Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-08-16
SILVER MEMS ADDRESS
To Organize and Make a Syste-
matte White Metal Fight.
MET AS INDIVIDUAL DEMOCRATS,
An Executive Committee Appointed, with
Fun Authority TO Perfect tho Organiza-
tion by the Selection of the National Com
mittee From the Various States

az inc GILL OF us ondlfinan, Nehhlof itaiflS.
The important work Of the conference
is the appointment of the executive COM
mittee. with full authority TO perfect the
organization by the selection Of members
of the national committee representing
the several states
This executive committee consists Of
Senators Jones Of Arkansas, Harris Of
Tennessee and Turpie Of Indiana, Govern
or Stone Of Missouri, Colonel Casey Young
of Tennessee and W. IL. Hinrichsen Of Hi
nois.
Before adjournment the following adj
dress was issued:
"At conference between a number Of
Democrats from different states who at
tended the nonpartisan convention recent
ly assembled at Memphis for the purpose
Of promoting the cause of free silver coin
age which conference was held after the
adjournment Of the convention, a com.
mittoe consisting OF Senators Jones Of
Arkansas, Turpic Of Indiana and Harris
Of Tennessee was appointed and author
lied TO invite representative Democrats
from the several states to meet them at
Washington for consultation, with the
view of securing cooperation and concert
Of action among those Democrats through
out the Union who believe in adhering to
the cardinal Democratic policy of actual
bimotallism and who arc opposed to COM
hitting the party to the plutocratic doc
trine OF gold monomotallism. This is
purely voluntary assemblage, and there
fore does not assume to speak with party
authority.
Assembled as individual Democrats.
"Disclaiming all right to bind any per
son by our utterances, but profoundly con-
scious that the Democratic party today
confronts crisis the most momentous in
its history and fraught with farreaching
perils to the people and the country, we
are assembled as individual Democrats to
take counsel together and for the undis-
guised purpose Of inaugurating and pro-
noting thorough and systematic organi-
zation Of the Democratic masses, so that
they may 60 forward as ono man with a
rcsolute purpose TO rescue the old party
founded by Thomas jefferson from pluto
cratic domination.
Therefore, with this object in view
this convention of American Democrats
composed Of representatives from "a Of
the leading states Of the Union, makes
the following declaration on the monetary
question:
"The federal constitution names silver
and gold together as the money metal Of
the United States. The first coinage law
passed by congress under the constitution
made the silver dollar the unit of value
and admitted gold 90 free coinage at a ra-
ito measured by the silver dollar unit.
"From the beginning of the govern
ment, following policy formulated by
Thomas Jefferson and firmly established
by jackson, the Democratic party has
Ill
the free coinage Of both silver and gold at
the national mints and opposed to farm
ing out to banking corporations the gov
ernment's sovereign power Of issuing and
controlling the money of the people.
Act Of 1878 surreptitiously Passed.
"The act Of 1878 domonetizing silver
was surreptitiously passed without the APP
approval or knowledge of the American
people, and from the time when the effect
of this act in fastening upon this country
the single gold standard was understood
the Democratic party has consistently and
persistently urged that the greiyous wrong
be righted
Failure to accomplish this object has
resulted in the steady appreciation of gold
and a corresponding fall in the price Of
commodities produced by the people, a
y
public and private the enrichment of the
money lending class, paralysis of industry
and the Impeachment of the people and
unexampled distress in all gold standard
countries. Experience has shown that
while under the single gold standard there
may be an occasional revival Of business
activity, accompanied by enhanced prices
OF q limited number of commodities, such
revival is due to artificial and temporary
causes and cannot permanently alleviate
the sufferings due to the falling Of prices
brought aobut by the appreciation of gold
and the inadequate supply of primary or
redemption money
1.-The rights of the American people,
the interests of American labor and the
prosperity of American industry have a
higher claim to the consideration of the
peoples lawmakers than the greed of for
eign 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 q right
which no free government can barter,
sell or surrender. This reserved right is
part Of every bond and every contract.
The Basis Of Prosperity.
"The land and its products are the basis
of all developments and prosperity. Tho
productive capacity Of a country must DO
the basis of its credit In opposing tho
policy of contraction, which must inevita-
bly, further depreciate the value of land
and its products, we arc the supporters Of
property rights and sound credit and stand
between the homes and estates of the peo-
pie and the red flag Of the auctioneer. The
policy of gold monometallism has been
characterized by repeated and disastrous
financial panics. The farmers have found
their prosperity and independence con-
stantly waning under its blighting influ-
ence Manufacturers are Interested to OPP
pose it, for thoy find the prices Of sale
falling below the cost of production. Mer-
chants should oppose it, for. with falling
prices. they are often compelled TO sell for
less than they paid for manufactured
goods.
The Democratic party Is the tradition
al friend and champion of bimetallism.
Its strength and power and popularity
have been largely built upon its steadfast
opposition to the decentralization of silver
and its record Of unwearied effort 20 re-
store it to its historic place as full money
metal equal with gold The effort at this
late day TO make it par excellence the
champion Of gold monOmetallism the enc