The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-30

SEnIlnRt washing I'LL SOA A'~H'f'
made the following statements OF his
views in regard TO the free coinage OF
silver:
Z do not regret the agitation of the
si.7er question. Sooner or later 1t has
to be definitely settled whether the
iaboring, producing people of this
country can be bullied out Of one-haf
Of their debt-paying money, or
whether they will stand up ike Tree
men and protect and defend the money
named and provided in the conStitu-
tion-gold and silver both-rlot one OF
the precious metals alone, but botn,
and on terms and conditions as 10
coinage and use Of absolute equanty.
That is the question Immediately De-
fore us, and no better time than now
will ever be found for its settlement
No Tariff Question.
''Ihe tariff will not return to plague
US again for years to come. II mas
reen so widely and equitably adjusted
that no attempt at a general REVISION
is now in contemplation IN any quar-
ter. There is no longer any issue IN
regard to federal election laws. and
the threat Of the bayonet at the Dalot
.1ox. No great national question is at
this time in the way of full, free'
fair discussion Of money currency,
precious metals, ratios, standards OF
value: urits of account and payment,
and the bearings which all these Things
have on the general welfare of the
great body of the American people.
The silver question itself is also
palmer to the view, less obscured by
the craft OF its enemies than at any
time since the assassination of silver
money took place in 1873 There are
-lo& cxr,ifnhaS IN pXiG1-
ence to lead the people away from the
main track; no cowardly makeshffts or
insincere shanls can any longer darKen
discussion or betray honest councils.
No English Declaration.
The Sherman act, which was con-
ceived IN raneorous hostility to silver
and brought forth into law by an
ubiquitous betrayal of silvers free
coinage, has been buried in an I'M
honored grave, over which no lament
viii ever be heard.
ST nave never been willing to admit
that our system of currency should be
dictated by England and other foreign
countries, and 1 repel that idea now.
s'The real and vital issue now pre-
scented 10 the American people is the
proposed elimination of silver from
our currency, its total overthrow ana
destruction as a money metal ana the
use OF gold alone This is what is now
meant bv the movement against the
free coinage Of silver; whatever dis
claims may be made to the contrary,
4f1is movement means the destruction
Of half Of the debt-paying money
of the United States and OF the world.
If it should be SO it would double the
burdens; of every debtor and multiply
the gains ans income of every creditor
wherever the SUN shines.
l5.o1of IF 10 ma
at this time, both public and private,
are appalling in amount. They have
been contracted on a bimetallic basis,
and II is now proposed to make them
payable on the basis of gold alone.
The two metals also constitute the
specie basis for such paper currency
as may be put in circulation. II silver
money is destroyed, paper circulation
must be contracted IN that proportion.
every form and kind of money must
become that much scarcer and harder
10 get in exchange for labor and the
products OF labor.
Simply Horrible.
"Such a policy is to my mind simply
horrible. have not q particle of
doubt as to the result of the contest
nov going on. The enemies of silver
Will be driven to the wall. Silver
money will not only survive but it Will
he fully restored to its old place as =
leading and controlling factor in the
developments and the progress of the
country.
teNor have I any fear for the future
strength and harmony of the Demo
cratic party. Some men may discard
its principles and abandon its organiz-
alton, but others will take their places.
81 have been in favor of the free
coinage of silver at the ratio fixed by
Jefferson all my life, and whatever
others may do, shall neither abandon
my principles nor my party. am not
unmindful of the vague cry now raised
about sound money honest money,
the career -nf-silver in American his
tory. / discover that Washington,
jefferson. Hamilton, Madison, John
Marshall and Monroe endorsed silver
money as sound and honest. and that
the same views were entertained
throughout the most important epochs
of our countryS trials, growth and
glory By Jackson. Clay, Webster, Cal
houn, Silas Wright, Marcy, Horatio
Seymour, Benton. Chase, Douglass,
Hendricks, Morton and Abraham Lin
coin
The Serpent Head.
1.-THE truth Is that danger from the
coinage and use Of silver as money in
this country never occurred to sane
MIND until EreeU, dVdficeJ UuHOIy
speculation reared its serpent head and
aimed q vicious, deadly blow at the
honored dollar OF the fathers in 1878.
Since that time we have had nothing
but financial vexation, distrust, bust
ness depression and ruinous panics.
The five years which Immediately fol-
lowed the decentralization of silver in
1873, were freIghted with more calamity
and suffering on the part Of the labor
ing and producing people than was
ever before known on this continent in
the same length of time. A wave of
confiscat ton swept over the country,
annihilating values, depriving labor of
its reward. destroying all market
prices for property, except such as
were bid at sheriff's sales. Nor did
this wretched condition of affairs show
any signs of improvement until the
partial restoration of silver TO it's
money functions took place in 1878.
The Reason For 1t.
IF / am told of this question that
silver bullion as a marketable COM
modify at this time commands low
price, my answer Is that If gold had
been conspired against, perslstentiy as
sailed by foul means as we'll as fair
stabbed in the dark and in the light
aid in the back and under the fifth
rib, and wherever else a dagger could
Re planted. for nearly a quarter of a
century past, It would be in a far
worse crippled CONDITION than silver,
10 other form Of money on the face of
he earth could have withstood. as
oliver has done, such a malignant, I'M