The Meeker herald., 1895-05-18
SILVER DICK" BLAND
HIS FIRST VISIT TO DENVER.
the Veteran Apostle of Free Coinage Ad.
dresses an Enthusiastic Audience
UrKes His Hearers Not to Vote for a
Gold Man for President.

theater last night Richard P. Bland.
e1-Congressman from Missouri, deliver
Gu an address on the Twenty Years
Battle for Silver and the Fight Yet to
Come"
Ihere was large and distinguished
auulence present to welcome the emf
ueht advocate of the free coinage of
silver at ratio of IS to 1. The ad-
uress was an able one and was re-
celved with much favor by the audi
ence. The speaker after narrating the
history of the struggles in Congress
over the silver question, said:
In all the great battles in Congress
on the silver question, the Southern
people, while enthusiastic for silver,
nave mad that sympathy and enthus-
,asm clouded with the dread of force
OH or federal interference with their
loal self-government. Doubtful as to
wnether their safety depended upon an
aIliance with New York and the East
lot protection Of their local affairs, or
whether to go to the people of the West
ana Southwest, where nature points
as their true friend and allies, caused
tnem to hesitate upon the threshold of
Victory for silver. Fortunately, how
ever, In the great battle over the force
Dill In the Senate, the senator's from
the West, and especially of the gold
and silver mining states in their OPP
position to this measure, which resulted
IN Its final overthrow and defeat, has
given assurance to the people of the
South that their political reliance, both
Tor safety of their home government
and their prosperity on economic ques-
tons, point to the West. We do not in
tend to draw sectional lines further
than those who insist on the single
gold Standard have forced upon us this
situation. The great money centers of
the East, whose banking Institutions
are principally owned and controlled
by European banking houses, have
forced the people of the West and
South in self-defense to make war up
on their system Of finance.
''fhe day has now come when war is
sues cannot longer dominate our poll
tics. The great political battles of the
future will be fought on economic
questions. The battle Of the standards
Is the greatest battle to be fought in
this country and the world over. The
enslaved masses of the Old World look
hhtuihlly " llIS IEft IFDIls VI ohIS W
lead the way. This vast country Of
ours of forty-four independent states
and other vast territory, with over sew
enty billions Of wealth, and with a
population Of seventy millions of peo-
pie, increasing at the rate of more
than million annually, Is strong
enough to maintain their own monetary
system, TO open the miDts TO the free
coinage Of gold and silver, and thus
again restore. not only to ourselves, but
to the world, the old order Of things, by
which gold and silver circulated side
by side, aiding and supporting each 9TH
or In giving labor employment and eff
fecting the exchanges Of commerce"
"In conclusion, attention should be
called to the fact that heretofore no
president of the United States since
1873 has been friend Of silver Mr..
Hayes vetoed limited coinage bill: 1t
IL well known that every president
since that time has been hostile to free
coinage and would veto any such bill
II sent to him. This has had the effect
Of Encouraging Congress In all these
contests. | have reason 10 believe that
silver would have long ago been re
stored to lis old place in our system Of
money had there been a president of
the United States favorable to IL. 1t Is
well known that the Senate today IL
overwhelmingly in favor Of free coin
age, and will probably remain 50 for all
future time. The battle TO be fought,
and the all-important point to gain, Is
to secure president who will Sign a
free coinage bill If sent to him, and VIII
not use the power and patronage Of his
office to prevent such a bill coming -
him; but. on the contrary, Will com
mend such legislation. II we can once
secure such president the battle IL
won. To this point all our energies IN
the future must be directed. 1t IL not
nv purpose. and would be out Of place
I'm n pon-partisan lecture or speech Of
tbis character to indicate how that may
be brought about further than to ex-
press the hope that every true friend
OF the free coinage Of silver Will make
n firm resolye and stand TO 1t, that he
will not support in any manner n presl-
Dental candidate, no matter how nom
mated or what party platform ne
stands on. unless that platform and
candidate give assurance OF silver res
tOration.
Al the conclusion OF Mr.. BANDS ad-
dress. Senator Teller was called Tor. He
said he had Just finished CONCENTRATING
The speaker on the closing words OF his
address that each ono ehould pledge
blnscIf or herself not 10 support any
one for president unless he was for the
free and unlimited coinage Of silver.
1t was the great question before the
noonIc of this country, and should BIZ
settled. The people were considering
n greater proposition even than ne
question they were called on to decide
whether there were 10 be two nags.
There might have Den two republics
conducted with prosperity on ms con
tIncnt. Senator Teller sai1. but 1t was
impossible that there could be prosper
ity under the present financial policy.
T'be effort 10 restore silver was not
an experiment, IT was in accord wlh
the history of the world for 1000 years;
Senator Teller announced tnnt ne ma
cast lila last vote for any candidate VINO
,yas oupoacd to free silver. or was luxe
warm in It's interests.
The meeting closed with three cheers
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