The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-21
CONVENTION,
Continued from First Page.

not produce enough wealth to pay the
enormous usury on debt that was grow
= ing greater and greater all the time and at
the same time decently feed and clothe ali
the people. That was one. plain statement
of the case.
ANY measure that should promise genu-
inc relief from this condition OF labor
slavery must be put in plain and compre-
'-hensIye words. There were now Just TWO
-: things to be done: Let the Government pc
come bankrupt or let the Government IN
fate the currency. Bankruptcy OF tne
government meant starvation ana con-
: plete slavery for the masses. were Tue
currency TO be inflated the great NatlohaI
debt could be paid and the ruinous usury
be stopped. They talked OF honest nio Oh -
. t:Shall man be more honest than Goa he
asked. What money could be more hohesI
than that which enabled the farmer ana the
. Workingman to pay his debts ana feed anu
clothe his babies? Every policy was as
honest that robbed the laborer OF the re-
wards of his industry.
=. What weapons should be USED 10 Accom-
:; plish. the desired results? One, at least,
should be the demand for the aDoutloh Oh
the National banks. Every one OF THESE
:: banks constituted an armed fortress with
guns trained on the silver propaganulsts.
:, A man who had not yet recognized the
truth of that statement had yet 10 gam a
clear conception of the present connect: II
would be a serious mistake II the sltFeI
men did not mite on this point and face
the issue against the NatlohaA panAs
squarely. NJ
urged upon the notice OF the convention
the "plain and simple statement OF TACT
contained in the platform OF the Farmers
Alliance. and advised them 10 so frame
their own platform that the farmers could
staO6 with them the
great conflict.
awe need the unity of forces, he said,
= tihut Tnust have the unity without the sac
:rifice of principle. 1t was Thomas Jeffer-
son who said that bank paper must be
abolished and the circulating medium re-
stored TO the exclusive control OF the Ma
tiOual Government. Later on Jefferson
wrote that banks were more dangerous
than standing armies, and he never uttered
q truer word. What was true then is
: doubly true now. Our greatest foe to-day
is the National bank.
-; A. r. Cation of San Francisco was the
next speaker. Mr.. Cation was q member
@fthe Congress that passed the bill for the
:: decentralization OF silver IN 1873, and he was
introduced by Chairman Baker as lone
who had been sorry for his sad mistake
ever sihce." Mr.. Cation said in part:
:: AZ am glad for the privilege of address
ing the convention for it will afford me an
:. opportunity OF explaining the great mis-
take | made in voting for the demonetiza-
.tion of silver in 1873. This bill was passed
in error, and contained the repeating
clause that has worked so much disorder
TO the financial system Of our country.
Many of US did not seem to realize at the
time what we were voting for. The bills
are read by title only, and no prominence
was given to the little joker that was des-
tined years after to create such a stir all
over the country. As an example of how
: little was really known of this bill need
only cite the fact that not single paper in
the United States published the fact that
a.law demonetizing silver had been passed.
:. r0f the many correspondents present not
one sent his paper a single line on the sub
. iett. This shows how little was thought
: ofthe matter at the time of its occurrence.
For my vote on this bill 1 apologize to the
gentlemen OF the convention.
.nThe. fnancisR policy now being pursued
<<by the Government is wrong, and if in
sisted upon will eventually ruin the coun-
try. e. l believe that this convention will do
g q great deal of good. 1t will result fest of
= aHin a more critical consideration of the
silver question by the people at large 1t
Will prove potent factor in educating the
masses. When the people understand it
and attest their convictions at the ballot
box there can be but one result-right Will
ultimately triumph"