Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-06-22
FRIENDS OF SILVER.
Close Of the Free Silver Conven-
ton at Memphis.
: senator Stewart, of Nevada, and Other
Speakers Address the Delegates
Resolutions Adopted-Looking
to National Convention.


here Senator Stewart, of Nevada, and
other speakers addressed the delegates
n the morning. Following are the
resolutions adopted:
Silver and gold coin have in all ages consti-
suited the money OF the world: were the money
Of the fathers of the republic; the money Of
history and OF the constitution. The universal
experience of mankind has demonstrated that
the joint Of both silver and gold coin as
One money constitutes the most stable stand
Ard of values; that the full amount OF
both metals is necessary as a medium
Of exchange The characterization Of
either of these historic money met
ais means an appreciation from the
galue of money, a fall in the prices
Of commodities, a diminution of the profits
Of legitimate business, tinuing increase
in the burden of debts, withdrawal of
money from the channels of trade and in
1ustry, where it no longer yields safe and
sure return, and it's idle accumulation in
She banks and in the great money centerS
Of the country. There is no health or sound
ness in financial system under which
boarded dollar yields constantly diminishing
return and under which fortunes are made by
the accretionS OF idle capital or destroyed by
a persistent fall in the price OF commodities,
and persistent dwindling in the margin OF
profits In almost every branch of useful indus
Try. Such system is premium upon sloth
and a penalty upon industry, and such a sys-
tenn is that which the criminal legislation of
1873 has imposed upon this country.
The bimetallists' standard of silver and gold
mas behind it the experience Of ages, and has
been tested and approved by the enlightened
and deliberate judgment Of mankind. The
gold standard is departure from the eStab
AiSbed policy of the civilized world with moth
ing to commend it but twenty-five years of
depression and disaster to the people and ex-
g ira ordinary accumulation of wealth in the
hands of the few.
There are some facts bearing upon this ques-
Htion recognized and admitted by all candid
men, whether advocates of bimetallism or of
The single gold standard. Among these is the
Tact that the very year that marked the change
from the bimetallc to the single gold standard
Us the very year that marked the change from
condition of rising prices, large profits, gen.
=eral contentment and great prosperity, to a
condition OF an increased demand, falling
aprices, diminishing profits, Insecurity Of in
~vestmentS, unemployed labor and heavy de-
preston in all branches of trade and industry.
It is not matter of dispute, even among the
honest advocates of the gold standard, that
general prosperity came to an end with the
destruction of the bimetallic system and that
hard times, falling prices, idle wOrk1ngmen
and widespread depression came in with the
gold standard and prevails to-day wherever the
gold standard has been adopted Every inter-
national monetary conference called, every
demand in this country and in Europe for
an international agreement to re-eStabllSh the
tDimetaIlic standard is a confession that the
characterization OF silver was a blunder, if not
crime, that its consequences have been diSaS-
srous and that the conditions that it has
wrought are full of menace and of peril. The
logic Of facts establishes beyond in
teligent question that the destruction
Of silver as primary money by a con-
spiracy of selfish interests is the cause
Of the widespread depression and suffering
that began with the gold standard. There can
be no restoration of prosperity, no permanenb
relief from prevailing conditions until tho
great cause has been removed by a complete
restoration of silver to its proper place as a
money metal equal with gold.
We believe in money of stable value. We
believe, least of all in an approaching stand
ard. 1t is only through the practical operation
Of bimetalliSm that a stable standard of value
can be secured. A standard constituted of
money constantly increasing the value is not a
sound, a single, nor a stable standard, but a
constantly changing standard The effect Of
gold recommendation is to establish one stand
ard for the creditor and another for the debtor
and there can be no more dishonest monetary
system than that which gives short measure
TO the borrower and long measure to the
lender.
Under the policy prevailing prior to 1873
there can be no violent change in the relative
value of the two metals for rise in value Of
one metal is counteracted by decreased de-
mand and a fall in value. Under the opera
tionS of this benefcent law stable relation
was maintained between them in spite of the
most extreme changes in relative pro-
auctions. From the earliest period Of
our history up to 1873 the right Of
the debtor to choose whether he should pay his
debts in silver gold coin was always recog-
nized. The subsequent policy has been to
transfer this right to the creditor, thus tend
ing to constantly increase the value Of the
dearer metal and destroy the parity between
them. Believing that it is absolutely neces-
sary to reverse this Ubiquitous and ruinous
policy, we therefore, resolve:
favor Immediate restoration
silver to it's former place full legal tender.
standard money, equal with gold, and the free
and unlimited coinage of both silver and gold
at the ratio of IL to l, and upon terms of exact
equality; that while should welcome the
cooperation Of other nations, we believe that
the United States should not wait upon the
pleasure Of foreign governments, or the con-
sent of foreign creditors. but should them
selves proceed to reverse the grinding pro-
cess" that is destroying the prosperity of the
people, and should lead by their own example
the nations of the earth
That the rights of the American people, the
interests of American labor and the prosperity
OF American industry have higher claim tc
the consideration of the peoples lawmakers
than the greed of foreign creditors, or the
avariciouS demands made by idle holders Of
idle capital" The right to regulate its own
monetary system in the interests of its own
people is a right which no free government
Gag barter, sell surrender.
Under the financial policy that now prevails
we see the land filed with idle and discon-
tented workingmen and an ever growing
army OF trampS; men whom lack of work
and opportunity have made outcaSts and
beggars. At the other end we find that
a few thousand families own one-halt
The wealth of the country.
We therefore appeal to the plain people OF
the land, with perfect confidence in their pa tri
'otism and intelligence, to arouse themselves
to full sense of the peril that eonfronts them
and defend the citadel of their liberties with
"a vigilance that shall neither slumber mol
sleep.
A resolution was afterwards adopted
appointing a committee of one mem
Der from each state to call national
conference of bimetallists whenever
in their opinion the cause of bimetal-
lism would be advanced thereby.
China Must Make Amends.
WASHINGTON, June 14.-The conir.
mation of reports that American mis-
TSiOnarV prOpertv in China had been