davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The advocate., 1895-03-13
NEW SILVER PARTY.
Platform and Address Of the American BI.
metallic League

| w ASHINGTON, Marcn O.--Iho Amer
icsn Blmetsllic league, which has been
in conference for several days past,
has decided upon the organization of a
new party, and to-day proclaimed its
platform and issued an address to the
American people. The following Is q
statement of the issues upon which the
party is organized:
The money question is now indis.
putably the dominant issue in the
United States and will remain so until
settled and settled rightly. Other
questions, however important, must
wait for this, which, to a greater or
less extent, involves all others. The
issue is between the gold standard,
gold bonds and bank currency on the
one side, and the bimetsllic standard,
no bonds and government currency on
the other.
"First--On this issue we declare our
selves to be unslterably opposed to the
single gold standard and demand an
immediate return to the con stitutionsl
standard of gold and silver, by the re.
storation by this government, inde-
pendently Of any foreign power, of the
unrestricted coinage of both silver aud
gold into standard money at the ratio
of Is to and upon terms of exact
equality; the silver coin to be a full
legal tender, equal with gold in pay
ment Of all debts and dues, public and
private.
"Second-We hold the power to con-
troll and regulate a paper currency is
inseparsble from the power to coin
money; and hence that all currency
intended to circulate as money should
be issued, and its volume controlled
by the general government only, and
should be legal tender.
"Third-We are unalterably op-
posed to the issue by the United States
of interest bearing bonds in time of
peace, and demand the payment of all
coin obligations of the United States
as provided by existing laws, in either
gold or silver coin, at the option of the
government, and not at the option of
the creditor. On this issue we appeal
from the dictstion of the money power
to the intelligence and patriotism of
the American people,"
"To the People Of the United States:
"The signers of the Declaration of
Independence held that a decent re-
spect for the opinion of mankind re-
quired that reasons should be given for
dissolVing the bonds that had bound
the colonies to Great Britain. So we,
who find it necessary to sever our re-
lations with the political parties with
which we have heretofore acted, and
form new alliances in common cause,
deem it proper that some of the reasons
which impel US to this action should
be submitted to a candid public.
"The monetary reform for which we
contend, as above set forth, is, in our
judgment, so vital to the common well
fare and so necessary to a return to
conditions of prosperity in this country
as to preclude longer delay in the in
auguration of a movement, the pur-
pose of which is to bring together all
who believe in the necessity of the pro-
posed reform, for this object and this
The advocate., 1895-03-13

1 WASOoPAVOS0 SAAO0VAOh WPOA S9O ANAN
amentsl principles Of the Omaha
platform. Furthermore, that plat
form is but a slight modification OF
the old Alliance demands which have
been studied and discussed in the
schoolhousss all over this country.
Certainly no party ever had greater
reason for self congratulation upon
the progress il has made in the short
period Of it's existence. As the Ma.
tional Reform Press association de-
clsred at it's recent session, this rapid
growth "csn be attributed to no
other cause than that Of plain, hon
est and unAiuching advocacy Of the
Omaha platform in its entirety"
As an example of the rapid growth
of the party, we desire in this place
to refer to the increased vote in the
city of Chicago in one short year
from about 5000 to nearly 100000.
Was it the question of free silver or
any other phase of the financial
question that produced this increase!
Not by any means. It was upon the
one hand the widespread sentiment
in favor of public ownership of public
utilities, and upon the other it was a
revolt against the abuses Of monop-
oily, and the arbitrary exercise Of the
powers Of government through the
courts and the army in trsmpling
under foot the rights and the liber-
ties of the people,
We do not propose either to aOan-
don the Peoples party or to consent
that its platform shall be narrowed
by the omission of any Of Its essen
tial principles. When another rep
resentativs national convention shall
assemble with power delegated by
the people to act for them upon the
great questions Of public policy, if
that convention shall change the
phrsseology aud eliminate some Of
the verbisge from the plat
form, we'll and good. Far
ther than this we cannot reasonably
go. circumstances have changed
somewhat since 1892, and we believe
the people will favor a broadening
rather than a narrowing Of the plat
form. The bankers conspiracy Of
1893 will indicate the necessity of
government banking in all its depart
ments and a demand for the elimins-
tiOn Of the existing leeChes upon 80
ciety from among the institutions OF
the future. We will need to be more
explicit in our declarations against
the monopoly Of land and, in short,
the three great fundamental ques'
tions of finance, land and trsnsports-
tion in all their essential phases must
continue to distinguish the Peoples
party from all other political organ
izstions. Every monopoly must be
: operated by the public and for the
) public good. Government must
cease to trample upon the liberties
of the people through either military,
The advocate., 1895-03-13

into as many divisions as thero are par
ties. Silver republicans from the West
and South, to the great delight Of the
leaders Of the republican party, insist
on cOntending for their cause only
within the lines of that party; and
Southern and Western democrats, earn
est silver men, equally to the delight Of
the leaders of the democratic party,
continue the contest on their part only
within the lines of the democratic
party. In other words, the advocates
OF the bimetsllic standard, through the
unrestricted coinage of silver as we'll
as gold, now contend for their cause
in organizations which are controlled
by the gold party. Hence however
Jealous in the cause one may be, more.
suits are possible because his party re.
fuses to carry out his views, or to per-
NIT them to be carried out. It is be.
lieVed there are now and have been for
twenty years a large majority of the
voters in the United States in favor of
restoring the free coinage of both gold
and silver, but the opportunity to vote
their convictions has never been given
them, and their will has been continu-
ally thwsrted by party cAicanery.
There has not been a congress for
twenty years which, except for the in
fiuence Of executive patronage or the
fear of an executive veto, would not
have voted to open the mints again to
silver on the same terms as to gold. In
stead, each house of congress has at
different times separately passed free
coinage bills, but this action has as
often been frustrated by party manip.
ulation. 1t is as necessary, therefore, to
have president in sympathy with the
cause as to have a congress in favor
of it.
"But enough has been said to show
the impossibilitY of gaining our cause
as long as we remain divided, OF fight
only in the ranks of the gold party, or
in organizations controlled by the ad
VocsteS Of the gold standard. AS well
might our fathers have expected to
win the independence in the colonies,
if while contendiug for the cause of
liberty, they had refused to separate
from the tories. Independence could
never have been won by fighting for
liberty in British regiments.
"And, fellow citizens, this great cause
will never be won without united &C.
tion. It will never be won unless those
who believe in it come together and
elect congress and president on this
issue. There is no hope whatever that
the republican party, as a party, will
change its policy give up the gold
standard and restore the bimetallic
standard. There are no grounds for
such hope, and we believe they are de-
luded who look for such a change of
policy by this party, The republican
party is committed by its leaders, by
its record, and by the press behind it,
to the gold standard supported by gold
bonds, and to the retirement of the
greenbacks aud the surrender of the
issue and control of paper currency to
the banks.
'No less persistent and effective Is
the control of the money power over
the organization of the democratic
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

of 500, and remarked that
"such straws as these show
the direction of the wind. y
Our authority for the publi-
cation was kilograms from
Nashville TO a free silver ex-
change. The Jackson Sun
quoted our article, denied
that Jones had spoken, de-
MED that Patterson's audi
ence was the half of 1 200,
and closed by saying "that
such straws as these from the
BULLETIN show how unreli-
able the wind is when it does
blow" Why, even the Com
mercial Appeal, the very es-
sence of free and unlimited
silver, placed Patterson's au-
dience at 1900. The truth
about the matter is, that the
Sun regrets the growth OF
sound money audiences.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
About Middleton and Vicinity.

Rev. B. B. Thomas is holding a
protracted meeting here, assisted
by Rev. Mr.. Banks, of Collierville.
Miss Sallie Clark, of Salisbury,
is visiting Mrs. Sue Reaves.
Mrs. L. J. Glenn, of Memphis, is
visiting Col. and Mrs. Hussey, three
miles south of here.
Miss Ora Crosse, of Memphis,
and Miss Lillian Smith, of Grand
Junction, are visiting Miss May
Hunter.
Miss Ada McNeely, of Coving-
ton, is visiting her brother, Holmes,
who lives three miles south of here.
Mr.. Eldridge Hunter, who has
had charge of the Memphis &
Charleston railroad Office at Collier
vile, is now extra agent for the
above named road.
A great deal of poultry is being
purchased by our merchants and
some are shipping to Florida.
The general topic that is being
discussed among the boys is base
ball.
A baseball team has been organ
lied here, and, considering the
short length of time the team has
been organized, which has only
been ten days, and how well they
play, it seems that it will make a
good team. There is a likelihood
of them crossing bats with the
Evansville team next week. They
received challenge from the
Evansville team to play Thursday,
but on account of having a game
Friday, they could not accept the
challenge. *S*
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
The Annual Trip to Old Point
Comfort and the SeQShOYe.

The Annual Excursion to Old
Point Comfort in charge of Mr.. w.
A. Wilgus, S. P. A., will run Tues
day, August 9th, via G. O. and S.
w. Railway, from Fulton on regu-
lar train leaving at 10 pm, connect
ing with Seashore Special, which
leaves L. & n. Union Station at
1870 p. IN. The round trip rate to
Old Point Comfort is only $3.50
and the tickets are good until Au-
gust 29th., with stop-over privile-
ges returning only.
This trip surpasses any offered
the travelling public when you con-
slider the small expense, and the
many delightful diversions offered.
Grand and beautiful scenery, invig-
Grating mountain air, surf-bathing,
ocean voyage, palatial entertain
ment at the HygeiaHotel, and Wis
it to the Capital, if desired.
The low rate of $3.50 per day
has been secured at the Hygeia for
all who go on this special Every
attention and courtesy will be'exten-
ded to ladies without escorts.
Choice routes returning, between
and Clifton Forge, will
be given, enabling those who desire
to visit Lynchburg, Natural Bridge
and other points of interest.
Sleeping car rates will be $500
for berth, Louisville to Old Point, /
to be occupied by one or two per.
sons, and application for sleeping
car space should be made at once to !
w. A. Wilgus. For further par !,
address as above or call on
Agent c. o. & s, w. Railway,
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

cultural products from selfish
motives. 1t is not strange
for republican papers to at
tribute the return of prosper
ity to any other cause than to
a democratic administration,
but in former years demo-
cratic papers indorsed a dem
ocratic administration instead
of yilifying and abusing it.
The innovation of some jour-
nails claiming to be democrat
ic does not annul the follow
ing scriptural declaration,
"Where thy treasure is there
will thy heart be also. y
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

information in that article
was furnished us by Mr.. T.
+. Wilkinson, a merchant of
Bolivar, who had recently
returned from a visit to Mex
leo. Below we publish ex-
tracts from a letter written
on the same subject at Mon
terey, by Mr.. j. M. Shelby,
of Portland, Ore, who was
a delegate to the national
convention of the Travellers
Protective Association, held
at San Antonio. This letter
substantiates exactly what
Mr.. Wilkinson reported:
For five dollars United States
currency, bought 1925 in Mex
lean silyer-such is the fate of sill
yer where it is free. The people of
the republic are hard up-worse off
than any place | have ever been.
But little of the land we saw COM
ing here is tillable. Asked what
land is worth, merchant of Lam
passes, this state, told me they did
not value it by the acre, but that
one mile square is valued at about
$3.50.
Coming into Monterey, one is
forcibly reminded that he is in the
Holy Land-Joppa, for instance,
where the people are centuries be-
hind the times. Men wear sandals
and carry great packs on their
backs, even to bringing the fuel,
small sticks on their backs from the
foothills, three miles, and get for
their load eighteen cents. Oxen
are still used and even the wooden
mold board pillow.
The motive power of the street
cars is two mules driven tandem
fashion. The street cars and cleo
trio lights are about the only ev-
licences of civilization and enlight-
eminent. They also have few fac
tories and smelters. Wages in the
smelters is 624 cents per day; other
common laborers receive about 371
cents in Mexican money.
have had an object lesson in
free silver, and am more than ever
opposed to it in our country.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
a. coNTENTIoN bv the az

y CONTENTION by the du-
vocates of the free coinage of
silver at the ratio of Is to 1 ,
is that gold is approaching
i'm value. The law of supply
and demand controls the
price of metals, just as it does
that of agricultural and man
ufactured articles; therefore
in order to determine wheth-
er or not the assertions of the
free silver advocates are true,
it would be we'll to investi-
gate authenticated tables
treating on that subject. The
table of the Director of the
Mint, which is the most reli-
able evidence that can be
procured. shows that one hall
of the worlds supply of gold
for four hundred years was
produced in the last thirty
five years. In 1875, the
worlds production of gold
was ninety-seven million, five
hundred thousand, and in
1894 the amount produced
was one hundred and seventy,
five million. 1t is estimated
that the production of that
metal for the present yeal
will reach two hundred mill.
ions, which would be more
than double the amount pro
duced in 1875. In the last
quarter of a century, it is as.
serted that its production
has been twenty times more
than the increase in the pop.
ulation of the world for the
same length of time. Blu
the percentage in the increase
of other articles has beer
greater than that of gold
hence their depreciation, Il;
a natural consequence, ha:
exceeded that of gold. Blu
the fact that gold is more
plentiful now than at sny
other time in the history o.
the world, and that its pro
duction is annually increas-
ing, is evidence of the falsity
of the assertion made by the
free silver advocates, that il
is approaching in value.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

The direct line to North and
West Texas, Arizona, old and New
Mexico. Oregon, Colorado and
California via Memphis and Iron
Mountain Route, Shreveport OF
New Orleans. Double daily trains.
Pullman sleeping cars. For fur
Their information call on or address
your nearest ticket agent, or r. L.
G. Matthews, Southern Travelling
Agt., 3O4 West Main St., Louis
vile, Ky; A. A. Gallagher, South
ern Passenger Agt., 1O3 Read
House, Chattanooga, Tenn; i. S.
Thorne, Sd Vice President and
Gen. Manager, Dallas, Tex; Gas
ton Meslier, Gen. Pass, and Tick
ct Agt., Dallas, Texas.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

REPUBLICAN journals at
tribute the cause of the
improved condition of the
country to the bright pros
poets of a republican victory
next year, while the free sill
yer journals assert that gold
bugs have raised prices from
selfish motives. There is as
much reason in the declara-
ton of the republican jour
nails as in that of the free sill
yer, but none in either. Since
the reduction of the tariff,
there has been an advance iE
the price of agricultural pro-
ducts, and a decline in many
OF the manufactured articles,
which is certainly favorable
to a vast majority of the peo-
pie, and besides the revenue
under the present tariff law
exceeds that, during the
same period, under the Nc
Kinley law. 1t is therefore
unreason BILE to attribute the
advance in prices to the pros
poets of victory by a party
that is an advocate of protec-
ton for projections sake.
The surplus of a crop con-
trolls its price, and as the sur
plus of the principal crops of
this cosntry is disposed of
in foreign markets, there can
be no foundation for the as
sertion that the gold bugs
have raised the price of agri-
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
Another Communication From
r. r. [. on Silver.

EDITORS BULLETIN:-Th writer
did not intend to intrude upon your
space again, but your comments on
my last article require a
brief review. The assertion made
by the writer that free coin
age was not 'a panacea for our
troubles" is reaffirmed, but there is
a deeper principle involved in it,
it is absolutely necessary to the sol
vency of the government. The
debts were contracted when silver
was a money of redemption, and it
would not injure the creditor, but
would ruin the debtor to dis
card it. Singular that the politi-
clans did not find out that silver
was demonitlzed until l8 years af-
ter the act was passed.
The discussion of the subject is,
however, wholly useless while the
present administration remains in
power. The next we hope will be
American.
"'On paper basis for Is years
prior to 1873" You surely are not
familiar with the financial measures
passed by congress from 1861 to l8-
65 or you would not have challenged
the statement. They issued bonds
by the bale and treasury notes by
the ream and the word gold, is used
only once in the seven acts that
were passed. In fact government
obligations got so low it gave rise
to the conundrum, "Why is gov
eminent paper like the Jews?" be-
cause it is the issue of Father Abra-
ham Lincoln) and knows no re-
deemer.
"Repudiation by Tennessee. 1t is
true, "that because the devil was
kicked out of Heaven is no reason
why unfallen angels should follow his
example," If what our reverend
bretheren say is true, he carried out
tremendous following, in fact a
majority of the congregation. And
it is possible the United States may
follow Tennessee. But enough of
this, our discussion is of no more val
ne than the jabber-whacking now
going on between Horn and Har-
vey. The principal object in
their case is to publish book,
and sell it. We do not propose
anything of the kind. r. L. L.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

THE BULLETIN does not
claim to be inlallible, but, on
the contrary, admits that it
has faults. However, it has
not fallen so low in the scale
of journalism as to endeayor
to injure the character of any
one by false and unwarrant-
ed assertions. Neither is it
so narrOw-minded as to be-
lieve that those who differ
with it have been subsidized.
1t comedies the right to ev-
cry one not only to differ,
but to use all Legitimate
means in a campaign of edu-
cation to bring to bear effect
i've arguments. The free
coinage of silver is the over
shadowing question of the
hour; speakers advocating
and opposing the measure
are going to different states,
addressing vast assemblages;
newspapers and literature in
behalf of and opposing free
coinage at the ratio of l6 to
l are being scattered through
out the country. Some OF
the editors of free silver
papers have been instrument
tai in disseminating Coins
Financial School, book
which the. Denver Chamber
of Commerce purchased
thousands Of copies of and
distributed in different parts
of the country in the interest
of the free silver cause. The
BULLETIN neither charges nol
believes that either the Den
yer Chamber of Commerce
OF the free silver editors have
been subsidized. This paper
opposes the unlimited, free
coinage of silver, because il
believes that such a policy
would be injurious to the in
terests of the country; but, il
in opposing the measure, il
loses its prestige" to such
an extent as for it's editors to
be unable to pay their board
bills, stationery bills, as well
as all other debts contracted,
then the doors of this office
will be closed and other EN-
ployment sought.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
A CORRECTION.

In last weeks issue of the
BULLETIN, an error occurred
in the article written by Or.
l.. l.. :" In referring to the
Office holding, fixed salaried,
single standard class, who
are solicitous of the govern
ment's credit, he was quoted
as saying: They ignore
the fact that we were on a
paper basis prior to 1873,
and paid out neither gold nor
silver. He should have
been quoted as follows (:
"T'hey ignore the fact that
we were on a paper basis for
fifteen years prior to 1873,
and paid out neither gold
nor silver"
We make the above cor
rection with pleasure, and we
repeat that our correspon-
dent is in error when he states
that this government was
ever on a paper basis.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

IT is a well known fact
that the principal agitatOrs OF
the free coinage of silver at
a ratio of Is to l are profess
sional politicians, now out OF
employment. a very ap-
propriate name has been dis
covered by some one for
these agitators-they are call
led Sons ofRest. If they ex-
pect to ride into Office on the
free silver theory, the rest OF
these sons will be long con-
tinued.
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

1t is singular that r. l.. L. as
serts that the Indebtedness of the
government was contracted when
silver was the redemption money.
If history is authority, silver has
not been the standard or redemp-
ton money since 1894. 1t was du-
ring that year that the ratio was
changed from 3 to l to 16 to l.,
and it is not denied that after the
change silver left the country. 1t
is true that Harvey contends that
after 1884 silver was still the stan
dard, but gold was used as redemp-
ton money, and that it was redeem
able in silver, which is equivalent
to asserting that the government
was entirely destitute of the money
of ultimate redemption. Such a
statement is in keeping with states
men of tie Harvey stripe, and is as
unreasonable a. many others from
that source. The BULLETIN does
not deny that greenback was for
about Is years the domestic curren-
cy of this country in the same man.
ner that coon skins, wheat and tOhac.
co were in former years, but green
backs were never used as money of
ultimate redemption. The reserve
fund was created for the purpose of
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26
MEXICAN MONEY.

Several weeks ago, the
BULLETIN published an ar
ticle on the money and labor
of Mexico, a free silver coun-
try, in which we gave a short
account of the condition of
affairs existing there, The
The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-07-26

THE BULLETIN would OPP
pose as earnestly and as vig-
orousIy a law permitting 90
cents worth of gold bullion
to pass as a dollar as it does
the 16 to l issue. This coun-
try is indebted to neither the
gold nor silver mine owners,
and should not indorse a
measure authorizing either to
put one grain less i'll a metal
to pass for a dollar than is
necessary to cause its intrin-
sic value to be equal to 100
cents.