The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-01
A MUCH-TOLD LIE EXPOSED.

Ex-Representative Bryan, of Nebras-
ka, heraided few years ago as a free
trade statesman of the boy orator vari-
of the propaganda of the silver-mine
owners, has insisted on lauding the late
James G.. Blaine as a statesman, to the
end that he might put that distinguished
man in the list of his advocates Of free
silver coinage. For this purpose he
quotes a small portion of Mr.. Blaine's
speech of Feb. z, 1878. declaring that
Congress has no power to demonetize
either gold or silver. and that If this had
been done, which he did not aver, the
demonetized metal should be restored to
money power under the most favorable
conditions, which, as Mr.. Blaine then
believed, was to put enough silver into
a dollar to make 1t worth as much as
gold dollar If the restoration of silver
could not be effected by international
action. Because Mr.. Blaine said these
things these constituencies advocates
of the bonanza mine owners are pro-
claiming that the Maine statesman was
in favor OF the free coinage of silver
by the United States at the ratio of 16 to
1 at date when sixteen pounds of sill
yer were not equal in value to one pound
of gold. Those Of them who have read
the whole Of that speech know that he.
declared positively against such coin
age, as the following extracts from Mr.
Blaine's speech in the Senate of Feb
z. 1873. show:
The question before Congress, then
sharply defined in the pending House bill
is, whether 1t is now safe and expedient
TO 0ner free coinage to the silver dollar of
4l2ls grains. with the minis o. the Latin
Union closed and Germany not permitting
silver to be coined as money. At the cur
rent rates of silver, the free coinage of
dollar containing 4121z grains. worth in gold
about 81 cents, gives an Legitimate profit
to the owner Of the bullion, enabling him
to take go cents worth of ii to the mint
and get 1t stamped as coin and force his
neighbor to take II for full dollar. This
Is an undue and unfair. advantage which
the government has no right to give to the
owners Of silver bullion. and which de-
frauds the man who is forced to take the
dollar And il assuredly follows that If we
give free coinage 10 TINS dollar OF inferior
at the expense OF our better coinage in
gold; and unless we expect the uniform
and invariable experience of other ma
lions to be in some mysterious way
pended for our peculiar benefit, we inevi-
tably lose our gold coin. 1t will flow out
from us with the certainty and resistless
force Of the tides of the ocean.
Consider what injustice would Oe done to
every holder of a legal tender o. a national
bank note. The vast volume of our paper
money-over 500 zoo. OO0-is now worth 9S or
80 cents the dollar in gold coin. The
holders OF Ii, who are our entire popula-
ton, have been promised from the hour of
it's issue that the paper money would one
day be as good as gold. To make silver
dollar worth but go cents precipitates upon
the, holders of these greenbacks and ma
ti0nal bank notes loss OF well nigh sixty
millions Of dollars. Were Congress
to pass a law to-day declaring that. every
note shall hereafter pass for only 96 or 81
cents on the dollar, there is not con-
stituency in the land that would re-elect
a man who should support 1t, and In many
lucky If he escaped with merely minority
vote.
So much Of Mr.. Blaine's speech thus
early in the silver contention is given
because he is constantly being quoted
as an advocate of free coinage under any
and to show that seventeen
years ago he first outlined what has
since become the policy of the Republic
an party. There are said to be few
men who claim to be Republicans who
are quoting Mr. Blaine as a free COIN
age advocate. 1t Is time that they stop
repeating such Islander against
man who can no longer speak for him.
SELF AS for Mr.. Bryan. no one expects
that he will cease this Misrepresentation.
There are men who believe that lie
well stuck to is better than the truth.