The herald., 1895-05-12
His Colorado Lecture Tour
Opened at Denver
HALE THE AUDIENCE WOMEN
The Noted Champion of Silver Expounds
~ His Views
He Declares Il the First Tim, He Has Besn
In q Silver State for
Twenty Years


p. Bland. the Missouri -ex-congressman,
opened his Colorado lecture tour in this
city tonight. An audience that ii led
the spacious Broadway theater greeted
the silver champion, who was happily
introduced by Senator Teller, with long
continued applause, and gave the closest
attention throughout his address. the
delivery of which occupied nearly two
hours. 1t was a notable fact that fully
half those in attendance were women.
81 have chosen for my subject" said
Mr.. Bland, after acknowledging his mag
niticent reception, ''the fight OF twenty
years in congress for the free coinage of
silver and the fight yet to come. This is
the first time l have ever visited silver
mining state since this twenty year battle
began. / have no interest whatever in
the states producing the precious metals,
and no, SYM pathv for them beyond the
interest and sympathy | have in our COM
mon country. The losses your silver pro-
ducers:s have sustained on aeco,int-of the
decentralization of silver are not to be
compared with the losses OF the farmers
of Missouri in the fall OF prices of farms
and the products OF the soil. consequent,
as we believe. npon the demonstration of
silver.
Mr.. Bland prefaced his review OF the
tw snty years battle for silver with an ac-
count of the manner in which its DEM
onetization was accomplished and gold
established as the unit of value by the act
of 1873.
"While it is evident. p" he said. from
the manner in which this revolution in
our monetary system was accom- pllshed,
vet it was the most important and far
reaching legislation on money ever en-
acted BY our government"
The lecturer then reviewed fully all the
attempts made in congress to remonetize
silver after the effects OF the act of 1873
became known. He said the free coinage
bill of 1877, which WAS vetoed by Presi-
dent Hayes, was voted for by Mr.. Carlisle
of Kentucky, the secretary of the treas
ury; Mr.. Foster OF Ohio. who was secre-
tary of the treasury under Mr.. Harrison $
administration Mr.. Herbert. now secre-
tary of the navy; Mr.. Mckinley. now
governor of Ohio; Mr.. Mills OF Texas,
now a senator from that state. and Mr.
Morrison of Illinois, now interstate COM
mercecommIss Issioner.
The fact" added Mr. Bland. that
most of these gentlemen. if not all OF
them have changed their views on this
question should be attributed to the un-
certainty OF human opinion and tue
action of public men, for surely the neces-
sity of silver restoration is as meritorious
ana urgent now as III was Juen
Regarding the repeal of the Sherman
silver purchase law Mr.. Bland said:
Impartial history would show that
this result was secured by methods most
reprehensible and deplorable. The mon
eyed power OF this country and Europe
have sought to bring our people and the
representatives into complete subsection.
The vast debts throught the country
were pressed for collection and when
debtors went to the banks to secure loans
to meet their obligations they were cooily
told that it was not safe to loan money
until the repeal of the purchase clause OF
the Sherman act.
"rhe friends of gold monometallism
insisted that the repeal of the purchase
clause of the Sherman act would restore
confidence through the country, invite an
inflow of gold to our shores and would
bring universal prosperity. Just the re-
vesre has occurred. We have sold bonds to
the amount of S1l2,000,00o since the re-
peal in order to check the flow of gold
from our shores and to maintain the sin
gle gold standard. The gold monometal-
lists have given the people an object les
son indeed--one that they will not for
get; an object lesson that has been the
best educator in favor of bimetallism that
could have possibly taken place.
''In all the great battles in congress on
the silver question, the southern people,
while enthusiastic for silver. have had
that sympathy and enthusiasm clouded
with the dread of force bills or federal in
reference with their local self govern
ment. Fortunately, however in the great
battle over the force bill in the senate the
senators of the west, especially of the
gold and silver mining states, in theil
opposition to this measure, which re-
suited in its final overthrow and defeat,
have given assurance to the people OF the
south that then political reliance, both
for safety of their home government and
their prosperity on economic questions,
points to the west
The day has now come when war is
sues cannot longer dominate our politics
The battle of the standards is the greatest
battle to be fought in this country and
the world over. This vast country Of ours
of forty-four independent states and other
vast territory, with over $40, 900. 900, 900 o
wealth and with population of 10000,
600 people, increasing at the rate of more
than !. 200. 600 annually, is strong enough
to maintain its own monetary system, 10
open the mints to the free coinage o.
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 other in giving labor EN-
ployment and effecting the exchanges Of
commerce.
I'm conclusion. attention should be
Calleu TO tne 1aCt UnaI heretofore no preSl
dent since 1873 has been friend of silver.
The battle to be fought and 5he all-im
portant point to gain is to secure a presi
dent who will sign a free coinage bill il
sent to him. and will not use the power
and patronage OF his office to prevent sucl
bill coming to him. but on the contrary
will recommend such legislation. If We
can once secure such a president the
battle is won. To this point all our en-
eTgies in the future must be directed. L
is not my purpose, and would be out o
place in non-partisan lecture or speecl
OF this character. to indicate how tha
may be brought about, further than to ex
press the hope that every true friend o
the free coinage of silver will make firm
resolve and stand to it. that ne will no
support in any manner a presidential
candidate, no matter how nominated o.
what party platform he stands on. unles
that platform and candidate give assur
ance of silver restoration.
Village Destroyed by Fire
BUFFALO, n. v. May IA tele
phone message to the Express says: Tn