Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-12-25

stroyed. The value of property dimin-
ished in proportion, wages fell, and the
value Of everything was deprecated
except debts and gold. The mortgage.
the bond, the coupon and the tax have
retained immortal youth and vigor.
They have not deprecated The debt
remains, bit the capacity to pay has
beef destroyed. The accumulation of
years disappears tindef the hammer of
the sheriff, and the debtor is homeless,
while the creditor obtains the security
for his debt for a fraction Of what it
was actually worth when the debt was
contracted.
There is, Mr.. President; deep-seat-
ed conviction among the people, which
l fully share, that the demonetization
of silver in 1873 was one element of a
great conspiracy to deliver the fiscal
system of this country over to those by
whom it has, in my opinion; finally
been captured. i see no proof of the
assertion that the demonetizatfon act
Of 1873 was ffaudulently or corruptly
procured, but 1t is impossible to avoid
the conviction that it was d part Of a
deliberate plan and conspiracy formed
by those who have been called specula-
tors to still further increase the value
of the standard by which their accuniu-
| lations were to be measured:
Mr.. President, there is not a state
west of the Allegheny mountains and
| south of the Potomac and Ohio rivers
that is not in favor of the free coinage
| of silver. There is not a state in
which. if that proposition were to be
submitted to a popular vote, it would
not be adopted by an overwhelming
majority. / do not mean by that in
clusion to say that in those states east
of the Alleghenies and north Of the
Ohio and Potomac rivers there is any
hostility or indisposition to receive
benefits that would result from the re-
monetiZation of silver. On the con-
trary, in the great commonwealths
that lie in the Northeast, upon the
Atlantic seaboard-New York, Penn
sylvania, and the manufacturing and
commercial states-I am inclined to
believe, from the tone of the press
from the declarations of many assem-
blies, that If the proposition were tC
be submitted there it would also re-
ceive a majority of the votes. If the
proposition were to be submitted to the
votes of the people of this country al
large, whether the silver dollar should
be recoined and silver remonetized
notwithstanding the prophecies, the
predictions, the animadversions o.
those who are opposed to it, have no
the slightest doubt that great major
ity of the people, irrespective of party
would be in favor of it. and would 81
record themselves. They have de
clared in favor of it for the past 1!
years, and they have been juggled with
been paltered with, and dealt with in /;
double sense. The word of promise tina
was made to their ear in the platform
of political parties has been broken t.
their hope There was a majority il
this body at the last session of congress
in favor of the free coinage of silver
The compromise that was made was no
what the people expected. nor wha
they had a right to demand. They fel
! tUdl tUcy HdU Dccu DlHCu Will, dn
that is one cause of the exasperatio
that was expressed in the verdict o
November 4.
l feel impelled to make one furthe
observation. Warnings and admoni
J tiens have been plenty in this debate
We have been admonished of tn
danger that would follow; we hav
been notified of what would occur i
the free coinage of silver were support
: ed as a part of our financial system.
, am not a prophet nor the son of
prophet. but i say TO those who ar
. now arraying themselves against tn
deliberately expressed judgment of tn
American people. judgment tina
they know has been declared and re
corded say TO the members of thi
: body, / say, so far as may do so wit
) propriety. to the members of the co-ol
: dinate branch of congress, and say,
without Improperly may do so, I
the executive of the nation. that ther
will come time when the people wi
be trifed with no longer on this sui
, ject. Once, twice. thrice, by executiv
: Intervention, Democratic and Reput