The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-06-20

4 I.
dirhb ;ap 4 profits, insecurity OF invest
| n@ns !, o,aployed labor and a heavy de-
| rHet fnl Iitail branches OF trade and in
GNtl M Iifa not a matter of dispute,
evpa ri ing the honest advocates of the
gold ~ Il ard that general prosperity
esipe 4 n teud with a. destruction OF the
bifnesp 4. system, and that hard times,
fali6g prices, idle workingmen and
widss frs1sdepression "a came in with the
gutdty, dtrd, and prevail to-day wher-
evef1a old standard has been adopted.
Evct ! irrational monetary conference
yhis, \ N been called, every demand in
! thitN u try and in Europe for an inter-
natir, u agrcement to establish the BIZ
metol 3standard Is confession that the
dstnp es cation OF silver was blunder, il
not rime; that its consequences have
been lsastrous, and that the conditions
that ~ ms wrought are full Of menace
aud " Peril. The logic OF facts establish
l5els mat Intelligent question that the
x tiQRsR silver as primary money
- " t&Et,ssssy Fos esli-lntsrest 10 the
~ ~ widespread depression and SUI
fering that began with tho gold stand
ard, There can be no restoration Of
prosperity, no permanent relief from pre-
vailing conditions until the great cause
has been removed by a complete restora-
tion Of silver to its proper place as q
money metal, equal with gold.
We believe in money OF stable value;
we believe, least OF all, in an appreciating
standard. 1t is only through the practical
operation OF bimetallism that stable
standard OF value can be secured. A
standard constituted OF money constantly
increasing in value is not n sound, a single
nor q stable standard, but a constantly
changing standard. The effect OF gold
monometallism is to establish one stand
ard for the creditor and another for the
debtor; and there can be no more dis
honest monetary system than that which
gives short measuring to the borrower
and long measure to the lender. Under
the policy prevailing in 1873 there can be
no violent change in the relative value OF
the two metals, for rise in value OF one
metal is counteracted by decreased de-
mand for and a fall in value OF the other.
Under the operations Of beneficent laws
an established relation was maintained
between the metals in spite Of most
extreme changes in relative productions.
From the earliest period OF our history up
to 1873 the right OF the debtor to choose
whether he should pay his debts in silver
or gold coin was always recognized. The
subsequent policy has been to transfer
this right to the creditor, thus tending to
constantly increase the value Of the dearer
metal and destroy the parity between
them.
Believing that It is absolutely necessary
to reverse this iniquitous and ruinous
policy, we therefore resolve:
That We favor the immediate restora-
tion Of silver to its former place as a full
legal tender, standard money, equal with
gold, and the free and unlimited coinage
Of both silver and gold at the ratio OF 16
to 1, and upon terms Of exact equality.
That while we should welcome the CO.
operation Of other nations, we believe
that the United States should not wait
!, sss.or 2 20 the pleasure Of foreign governments
!, or the consent Of foreign creditors, but
should themselves proceed to reverse the
"grinding process" that is delaying the
prosperity OF the people, and should lead
by their example the nations OF the earth.
That the rights Of the American people,
interests Of labor and the prosperity of
American industry have higher claim to
the consideration Of the people,s lawmak.
ers than the greed OF foreign creditors or
the avaricious demands made by "idle
holders of idle capital.n The right To req.
ulate its own monetary system in the in
terests of its own people is a right which
no free government can barter, sell or
surrender. This reserved right ia a part
OF eyery bond. of every contract and of
every obligation, No creditor or claimant
can set up a right that can take prece.
dence over a nations obligations to nro.
mote the welfare of the masses of its own
neople. This Ia n debt bipber and mora
binding than all other debts and ono
which II ia not only dishonest hut treas.
enable to ignore.
ohoer the Poiicy tnat now prevails, the
'anu 20 nieu WIN ,uie anu oiScoh'eh'ea
~ So ~ arm Vi
s'Ap' 80 .aNA y. "oiA anu Up
e ' anu oes
80 ...,' 'Au "o Nnu 'n", ie"
.noI'" o"A ohai 'he
"e"'I "a .n u"'y' ihe een'ai'|a
''on "a "e.u "a' sone nanu III manu-
"i.n .ne p eau " po'eiT' ine pAupe'
"nu VIC piu.", "'e win 'hiiureh y, tue
'a"io ''.ious a"u unnoiy sys'en'' iu'i Oh
W VIC pooP'e ""u
.ue nv =. 'no ''puo,o' ,ne issue rs eh'
,,nnouen' nopeiess se''''uoe'
"n"'o,e' ."e Po"ei VI iioney can 10 oy
it's grasp ON the law-makinr power will
be done. We, therefore, appeal to the
plain people oil the land, with perfect
ronnaeh.o ,'ae y. IN @ snen , pa'r'o',sn aha in.e,,
sense Of the peril that confronts them and
defend the citadel OF their liberties with a
vigilance that shall neither slumber nor
sleep.