Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-06-20

gola stanuara ana prevails to-uay Wherever
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-establsh the
bimetalllc standard is confession that the
decentralization of silver was blunder, II not
crime that It's consequences have been disas-
trous and that the conditions that 1t has
wrought are full Of menace and Of peril, The
i logic Of facts establishes beyond in
telligent question that the destruction
Of silver as primary money by 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 permanent
relief from prevailing conditions until the
great cause has been removed by complete
restoration Of silver to its proper place as
money metal equal with gold,
We believe In money Of stable value. We
believe, least Of all in On apprecatlng stand
ard. 1t Is only through the practical operation
Of blmetalism that stable standard Of value
can be secured. A standard constituted Of
money constantly increasing the value Is not a
sound single, nor stable standard, but
constantly changing standard. The effect Of
gold monometallism 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 1879
there can be no violent change In the relative
value Of the two metals for q rise In value Of
one metal is counteracted by decreased de-
mand and 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-
ductlons. 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 or gold coin was always recog-
nized. The subsequent policy has been to
transfer this right 10 the creditor, thus tend
ing to constantly increase the value Of the
dearer metal and destroy the parity between
them Believing that 1t Is absolutely neces-
sary to reverse this iniqultous and ruinous
policy, we, therefore, resolvei
That we favor the immediate restoration OF
silver to Its former place as full legal tender,
standard money, equal with gold and the free
and unlimited coinage OF both silver and gold
at the ratio OF 10 to |, and upon terms Of exact
equality; that while we should welcome the
cooperation Of other nations, we believe that
the United States should not walt 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 to
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 right which no free government
can barter, sell or surrender. This reserved
right is a part Of every bond, Of every contract
and every obligation No creditor or claimant
can set up right that can take precedence
over nations obligations to promote the well
fare Of the masses Of It's own people. This Is
debt higher and more binding than all other
debts, and ono which is not only dishonest,
but reasonable, TO ignore.
Under the ilnane ial policy that nov 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 oatcasts and
beggars. AT the other end We tlnd that
a few thousand families own one-hslf
the wealth Of the country The centrali-
xation nj wealth has gone hand In hand