The record-union., 1895-03-06
Address Issued to the Public By
the Bimetallic League.
HAVE NO FAITH IN EITHER DEMO
Gratis OR REPUBLICANS.
Call for the Formation of New Party
and the Nomination of Men Who
VIII Advocate the Coinage and Use
of Silver at the Ratio of sixteen to
One.
Special to the REooRD-uN1oN.

WASHINGTON, Marcn 0.-Ihe 1OlloW-
ing was to-day issued by the American
Bimetallic League, as a statement of the
issues on which the new party will or
ganize:
'The money question is now indisput-
ably the dominant issue in the United
States, and will remain so until settled
rightly. Other questions, however i'm
portant, must wait for this, which 10 a
greater or less extent involves all others.
The issue is between the gold standard
gold bonds and bank currency on the one
side, and the bimetallic standard, no
bonds and Government currency on the
other.
'First-On this issue we declare our
selves to be unalterably opposed to the
single gold standard, and demand the i'm
mediate return to the constitutional
standard of gold and silver; of the resto-
ration by this Government, independ-
entity of any foreign power of the unre-
strlcted coinage OF both silver and gold
into standard money at the ratio of l6
to !, and upon terms of exact equality,
the silver coin to be full legal tender
equal with gold in payment OF all debts
and dues, public or private.
''SecOnd-We hold that the power to
inseparabIe from the power to coin money,
and hence that all currency intended to
circulate as money should be issued and
its volume controlled by the General
Government only, and should be legal
tender.
"Third-We are unalterably opposed to
the issue by the United States of interest
bearing bonds In time of peace, and de-
mand the payment of all coin obliga
tions of the United States as provided by
existing laws in either gold or silver
coin, at the option OF the Government.
and not at the option of the creditor. On
this issue we appeal from the dictation OF
the power to the intelligence and patriot
ism of the American public.
address to the People Of the United
States: The signers of the Declaration
OF independence held that a decent re-
spect for the opinions OF mankind re-
quired that reasons should be given for
dissolying the bonds that had bound the
colonies to Great Britain, so we, who find
1t necessary to sever our relations with
the political parties with which we have
heretofore acted and form new alliances
In common cause, deem it proper that
some OF the reasons which impel us to
this action should be submitted TO a can
did public. The monetary reform for
which we contend, as above set forth is,
in our Judgment, so vital to the common
welfare and so necessary to a return of
conditions of prosperity in this country
as to preclude longer delay in the in
auguratlon Of movement, the purpose
OF which is TO bring together all who be-
ll5Ve in the necessity OF the proposed re-
form, for this object and this alone.
Those in favor OF the gold standard are
and have been united in purpose and ac-
ton. Party lines do not divide them
when this issued is raised. Differences
on other questions are then laid aside,
and together they in we'll l-beseeming
ranks march all one way
ION the other hand, those who are in
favor of a return to the constitutional
standard of gold and silver are split into
as many divisions as there are parties.
Silver Repu blicans from the West and
South, 10 the great delight of the leaders
OF the Repu bIican party, insist on con-
tending Tor their cause only within the
lines of that party, and Southern and
Western Democrats, earnest silver men,
equally to the delight of the leaders of the
Democratic party, continue the contest
on their part only within the lines of
the Democratic party. In other words,
the advocates of the blmetallic standard,
through the unrestricted coinage of sill
yer as well as gold, now contend for their
cause in organizations which are con-
trolled by the gold party. Hence, how
ever Jealous in the cause one may be, no
results are possible, because his party re-
fuses 10 carry out his views, or permit
them to be carried out.
ut is believed there are now, and has
been for twenty years, large majority of
the voters in the United States in favor
OF restoring the free coinage of both gold
and silver, but the opportunity to vote
their convictions has never been given
them, and their will has been continually
thwarted by party chicanery. There has
not been a Congress for twenty years
which, except for the influence of Exec
utive patronage or the fear of an Execu-
tive veto, would not have voted to open
the mints again to silver on the same
terms as to gold. Indeed, each house of
Congress has at different times separately
passed free coinage bills, and this action
has as often been frustrated by party
manipulatlons. 1t is as necessary, there
fore, to have a President in sympathy
with the cause as TO have a Congress in
favor of it,
But enough has been said to show the
imposslbility of gaining our cause as
long as we remain divided or fight only
in the ranks OF the gold party or in Or
ganiZations controlled by the advocates
OF the gold standard. AS well might our
fathers have expected 10 win the inde-
pendence of the colonies if, while con-
tending for the cause of liberty, they had
refused to separate from the Tories. In
dependence could never have been won by
fighting for liberty in British regiments.
And, fellow-cItiZens, this great cause
will never be won without unanimous
action. 1t will never be won unless those
who believe in it come together and elect
Congress and a President on this issue.
There Is no hope whatever that the Re-
publican party, as party, will change
its policy-give mp its gold standard and
restore the Oimetallic standard. There
are DO grounds for such hope, and we be-
r. Geve they are deluded who look for such
change of policy by this party. The
Republican party Is committed to its
leaders by it's record and by the press be-
hind 1t to the gold standard, supported
by gold bonds, and to the retirement OF
the greenbacks and the surrender OF the
issue and control of paper currency to
the banks.
mo less persistent and effective is the
control of the money power over the or
RaniZation of the Democratic party
While undoubtedly large majority OF
the members OF that party are opposed to
the gold standard, they have been power
less to control that party organization
against it, and much less to secure
through il the restoration OF the bimetal-
lie standard.
While this is the case, it cannot be ex-
pected that the Republicans will aban-
don convictions of lifetime on other
questions and go into the Democratic
party in body or into a wing of thai
party. Nor Will Democrats give up con-
victions they believe to be essential in
government and go over to the Repub.
lican party or a division OF that party
Nor is ii possible to induce Republicans
and Democrats together TO go into the
Populist party, for the reason, if nc
other, that the platform of that party con.