The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-16
MR.. HoRK's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Horr spoke first. He said:


copyright secured by AzeI F. Hatch. of Chi
cago.
JUDGES AND GENTLEMEN:-It is
agreed between Mr.. Harvey and myself
that previous to entering upon the gen
eral discussion each of US shall make
brief statement defining in general
way the position he proposes to occupy
in this debate.
"The question which we are about to
discuss is one that is not only receiving
very great attention among the people of
the United States, but it is one that is
also receiving some attention from the
nations of the old world. The question
involves the kind of money that shall be
used by the people of the United States.
and has to do with laws which Will affect
the great business interests of this ma
tion.
"The question of finance is very COM
plicated one, and there are some features
of it about which the ablest men of the
world have been differing for years. The
foundation of the discussion upon which
we are about to enter is a small book
published by Mr.. Harvey, and entitled
Coins Financial School
"The real main object of that book is
TO convince the people of the United
States that this government alone should
at once enter upon the free and unlim-
tied coinage of silver, upon the old ra-
tio of Is to 1. The wisd N of such a
course l dispute. Mr. Harvey will still
maintain the affirmative of that issue. l
will state in the outset that from the be-
ginning to the end of the book there is
hardly a proposition made to which l
give my assent.
81 propose to controvert many things
which are stated as facts and shall at
tempt to prove that the entire theory set
forth by this author if adopted by the
people of this country would lead only to
business disaster and financial ruin. |
do not rememb Der now ever to have exam
ined book carefully in which I found
so few statements that I consider worthy
of belief, and I certainly never saw SC
many absolute errors crammed into SC
few pages.
81 am not here as an opponent of bi.
metallism. I believe in the use of gold
and silver as money to the fullest extern
that can be done sound busines:
principles. My position upon thi,
question has been too frequently
stated within the last five years
to be misunderstood by any one. I be
lieve that both gold and silver are the
natural money of the world; that in all
the larger transactions, gold is the better
adapted TO the needs of the people thar
business
transactions of the human family fo
many years have been and always shoulc
be conducted with silver.
81 also believe that in all transaction
OF the nations of the world between
themselves, the two metals should b,
used in the settling of balances. bu
only at their commercial value. / aIs
believe that in the business of ou
nation the people should never attemp
TO use either metal except at its actua
value, only in cases where one metal ma,
be used as token money and be made re
deemable in metal at its commercial
value.
'''I have always entertained the hon
that the business men of the world wonI
yet come together in an internations
convention and agree upon some basi
whereby gold and silver can both be use
as the money of final settlement anon
the people of the entire world. ar
very clear in my idea that until som
such arrangement shall be made
would be simply suicide for thi
nation to adopt a system of the fre
eeinage of silver upon the old rstio.