The Washington times., 1895-05-29
SOUND MONEY CAMPAIGN
Begun in the East by a Repre-
sentative Gathering.
MEETING IN PHILADELPHIA
Ex-senator Edmunds and ex-Minister
Smith Discuss the Financial Ques-
ttou-ucw Inflated Currency fleets
the Laboring Man and His Wages.
Distinguished Men There.

Philadelphia May 29.-The opening
gun of the sound money campaign I'D the
east was fired tonight at an enthusiastic
public meeting in the Academy OF Music.
The affair was under the management or
group of the best known financial ana
business men of the community andattract-
ed wide attention, almost every seat In
the paruuet and two OF the tiers being
occupied.
George b. Roberts, president of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, was
chairman. The principal speakers OF the
evening were ex-United States Senator
George f. Edmunds, eX-Comptroller OF the
Currency William l.. Trenholm, Congress
man Michael D. Harter, OF Ohio, ex-Min-
ister to Russia Charles Emory Smith and
Joseph Wharton.
Chairman Roberts, in introducing eX-
Senator Edmunds, said that the meeting
was for the purpose of educating those
who had no opportunity to study the ques-
tion OF the Importance of adhering strictly
to a strong moral integrity in every
thing relating to the finances of the
country.
SENATOR EDMUNDS' ADDRESS.
Mr. Edmunds said, in part: IF any faith
can be put in human experience it ought
to teach us that we cannot make given
amount of silver worth. any more when
it is printed at the mint with the stamp
of the United States than it was before.
'sWhen the act of 1873 was passed to
stop silver coinage all the principal coun-
tries of Europe were coming TO nave
single standard-gold Great Britain had
had it long before, and in consequence
became stronger and stronger In the accu-
mutation OF general wealth, until she IS
4I,n
mistress OF all the commercial centeFs OF the
world. This is not because England is
any better than we are, but because or her
steadfast financial policy. We shall be
the great center if we only have the stead
fast Intelligence that our forefathers hau
and stick to the same standard or money
all the time. 1t is impossible for man,
even if unanimous, to make tnlnH py
will worth more than it really is, and that
ia IT'S commercial value i'll the markets OF
the world"
MINER AND LABORER.
After reading from the reports of Director
of the Mint Preston for the years 1898 "a,
Senator Edmunds continued: "A silver
dollar is worth little less than 80 cents.
All the rest is the will of the United States.
The upshot of this is that if the last Congress
had passed on March 8, the last day of its
session. what is now vociferouSly demanded
by the free coinage people, every owner
and producer of silver bullion would take
his ounce of silver to the mint-worth 63
cents and 4S -100-and get 81 20 29-100,
and having got more than two silver dollars
for his ounce OF silver he would come to the
| workingman to whom he owes for labor and
say: IF I brought in metal it would have
taken ten pounds, but I've taken it to a
beneficent u. s. office and had it stamped
and you must take five pounds Of IT. :"
KEPT SILVER STABLE.
1--WE are asked then. How is it that
| since 1878 more than 400 100000 of
these sham dollars have been coined and
everybody has taken them? The answer
is, Because the Government of the United
States kept the value for all the purposes
| of wage-earners up to the standard of
| gold, and that compelled this Admins,
| trait on--brayely and wisely as it has
| done-to borrow money and exchange gold
| for it. As
ut is the cry of the free-siIver people
Give the people the money Why are
banks and trust companies standing up
| for gold? 1t is answered: The vast ma
| jority OF the stoclsf ..rers or these banks
and trust cohlpani-4 and railroads are the
wage-earners wi.o have saved from their
sail, lahors &Dd invested and deposited