Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-05-10
4 Bimetaliic League.

Was iildue ict Inc new organization.
The meeting was called TO order 10y
J. c. Rathbun, and on motion of II. :.
Barbee, John Miller Murphy was called
to the chair and J. G. Rathbun elected
Secretary.
Alter brief statement of the OBJ.
objects OF the meeting, A. J. Faulkner
submitted the draft of declaration OF
principles, which had been prepared
by the promoters OF the object, which
was as follows:
DECLARATICN OF PRINCIPLES.
In view of the business depression
that has visited the American people
during the past five years, it behOoves
all American citizens to study and be-
come informed upon the various eco
nomic questions that effect American
life. To that end the Bimetallic club
of Olympia, Washington, declares as
follows
The money of civilized governments
should be composed of some product
OF human labor, product that is af-
fected the least possible by varying
conditions and that is found in sufii-
cient quantities to serve the purpose.
So far in the history of the world
the precious metals, gold and silver,
have constituted the money OF COM
merce.
We declare the decentralization of
one of these metals within the present
generation as contrary to sound mon
etsry principles and to be practical
destruction of onehalf of the money
OF the country. AS a result the value
of the other metal is increased to an
extent that makes it impractical as a
measure OF small values, or values that
effect the lives Of the masses OF the
people. Its limited supply permits it
to be controlled by SPECTATORS, there
by still further increasing its purchas-
ing power. In consequence there has
been a shrinkage in values, a fall in
prices, the abandonment OF industries
and the destruction of a demand for
labor. To afford themselves tempo
rary relief the people have incurred
obligations to the gold power far in
excess of the ability of the property
of this country to ever pay while our
present monetary policy continues.
AS a remedy for existing evils we
urge the restoration of silver to its
former place in our monetary system.
We favor the free coinage of both
gold and silver on the ratio of l6 to l,
and consider this declaration the para
mount issue before the American peO-
ple.'
We pledge our best efforts to secure
in our respective parties and unequiv-
ocal acknowledgement OF this princi-
pie.
We consider the international BIZ
metallic agreement proposition delu-
sion and snare, inspired for the pur-
pose of procrastination.
We believe if there is merit and
good intention in this international
bimetallic agreement proI osition that
the best methed of forcing action in
that direction is swift and decisive
action on the part of the United States
in favor of the free and unlimited
coinage OF silver.
We believe that the worldwide dis
tress and depreciation of values is SUBJ
stantially due to the decreasing of the
quantity of redemption money.
We believe that the separation OF
the prices of silver and gold is largely
the result of the appreciation OF the
value OF gold.
We believe in honest money and
sound currency, but we are not in IA
vor OF q standard of values that re-
quires twice the Emount of labor to
satisfy all kinds of Indebtedness. pri-
vate and public. as was necessary at
the time it was incurred.
We denounce the action of the
monometallists who since 1873 have
instituted q surreptitious and syste-
matte warfare upon all moneys except
gold, whose sinister purpose has been
to make all moneys redeemable in
gold and by that means make the to-
tai amount OF gold single one of the
Ga elements exchangeable for all else
of Gods creation.
We urge it as patriotic duty, high
er than party utilization, that each one
see to it that those to whom the
power is intrusted to enact the proper
laws for the free coinage OF gold and
silver are men whose convictions"
are right, men who will stand for free
coinage and "burn the bridges behind
them"
The reading of these declarations
was interrupted by frequent applause.
A canvas was then made for mem.
bership of the proposed league and %
names we're enrolled.
On motion, an election of officers
resulted in the choice of Chss. II.
Aver for President, Jno. Miller Muir
ply Vice President, J. c. Rathbun
Secretary and Geo. B. Lane Treasurer.
The meeting was addressed by ]. w.
Troy on the subject OF " Free Coinage"
and Chas. H. Aver ON international
Bimetallism."