Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-15
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country have been bound hand and foot
and turned over t, the gold bug monty
lenders Of Europe and the rascals Of VAN
street." and are likely to be made hewersN
OF wood and drawers of water forever"
Grover Cleveland and John G. Carlisle
will go down the ages, hand in hand, amid
the excavations Of mankind. as two of the
most stupendous frauds of the century,"
cried Mr.. Hill of Missouri.
The chairman announced that ex-Con-
gresham Turner Of New York is a recent
convert to free silver, and he introduced
Mr. Turner. who told of his conversion.
then called upon and responded to an
noUnce that he still feels the same in
terest in silver that he has always felt
He said the free silver men can control
vocated making the fight for silver entirely
within the democratic party, and II failure
is met now to continue the fight later.
Representative Lockhart of North Caro-
lima was called upon and made a brief but
pleasing speech. He Is new member of
the House. Mr.. Lockhart is a man of
commanding presence, good address and
has a ready flow of language and a mag
netic manner.
Mr.. Lockhart said the free silver people
cannot win the respect of their opponents
by denouncing them. The way to success
lies through calm, business-like presen-
tation Of the principles Of free coinage
to the people Of the land, showing them
why silver coinage is best for them.
Mr.. Bodine of Missouri spoke of the mis-
Representations of the metropolitan press
upon the silver situation throughout the
country. and sad delegates should tell the
conference the facts.
The Committee on Resolutions.
At this point the committee on resolu-
tons, which had been struggling with the
question of policy and program since yes
terday afternoon, came in.
Senator John w. Daniel of Virginia, as
chairman of the committee. made its re-
pert. Senator Daniel said the result of
the deliberations was the work Of several
subconmittees.
Governor Stone of Missouri then read
the address to the people prepared by
the committee. He said it is the same
address issued by the democratic conven-
ton in Mississippi. 1t is as follows:
Address to the People.
At a conference between number of
democrats from different states who at
tended tie non-partisan convention re-
Gently assembled at Memphis, Tenn, for
the purpose Of promoting the cause of
free silver coinage, which conference was
held after the adjournment of the conven-
ton, committee, consisting of Senators
Jones of Arkansas, Turpie of Indiana and
Harris of Tennessee. was appointed and
authorized to invite representative demo-
Gratis from the several states to meet them
at Washington for consultation, with the
view Of securing cooperation and concert
Of action among those democrats through
out the Union who believed in adhering to
the cardinal democratic policy of actual BIZ
metallism. and who are opposed to COM
hitting the party to the plutocratic doc
trine of gold monometallism. The present
conference is the result of the action then
taken. This is purely voluntary assem-
blage. Therefore 1t does not assume to
speak with party authority.
Disclaiming all right to bind any person
by our utterances, but profoundly con-
sciou3 that the democratic party today
confronts crisis the most momentous In
its history and fraught with far-reaching
perils to the people and the country. We
are assembled as Individual democrats TO
take counsel together and for the undis
guised purpose of inaugurating and pro-
noting a thorough and systematic organ
ization of the democratic masses, so that
they may go forward as one man with a
resolute purpose to rescue the old party
founded by Thomas Jefferson from pluto
cratic domination.
Gold and silver Money.
Therefore, with this object in view, this
convention of American democrats, COM
posed Of representatives from twenty-four
of the leading states Of the Union, make
the following declaration on the monetary
question, which has been forced into the
The federal Constitution names silver and
gold together as the money metal Of the
United States. The first coinage law pass
ed by Congress under the Constitution made
the silver dollar the unit Of value and adj
mitted gold to free coinage at ratio meas
ured by the silver dollar unit.
From the beginning of the government
following policy formulated by Thomas
Jefferson and firmly eSta olished by Jackson
the democratic party has been the party Of
bimetallism, favoring the free coinage Of
both silver and gold at the national minis.
and opposed to farming out to banking
corporations the governments sovereign
power of issuing and controlling the money
of the people.
The act of 1873 demonetzing silver was
surreptitiously passed without the approval
OF knowledge of the American people, and
from the time when the effect Of this act
in fastening upon this country the single
gold standard was understood, the demo-
cratic party has consistently and persist
emily urged that the grievous wrong be
righted.
Result of the Act of 1873.
Failure to accomplish this object has re-
suited in the steady appreciation OF gold
and a corresponding fall in the price of
commodities produced by the people. A
heavy increase in the burden of all debts,
public and private; the enrichment of the
money lending class; paralysis of Industry
and the impoverishment Of the people and
unexampled distress in oil gold standard
countries. Experience has shown that
while under the gold standard there may
be an occasional revival of business activ-
ity, accompanied by enhanced prices Of a
limited number of commodities, such re-
vival is due to artificial and temporary
causes, and cannot permanently alleviate
the sufferings due to the falling of prices
brought about by the appreciation of gold
and the inadequate supply of primary or
redemption money.
The rights of the American people, the
interests Of American labor and the pros
perity Of American industry have higher
claim to the consideration of the peoples
law makers than the greed of foreign
creditors or the avaricious demands made
by idle holders of idle capitalists" The
right to regulate its own monetary system
in the interests of its own people is a
right which no free government can bar
ter. sell or surrender. This reserved right
is part of every bond, of every contract