The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-05-16
HON. STEVE CLAY.
Chairman OF State EXecu-
tive Committee.
He FAVORS FREE COINAGE OF SILVER,
he Thinks this Country Should Take
the Initiative to Secure Inter.
national Agreement.

Chairman A. S. Clay of the Dem
ocratic State Executive Committee
had An authorized interview in Sun,
days Constitution in which he takes
strong ground in favor of the free
and unlimited coinage of silver. He
declares that it is the duty of the
Democratic party to take its posi-
ton III unqualified endorsement of
this policy, and says that there is
no hope for bi-metallism in the Re-
publican party. He believes that
the financial question will be the
overshadowlng issue in the next
national campaign, the issue being
between the advocaues of gold and
monometalism on the one side and
the trienQs of bi>metallism en- the
other. He says that it is the duty
of this government to at once re-
store silver to its proper place as
primary money, and agrees that
there can be no return OF prosperity
in this country until this is done.
Silver should be restored, he argues,
without waiting for the nations of
Europe to act. The only possibility
of gold securing an international
agreement, in his opinion, is for
this country to first take independ-
ent action, making restoration, and
the rest will come in good time.
Chairmay Clay talks at some
Length upon matters of party policy
He is emphatic in his reference t.
the the dishonesty and unfairness o.
the honest money talk of the
gold monemetallists. Chairman
Clay emphasizes his position by lie
claring that he is candidate for nc
| office, and has no political aspira
tons. Place silver beside god, with
the minis open to the free and un.
limited coinage of both metals as
primary money, making both Of
course legal tender Tor the pay
ment OF all debts-in other words,
restore silver to the place it occu-
pied before the demonstration act
of 1873-says he, and the questions
of ratio and of parity will settle
themselves.
81 do not insist says be, "that
there should be free and unlimited
coinage of silver if The value OF the
bullion were to remain at the price
it now holds in the face of all the
uufavorable legislation since 1873,
but do Insist that when silver is
properly treated by legislation, and
is given the same rights and priv,
leges with gold, and is made pri.
mary redemption money, the silver
bullion will advance in price SO
that the silver bullion that goes
into a dollar will be worth in the
market az much as the bullion that
goes into a gold dollar. Place it
where it was before the act of
1873, and the demand for the
bullion will be such as to make the
legal and commercial ratio as it was
previous to 1873. The question of
parity settles itself. Every true and
loyal Democrat who has tie inter-
ests of the people at heart owes it
to himself to leave not stone uu-
turned to bring about this state of
affairs. In my judgment, to quiet.
ly submit and ask for no further
legislation on silver means that so
far as the future is concerned the
single gold standard is fixed upon
the country, and bi>metallism is
forever doomed.
Intelligent men who favor silver
are not in favor of a deprecated
dollar. We insist that when silver
is treated as gold, when 1t is treated
as is its right, not only will every
dollar be worth every other dollar,
but that which goes in it will be
worth that which goes in every
other dollar. Nothing could be
more unfair, nothing more dishon-
est than the insinuation in tn is
talk Of honest money that any