The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-24
S.J.CRAWFORD'S STAND
Kansas Elk Governor Raises His
Voice for Free Silver.
4 LETTER TO CHAIRMAN CARTER

Ex-Governor Samuel J. Crawford is one
of the warmest friends of silver in
Kansas
In a letter to Chairman Thomas 81.
Carter of the national Republican COM
mittee under the date of Topeka, June
Is, Governor Crawford gives his views on
the money question in most interesting
manner.
Chairman Carter believed the letter
was all right and wishing to encourage
the doctrine contained in it made it pub
lie. Among other things Governor Craw-
ford said:
s1R:-In preparing for the great battle
of '06, beg to suggest the prOpriety OF
forming our lines on the open plain in
order that all true Americans may see.
our flag and know where we stand
The present administration came into
result, the great Democratic party has
gone down and out 1t is to be hoped
the Republican party will not make the
same fatal mistake.
The American people are in favor of
American institutions, an American
policy, home rule and an independent
republic. They want to know whether
it is the American or the British flag I'M
der which they are to march; whether
Rothschilds, Belmont, Morgan & Co, or
the American people are to dictate the
financial policy of this government
Heretofore our government and people
have been using gold, silver and paper
money, each convertible into the other.
and all legal tender But now we are
told by the Britons and their allies, who
seek to manage and control the financial
policy and commercial industries of the
world, that we must adopt the single
standard of gold; that silver and paper
money are unsound and dishonest When
did the silver and paper money of the
United States become dishonest? Ger
tainIy not before the close of the late
war, nor while our many vast Industries
and long lines of railway were being
constructed and pnt in operation. nor IN
til countless millions of it had been
loaned to the people who pledged their
homes and farms as security.
Now, all of a sudden, we are told that
this money is dishonest, and that we
must adopt the single standard of gold.
Yes. black Friday every thirty days
of ndebtedness with gold when every
dollar of it is either buried in the sub
treasury or hid away in the vaults of the
banks? How can we employ the labor
or carry on business without money?
The business of the country is tran
sacted with national bank notes, which
are not legal tender, and silver and sill
yer certificates. And as a result business
is stagnant, half the labor unemployed,
half the mines closed, half the machinery
idle, half the debtors delinquent, and
half the people suffering miseries IN
| told.
This is not right. and no party can live
that attempts to fasten such conditions
upon the people. When the gold stand
ard advocates were in the act of driving
the United States notes out of circulation
they called them "rag money" Now,
when they want to get rid of silver, SO
as to give them complete control of the
money of the country, they call it "dis-
| homes" money
If the silver dollars are dishonest w hat
becomes of the silver certificates. Take
both away and permanently retire the
paper money issued by the government,
and what shall we have as a circulating
medium? The single standard of honest
| gold at a premium as low as the greed
and avarice of Rothschilds, Belmont, Nor
gan 6 Co. will permit. OF course, the
national bank notes will be left but how
many of them will it take to buy an hon
est gold dollar.
If there is not gold enough in the
world to do the business of New York
city for single day, where, please tell
me, will the people of this country get
| the money required to pay off countless
millions of mortgage Indebtedness?
Where will they get money with which
to carry on business? Such a scheme
might for the time being result bene
ficially for those who force it upon the
country, but tell you the end would be
bitter
The American people will not submit
| 70
obliged to have money with which tc
transact business. They are obliged tc
live. Silver money came in with the
constitution and it will live as long as the
constitution lives. If it is dishonest oul
Revolutionary fathers were dishonest. II
it does not suit the English government
and people that is their misfortune. no
our fault. 1t is the money of this coun-
try and it is here to stay.
| The Republican party received a SLAP
square in the face for stopping the coin
age of silver in 1873.
The Democratic party blotted itself
out of existence by repeating the silver
purchasing act and giving nothing in
lieu thereof. And now it remains fol
the Republican party to either follow
the wake of Democracy and go down
and out, or heed the demands of the
country and establish itself in the hearts
of the people.
There is no middle ground Those
who are in favor of single gold stand
ard are opposed to silver and legal ten
der paper money, and no perversion o.
language or ambiguity in platforms car
make it otherwise. If England and Ger
many want a single gold standard, le
them have it. If they want to place thei
industries at the mercies of a few men
who deal exclusively in money, let then
do it. That is their business, not ours
They have nothing we need; we have
much they are obliged to have. The
countries from which we buy the thing
we need-sugar, coffee, tea, etc, are sill
yer countries. With them let Us hav'
reciprocity and do our trading.
Let US coin free our own silver ant
the legal tender silver dollars from othe
free coinage countries, and levy a heav.
duty on all imported silver ores ant