The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-21

Louisville, KY. April 2O.-In an IN.
terview published in today's Courier
Journal, Senator Blackburn, in unmis-
taxable terms, outlines his position on
the silver question and boldly throws
down the gauntlet to his opponents
for similar candor on the same subject.
With his usual aggressiveneSs the sem
ator almost dares his opponents to
meet him on the issue he represents,
and it may be assumed the issue will
be promptly accepted.
Senator Blackburn has written with
his own hand THE statement Of the DO
sition on which he expects to stand
or fall in the senatorial race. He de-
clares his position as follows:
No Uncertain Tones.
eff have heretofore shown any in
disposition to be interviewed by the
daily papers of this city, it has not
been because Of my purpose to conceal
from the people my views on any
public question, but because I was
anxious TO avoid, if possible. perver-
sion and distortion to which my ut
terances have generally (of course, I'M
Intentionally been subjected
Il never had, have not now and
never intend to have any secrets in
politics. ] am at a loss to understand
how any one, especially in Kentucky,
can remain in ignorance as TO my
sentiments upon the silver question, il
they feel enough interest in the mat
ter to desire such information. For
the last twenty years, in Congress and
on the stump, anywhere and every
where, have earnestly and persist
emily insisted upon the restoration Of
silver metal to that place in the
money system of the country which
1t always held prior to the passage OF
that disastrous act of characterization
in 1873.
Yet. if there is still any uninform-
ed who desire to know my views, 7
will retterate them in the shortest
space possible by saying 1 am in
favor of opening the minis of this
country to the unlimited coinage Of
the silver metal on an equality with
gold mOnometallism; without reserva-
ton, 1 am a bimetallssr. 1 want and
mean to insist upon the use of both
metals on even terms as the redemD-
ton money of this country. 1 would
be glad TO see this result brought
about by the action of an internation-
al conference, provided it could be
done without delay. I am opposed to
this government waiting for any such
conference to act. Our experience
with such agencies has not been euch
as to give us either confidence or
hope of the attainment of this pur-
pose. Upon the contrary, our par
ticipations in such conferences have
in their very barrenness become far
cicai and ridiculous.
Evils of Demonstration.
I'm 1872, this country, with only
1000, 900 of people. was bold enough
to prove itself able TO discard the
monetary system of Great Britain
and establish one of its own. which
for nearly a hundred years met every
demand and stood every strain that
the growth and development of the
country put upon it. I believe the de-
struction (entailed upon US by this
decentralization policy of one-half OF
our redemption money has contrib
uted more than any other cause to
the shrinkage of all values, the de-
probation of all property. the stag
nation of trade. the paralysis OF in
dustry, the financial troubles in
which we now find ourselves. Whilst
1t may be true that the coinage ard
unlimited legal tender function may
not prove a. panacea for the ills that
will do more and go further in that
direction than any one piece of leg
islation that has been suggested.
Abiding Faith in Silver.
II have an abiding faith in the
capacity of this metal to work out
and maintain its permanent parity
with gold, provided the oppressive
hand of the law is removed and the
mints of the country are thrown open
TO it's coinage. I believe, and always
did believe, that the act of 1873 was
an unconstitutional measure. L be-
lieve the act of 1873 would have been
so held by the supreme court of the
United States had the partisan spirit
dominated the action of that race.
This conviction 1 have stated in de-
bate on the floor of the Senate as
broadly as I put it here.
81 agree with Daniel Webster, who,
in his day, and even to this day, was
and is still, held to be something OF an
as a constitutional lawyer.
He declared the constitution OF the
United States made gold and silver the
money of this country, and
that neither Congress nor any state
had any rightful power TO substitute
any other, nor to destroy either the
one or the other of these mstals. II
Congress had the power 70 demonetize
silver, 1T must be conceded that II had
the same power TO demonetize gold. It
had seen fit to exercise this assumed
power as to one of these metals. Had
1t exercised the same power ever the
other, the anomalous and somewhat
condition would have OBJ
tanned of no money at all II they
could strike down half, they could
strike down all.
sixteen to One.
ct am in favor of the restoration OF
the silver metal at the ratio Of Is to l,
believing, in the light Of an experience
that covers a century, such ratio will
establish and maintain permanently
the parity between the two metals. I
believe we should take this action at
the earliest day possible, independent
Of the policies or views Of other ma