Graham guardian., 1895-05-11
SILVER is POPULAR.

C0arjer-Jomaal, Senator Blackburn,
in unmistakable terms, outlines his
position on the silver question and |
boldly throws down the gauntlet
to his opponents for similar candor
on the same subject. Senator
Blackburn has written with his
own hand the statement of the pos
ition on which he expects to stand
or fall in the Senatorial race. He
declares his position as follows:
never had, have not now, and
never intend to have any secrets
in politics. / am at loss to I'M
derstand how any one, especially
in Kentucky, can remain in igor
ance as to my sentiments upon the
silver question, if they feel enough
interest in the matter to desire such
information.
"For the last twenty years, in
Congress and on the stump, at any
where and everywhere, | have
earnestly and persistently insisted
upon the restoration of the silver
metal to that place in the money
system of the country which it held
prior to the passage of that dis
asterous act OF demonetizatlon in
1878. If there is one man in public
life in all the country whose views
on the subject were entitled to be
known to all men by reason of his.
acts and utterances | had reasons to
believe / was that man.
| am in favor ofopening the mints
of this country to the unlimited
coinage of the silver metal on an
equality for the coinage of gold.
j am bimetallist. | want and
mean to continue to insist upon the
use of both metals on even terms
as the redemption money OF this
country.
l am opposed to this Govern
ment waiting for any conference to
act. Our experience with such
agencies has not been such as to
I give us either confidence or hope
of the attainment of this purpose.
ain 1892 this country, with only
100000 of people, was bold
enough to prove its self able to dis
card the monetary system of Great
Britain and established one of its
own, which for nearly hundred
years met every demand and stood
J every strain that the growth and
development of the country put
, upon it. I believe the destruction,
} entailed upon us by this demonetiza
: ton policy, of one-half of our re
demption money, has contributed
: more than any cause to this shrink
+ age of all values, the depreciation
! of all property, the stagnation OF
trade, the paralysis of industry, the
. financial troubles in which we now
: find ourselves.
z 81 have an abiding faith in the
: capacity of this parity metal to
9 work out and maintain its per
7 manent integrity with gold provid
f ed the oppressive hand of the law
g is removed and the mints of the
4 country are thrown open to its
g coinage. | believe and always die
5 believe the act of 1873 was an un
Q constitutional measure. | believe
| that the act Of 1878 would have
G been so held by the Supreme Courr
e of the United States had not part
e isan spirit dominated the action o
+ that body. This conviction | hav'
: stated in debate on the floor of tn,
7 Senate as broadly as put it here
: 81 believe we should take thi
: action at the earliest day possible
= Independent of the policies or view
s of other nations. | have an abid
y ing faith in the ability ofmy countr,
3 to establish and maintain its owl
t monatrry system. In my judg
J. ment, we are independent of fo1
l. eign dictation or domination in tn
g one as in the Other.
$ "In August, 1898, when the bill
l. proposing to repeal the PURCHASING
: clause Of what was known as tn
r Sherman act was before the Senate
.e l said in speech then and ther
fs that | wanted the right Of coinag
~ for silver, and without limitation
a, Let those who will seek to distol
,fl and prevent the issue pending, tn
aNrort will fall The merican ne,