St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-21
TALKS TO CARLISLE
Senator Blackburn Issues a
Challenge to the Admin
istration.
he is FOR FREE COINAGE
1T the Ratio Of Sixteen to
One Regardless Of Con-
sequences.
AN HONEST MONEY LEAGUE.
knti-Silver Democrats of Illi-
nois Form a New Asso-
citation.
he is FOR FREE COINAGE
AN HONEST MONEY LEAGUE.

LOUISVILLE, April 20.-In an
interview given below, publlshed III
today's Courier-Journal, 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.
With his usual aggressiveness, the
senator almost dares his opponents
to meet him on the issue he pre-
sents, and it may be assumed that
the challenge will be promptly ac-
cepted. Though Senator Blackburn
has persistently and repeatedly been
solicited for an exact expression
through the newspapers of his views
on silver, he has heretofore declined
to be interviewed, and the state
ment given today is the first and
only interview to which he has
given authority. Senator Black
burn has written with his own hand
the statement of the position on
which he expects to stand or fall in
the senatorial race. His challenge
to his opponents is that they eX-
press their views as candidly as he
does his through the columns of the
Courier-Journal, that their position
may become as widely known as
his own and that the people may de-
eide between them. Senator Black
burn arrived in this city Thursday,
and is stopping at the Willard hotel.
In response to the reiterated in
quiry concerning his present posi-
ton on the coinage question, he yes
terday prepared the following state
ment as an authoritative expression
of his views, and answers to the
criticisms that have been based on
erroneous or misleading reports
of alleged interviews.
BLACKBURN'S VIEWS.
eff / have heretofore shown any
indisposition to be interviewed by
you gentlemen who represent the
daily papers of the city, it has not
been because of my purpose to con-
ceal from the people my views upon
any public question, but because 1
was anxious to avoid, if possible
a perversion and distortion to which
my utterances have generally (of
course, Internationally been SUBJ
jected. 1 never had, have not now
and never intend to have any secrets
in politics. 1 never did and never
will ask the support of the people
without giving them the fullest in
formation as to my position and SEN
timents. 1 am at a loss to under
stand how any one, especially in
Kentucky, can remain in ignorance
as to my sentiments upon the silver
question if they feel enough interest
in the matter to desire such infor-
nation. For the last twenty years.
in congress and on the stump, any,
where and everywhere, 1 have ear
nestly and persistently insisted upon
the restoration of the silver metal
to that place in the money system
of the country which it had always
held prior to the passage of that
disastrous act of demonetization
passed in 1873. If there is one man
In public life in all the country whose
views upon this subject were en-
titled to be known of all men by
reason of his acts and utterances.
mad reason to believe that
I WAS THAT MAN.
held an opinion nor made an utter
ance that 1 have in the slightest de-
gree altered or modified in all these
years. Yet, if there is any still un-
Informed who desires to know what
my views are, 1 will reiterate them
In the shortest space possible, by saw
ing that l am in favor of opening
the mlnts of this country to the un-
limited coinage of silver metal on an
equality with gold 1 am opposed
to gold monometallism, and Just as
much opposed to silver monometal-
hsm; without reservation or evasion
am a bimetallist 1 want and mean
10 continue to insist upon the use of
both metals on even terms as the re-
demption money of this country. I
would be glad to see this result
brought about by the action of an in
ternatonal conference, provided that
1t could be done without delay. am
opposed to this government waiting
for any such conference to act. Our
experience with such agencies has
not been such as to give US either
confidence or hope for the attain
ment of this purpose. Upon the con-
trary, our participations in such con-
ferences have in their very barren
ness become
FARCICAL AND RIDICULOUS.
In 1892, this country with only
four millions of people was bold
enough to prove itself able to dis
card the monetary system of Great
Britain and establish one of it's own,
which for nearly a hundred years
met every demand and stood every
strain that the growth and develop
ment of the country put upon it, ]
believe that the destruction (entailed
upon US by this characterization
policy of one half our redemption
liOiSy mas hliipulSu hioie lndL
any cause to the shrinkage of all
values, the depreciation of all prop
erty, the stagnation of trade, the
paralysis of industry-the financial
troubles in which we now find our
selves. Whilst it may be true thai
the restoration of silver to its place
of unrestricted coinage and unlim-
sted legal tender function may moi