The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-05-02
ADDRESS
To the Democracy of Texas:

i
We lay before you the preamble and
resol .tions adopted by a conference OF
Democratic members of the house of rep
resentatives and Democratic State sena-
tors and number of Democratic citi-
zens frOm different parts of the State.
held 10 the State capitol on the evening OF
Tht.s.lay, April %, 1875.
We offer you brief statement OF the
reasons for taking this action.
The demonstration of silver as the unit
of monetary value and standard redeem,
ing money by the action of congress, ana
the Ceg aiding IF silver money to the con-
dition of credit money to be valued as d
commodity, at gold prices, and to be re-
deemed with gold as same as paper ana
other credit money, has produced a COM
nlete revolution in the financial policy of
the United States, has reduced the values
of property, real and personal, and the
products of labor about One-halt, has
arrested enterprise, has paralyzed indus
tries has brought us to the verge OF gen
eral bankruptcy and has doubled the bur
den of all debts, National, State, munlcl-
pal, corporate. ID private, and rendered
their "a, ment in large NEE sure I'M
possible.
In view of this condition of things an
active campaign has been begun, having
for it's object the forcing of the Democracy
of the Union into the adoption of the
Republican policy on this question under
the leadership of Senator John Sherman.
In the former action of the government
on this question, President Cleveland
was represented as the friend of silver,
and the gold standard men in the two
houses of congress made the promise that
if the friends of silver money would aid
in repeating the purchasing clause of what
was known as the Sherman law, they
should have friendly legislation in favor
of silver money. This promise was never
redeemed, but was violated; and neither
the president nor any of the gold standard
men have ever offered any plan looking
to the restoration of silver as standard
money, and do not now; and it is safe tC
say will not specify any plan for that pur
pose. And yet their advocates keep be
fore the country sort of general, linden
mite statement that they are friendly tc
silver as money. but none of them say
they favor silver as standard Redemption
money.
And now it has been Ostentatiously an
nounced through the public press thai
President Cleveland and his cabinet are
to inaugurate campaign against the us(
of silver as a part of the standard none!
of the country, and for the adoption of the
single gold standard. The president ha:
given to the public his letter for the open
ing of this campaign. and it has been an
nOunced that the members of his cablne
are to make public speeches in advocac!
of the same policy. The gold standard mel
| have called meeting to be held at Mem
phis, in the State of Tennessee, for tn
same purpose; and citizens of Texas haV'
been appointed as delegates to that meet
| ing. In addition, the enemies of free sll
| yer have called State meeting for organ
| ization, to be held in Waco. May 9, 1879.
This action forces the friends of Sllve
coinage. and of financial system whicl
will meet the needs of the people, to adop
such a course as will bring about resto
ration of the value of property and labo
| and its fruits. and to restore to us one
more condition of prosperity and con
| tentment. The question as to whether the.
will stand by inactively as witnesses o
| the consummatiOn of the bankruptcy an
desolation which are the fruits of thi
policy, or manfully and vigorously max
the fight for the restoration of just an
necessary financial system. and for tn
preservation of the life of the Democrat
party. which is now being imperiled.
In the name of an outraged people, an,
to preserve the good name the characte
and the usefulness of the Democratic par
| ty. we put forth the plan this day pre-
sented to the Democrats of Texas. of al
organization of Democrats to secure tn
enforcement in the Democratic party o
| the policy of the free and unlimited coin
| age of silver the same as of gold, and t.
make the silver dollar again the unit o