The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-03-22
The American BimetaIIic Party.

leaders in the movement for the remon-
citation of silver determined to organize
a new party, divest of all other questions
but the most urgent and pronounced
of the day, viz United States financial
system, and to this end they issued an
address "To the people of the United
States" and the following platform on
which they propose to battle in the
Presidential campaign of 1896:
PLATFORM.
1.-THE money question is now indisput,
ably the dominant issue in the United
States, and will remain so until settled
and settled rightly. Other questions,
however important, must wait for this,
which, to greater or less extent, involves
all others. The issue is between the gold
standard, gold bonds and bank currency,
on the one side, and the bimetallic stand
ard, no bonds and government currency
on the other.
First On this issue we declare our
selves to be unalterably opposed to the
single gold standard, and demand the
immediate return to the constitutional
standard of gold and silver by the restora-
ton by this government independently of
any foreign power of the unrestricted
coinage of both silver and gold into
standard money at the ratio of IS to I,
and upon terms of exact equality the
silver coin to be a full legal tender,
equally with gold, for all debts and dues,
public and private.
"Second.-We hold that the power to
control and regulate paper currency is
inseparable from the power to coin
money; and hence that all currency
intended to circulate as money should be
issued, and its volume controlled by the
general government only, and should be
legal tender.
Third We are unalterably opposed
to the issue by the United States of
Understanding bonds in time of peace,
and demand the payment of all coin obi
cations of the United States as provided
by existing laws, i'll either gold or silver
coin, at the option of the government,
and not at the option of the creditor.
On this issue we appeal from the die
tation of the money-power to the intel
ligence and patriotism of the American
people"
The address accompanying this plat
form was signed by the following prom
inent men whose position and influence
in public affairs are so we'll known as to
require no introduction to the reader.
We insert a few extracts from the pa
triotic address
1T is believed that there are now, and
have been for twenty years, a large ma
jority of the voters i'll the United States in
favor of restoring the free coinage of both
gold and silver, but the opportunity to
vote their convictions has never been
given them, and their will has been con-
tinually thwarted by party ehicanery.
"And, fellow-citizens, this great cause
will never be won without united action.
1t will never be won unless those who
believe i'll it come together and elect
Congress and a President on this one
issue. There is no hope whatever that
change its policy. give up the gold stand
There are no grounds for such hope,
and we believe they are deluded who look
for such a change of policy by the party.
The Republican party is committed by its
leaders. by its record and by the press
behind it to the gold standard supported
by gold bonds and to the retirement of
the greenbacks, and to the surrender of
the issue and control of paper currency to
the banks.
mo less persistent and effective is the
control of the money power over the
organization of the Democratic party
While undoubtedly a large majority
of the members of that party are
opposed to the gold standard, they have
been powerless to control the party
organization against it and much less to
secure through it the restoration of the
bimetallic standard.
| "No old party ever carried through a
great reform. New bottles for new wine.
Therefore no course seems possible but
to subordinate for the time being other
questions and come together in a new
organization to fight the great battle of
| 1896 on the one great issue on which the
prosperity and happiness of the people
largely depend.
"The purpose of this movement is not
to array section against section, nor class
| against class, nor to require anybody to
give up his convictions on other ques-
tons, or to sever his party relations for
any other purpose than to unite in a COM
mon cause; the cause Of justice against
injustice, of prosperity instead of adver-
sity. of continued employment of labor
instead of forced idleness, of abundance
and happiness instead of want and
misery.
when our monetary system was estab-
| lished. over a hundred years ago. with
population of less than four millions. our
fathers did not wait for or invite the con
Currence of other powers. Nor did the
any such action. They legislated Cor the
United States and we now. as Americans,
must legislate for ourselves.
No other country has ever asked our
approval of its financial policy.
"Fellow citizens, the power is still in
your hands to right by the ballot the
great wrong of 1873 and to save yourselves
and your children from the thraldom
which the gold standard policy. if persist
ed i'll, will surely bring upon you and
them.
I'VE pray you therefore not to let this
question go beyond the election of 1896.
but subordinating all other questions,
for the time being, to this supreme issue,
settle it now and settle it forever"
This platform and address was signed
by the following names of national rep
utation, noted for ability and as bold
champions of the peoples cause:
A. J WARNER, President American
Bimetallic Leage, Chairman; Senator
John P. Jones; Senator Vim NJ Stewart;
| T. L. McLaurin, South Carolina: Arson