Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-06

convention to take any action Wnlcn would widen the breach between the fac- tions of the democracy Timothy T. Reached voiced thislsentiment in pep pery speech. in which he spoke bitterly of Cleveland as a traitor to the demoe- raey, but said he did not think it the business of a monetery convention to denounee him.
 The .conventon reassembled at o'clock. The committee on credentials reported that as ther were no contests all the delegates should be declared en- titled ~to seats. The committee on per manent organization then made it's re- port. Judge Samuel P. Mcconnell was then conducted to the chair and spoke as follows:
 "This convention has a most peculiar and most important significance. Here tofore managers of political parties have so arranged that party politics should be declared only at the time candidates were chosen. and only a short time be- fore the gathering of the franchises of the people. The result has been often that our conventions have put forth mere assertion of general principles, or on live issues expressed themselves in meaningless compromises. Colorless candidates have been presented to the people or candidates unsympathetic with the real purpose of the party.
 'This convention makes departure and is intended not only to allow free discussion before the next political en- gagment, but to define our party posi- tion with distinctness and definteness, so that no voter shall fail to understand us. and no candidate, if chosen to office, have a chance of excuse to defeat our command.
 'At the very beginning of this contest let us make up our minds that we will not be frightened by nursery tales, and that we won't give up our fight because they call us names. Let us bear in mind, FarI If.aAf monometallists, that we have not much gold at present, and what we have We bought with 4 per cent gold interest' bearing bonds, and that even what little we have we keep through the courtesy of Baron Rothschild and Mir. Morgan. Re member all the time we are not only de pressing trade, but straining our finan- cial resources to Derpetuate a financial system which we don't believe in, and which we never knowingly established. We are trying to pretend that we have plenty of gold to redeem all our ob lga- tions, and yet we know, or ought to know, that with any concerted demand upon the treasury we would be imme1i~ ately bankrupt. That is true of any na- tion pretending to a gold standard SyS- tenn. We are demanding the restoration of silver as redemption money in order bhat our system may be more honest and less pretentious.
 international agreement is by no means necessary. Until human wisdom has devised some other financial SyS- tenn than that now recognized by the en- tire world gold and silver will continue to be used as money. And so long as We are to use metals as a representatives of value and as an aid to exchange we cannot afford to either dispense With either silver or gold.
 We cannot afford to allow all value to be represented in either metal nor rely upon one or the other as the sole me dium of exchange. The quantity of either is so limited that the demand for the one exclusively preferred would tend constantly to appreciate it. working not only injustice to the debtor, but also by it's apparent reduction of prices, con stant check to enterprise and commerce.
 "We who are in favor of the remone- tization of silver say there is no injustice
 even to the creditor-if the government shall restore to silver it's old place in ouT monetary system.
 .eThe time has come to rebuke those who dstrust the wisdom of the people and accept the selfish wisdom of the money changers and the bondholders. The time has come now for us to be definite in demand and resolute in e&- acting obedience from our official ser Vants We must say. and say it with the voice of command that we demand the remonetizat tion of silver at the ratio established by law. The system we want restored has been approved by long eXpe- rience to be sanctioned by our progress, is justified by our situation and is nec- essary to our national independence and prosperity. We must rid ourselves of the veto power of New York and Lon don. Let the people command and our official servants must obey"
 Then the delegates adopted the plat form with yell.
 There was a full representation and abundant enthusiasm.
 Ex-CongresSman Iyyan's speech was the feature of the day, and he with diffl- culty continued on account of the ap plause The platform follows:
 Whereas, Silver and gold have been the principal money metals of the world for thousands of years, and silver money recognized and used as honest money be- tween nations. notwithstanding the va rying ratios between silver and gold 7; and,
 Whereas, The decentralization of sil- yer has deprived the people of the free use and benefits of an invaluable and original money metal, and has increased debts and added to the burdens of the people by lowering the value of labor products; and,
 Whereas, The constitution of the United States prohibits the use of any thing but gold and silver coin as legal tender for the payment of debts, there by recognizing that coin composed of silver and gold is honest money and fit to be used as legal tender; therefore be it
 Resolved by the democracy of Illinois in convention assembled, That we are in favor of the use of both gold and sil- yer as the standard money of the United States, and demand the free and unlim- ited coinage of both metals at the ratio of 16 to l without waiting for the action of any other nation, and that such coins shall be legal tender for all debts, both public and private, and that all contracts hereafter executed for the pay ment of money. whether in gold or coin, may be discharged by any money which is by law legal tender.
 We hereby indorse the action of the