The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1895-05-22
GOVERNOR RICHARDS SPEECH.
Montana's Chief Executive Makes !;
Plea For Silver.

Montanas Chief Executive Makes !,
Plea For Silver.
The following is the speech deliy-
cred by Coy. Richards at the opening
Of the, silver convention which con-
vcncd at salt Lake City last We'd
nes{|ny:
.'In tho history Of nations no
great wrong was ever righted save
through the concerted efforts or
earnest men h.'Nc faith enough
in humanity to bclicE" mat the nat
rral patriotism Of the heart is equal
to the duty OF honest effort and tire
less action III the cause Of right when
the right is clearly understood. Mis-
directed activity in any cause that
concerns the welfare Of the people
adyerti3cs 4 paternity Of Ignorance
rather than a fathcrhood Of malice.
We have met today, not as censors,
parading the causes CT our discomfort
hcraIdinG to the world the bitterness
we feel over the injustice that has
made our cooperation necessary at
this hour: but as earnest men, re-
presenting great cause and dele
gated to the performance Of Il duty
by a constituency whose Interests are
environcd only by the geographical
limits Of the republic. We have met
as champions Of honest moncy-of
money SO honest that its pure white
luslcr is never furnished by the tears
Of the starving or rusted BY the
blood Of crime as it moves through
the channels CT commerce in a cur
rent Of perpetual hope. We have
met, not to appeal to the prejudices
that may cluster around the self
interests Of any community or pco-
pie: not to weigh anchor upon sea
Of uncertainty in the trade winds Of
politics, but to institute u new
movement along new lines for the
better education OF the masses on
the financial problems Of the day.
'In calling this conference and in
viting the cooperation Of western
governors in an interstate cduca-
tiona movement in the interests Of
the free coinage Of silver, 1 was i'm
PEELED by the belief that in the home
circle Of the American citizen lay
the destiny OF the white metal The
time has come when we must appeal
not only to the business sense Of the
voter with nonpartisan logic, but we
must reach down into the moral ac-
tivities Of the heart and ask that
the Individual conscience stand up
and be counted Gil the side Of right.
"Iherc never was time in his
tory when the moral side Of q great
question appealed With greater force
to the intelligent voter than today,
with the misery Of monometalism
emphasized in the misery that al1licts
our land. The argument OF the sin
gle standard advocate has mIturcd
from q 9iIdc1 theory into 4 cOndi-
tion that oNght tOappoal with irrcsi-
stable force to the candid observer Of
events. 1T becomes our duty to sup
plcmcnt the argument Of SmokclcSs
sm0kcstacis and abandoned farms.
Of broken banks and crushed COM
lnercisl enterprises, witt. incsiye
reasoning" as 70 the r''.av that usl'
cred in the winter Of CT, liiscOntent.s
Existing conditions rejecting the
misfortlnc5 OF the business world
upon every phase Ct our Industrial
and social life have stimulated Il de-
mand on the part Of the masses for It
better knowledge Of financial propo-
sitiUnS, that self-jntcrcst may be re-
specjcl at the polls. In no way can
the interests OF silver be better scry-
ed in the acceptivc condition OF the
public mind, than through Il systc-
matte course Of education that will
reach the individual intelligence in
the sacred circle OF the home. The
eminent gentlemen who represent
the several states in this conference
have been selected with the rcsponsi :
| bility Of dcyi$ing ways and means for
the carrying out Of this object, and
| that YOUR papers Will prove an ag-
grcssive step in a most successful
campaign Of education doubt not.
"Aready the European wing Of
the American republic is beating the
air in an effort to retain its lofty
perch. The gold men of both CONT,
ncnts read IN lie signs Of the times
the possibility Of an earlE defeat.
and are bendin9 their energies t.
the annhilatiOn OF the OBJ Icct Oi
their fears. All that literature car
Go, all that uratUrv can accomplish
all that gold can achieve, vii! be
done to stranglc the growing scnti-
mcnt tor silver. A subsidized press
| ,IllnrI 1,iy Ia, financial N t.rf,c +,