and of
the country's prosperity, lodging be-
hind meaningless phrases, twisting the
plain language of the platform out of
all shape, and apparently ready to sur
render their convictions.
We do not know that Senator Walsh's
manly and Democratic declaration will
be helpful to the class of politicians who
are proceeding with alacrity to an equi-
vocal endorsement of the single gold
standard. But we do know that it will
be received with gratitude by the peo-
pie who put faith in their party's pledg-
es, and who are now experiencing
some of the appalling results of the
single gold standard.
From the day the discovery was made
that the Republicans had surreptitious-
ly demonetized silver, the Democratic
party has pledged itself to undo that
crime. In it's national conventions, In
its state conventions, in its newspapers
and in the declarations of its recognize
ed leaders, it has pledged itself to the
people to remonetize silver and thus
enlarge our currency basis to fit the
demands of our trade, our industries,
and our enterprise. It has pledged it
self to reopen the mints to silver and
to restore our currency to its old status
to the status that existed from 1898 to
the day the demonetization act was
smuggled through by the Republican
leaders in 1878.
In the little extract we have quoted
from his speech, Senator Walsh repre-
sents thoroughly the Democratic princi-
pie and the Democratic promise to the
people in the matter of the restoration
of silver as part of the standard mon
ey of the country. And the peop will
hail his strong and unequivocal utter