The record-union., 1895-04-30

Special to the RECOaD-UNToE.
INDIANAPoLIs, April 20. = Senator
voorhees,, in talk to-day with the ,Senti-
nets Washington correspondent, made
the following statements Of his views III
regard to the free coinage of silver:
Il do not regret the agitation Of the sill
/ Yer question. Sooner or later it has to be
definitely settled whether the labor pro-
ducing people of this country can be
bullied out of their debt-producIng
money or whether they will stand up
like free men and protect and de-
tend the money named and pro-
vided for in the Constitution-gold
and silver both-not one of the
precious metals alone, but both. and OH
terms and conditions as to coinage and
Use of absolute equality. That is the
question immediately before US, and no
better time than now will ever be found
| for its settlement.
The tariff Will not return to plague US
again for years 10 come. II has been so
widely and equitably adjusted that no
attempt at general revision is now IN
! contemplation in any quarter. There is
no longer any issue in regard to the Fed
eral election laws and the threat ofthe bay
onet at the ballot-boX. No great national
fHSSNl'h II az lll1s llIilS III lilG '" dJ Ol tut
full, free, fair discussion of money, cur
rency, precious metals, ratios, standards
OF value, units OF account and payment,
and tho bearings which all these things
have on the general welfare of the great
| body OF the American people. The sill
Yer question itself is also palmer to the
view, less obScured by the craft of its
enemies than at any time since the as
sassInatlon of silver money took place in
1873. There are no legislative switches
now III existence to lead the people away
from the main track. y o cowardIy max e.
shifts or insincere shams can any longer
hearken discussion or betray honest
councils.
The Sherman Act, which was con-
| celyed III rancorous hostility to silver,
and brought forth into law by an in
! iquitous betrayal of silver's free coinage.
| has been Uuriad in an unhonoreG grave,
| over which no lament will ever be heard.
II have never been willing to admit
! that our system OF currency should be
! dictated by England or other foreign
! countries, and | repel that idea now.
The real and vital issue now presented
! to the American people is the proposed
| elimination OF silver frOm our currency,
| It's total overthrow and destruction as
| money metal and the use Of gold alone.
! / his Is what Is now meant by the move
| mont against tree coinage of silver, what
! ever disclaimers may be made to the con-
! tray. This movement means the destruc-
/ ton of one-balf OF the debt uaying money
OF the United States, and of the world.
If 1t should be SO, u would double the
| burdens OF every debtor and multiply the
gains and income OF every creditor wher-
ever the sun shines.
| The debts of the American people at
this time, both public and private, are
appalling in amount. They have been
contracted on bimetallic basis, and it is
! now proposed to make them payable on
the basis OF gold alone. The two metals
also cons i.ute the specie basis for such
paper currency as may be pat III circula-
| ton. II silver money Is destroyed, paper
| circulation must be contracted in that
! proportion. Every form and kind of
money must become that much scarcer
and harder to get in exchange for labor
and the products OF labor.
such a policy is, TO nay mind, simply
! horrible. / have not particle of doubt
| as to the result OF the contest now going
! on. The enemies OF silver will be driven
| to the wall. silver money will not unIy
survive, but it will be fully restored to It's
old place as leading ahd controlling
! factor III the development and the progress
of the country. Nor have | any fear for
! the future strength and harmony of the
| Democratic party. Some may discard its
| principles and abandon its organization.
| but others will take their places.
! 81 have been in favor of the free coin
age Of silver at the ratio fixed by JetTer-
son all my life, and whateyer others may
| do, l shall nether abandon my princi-
! plies nor my party. am not unmludful
/ OF the vague cry now raised about sound
! money, honest money, and it causes me
| To glance back over the career Of silver
! i'll American history. | discover that
| Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madi-
| son, - ohm Marshal! and Monroe indorsel
! silver money as sound and honest. and
! that the same views were entertained
J throughout the most important eDochs of
our country's trials, growth and glory
| by Jackson, Clay, Webster, Calhoun, ST.
las Wright. Marcy, Horatio Seymour.
| Benton, Chase, Douglass, Hendricks
! Morton and Lincoln,
'Ihe truth is, that the danger from the
! coinage and use of silver as money in
this country never occurred to q sane
mind until greed, avarice, unholy specu-
! lation reared its serpent head and aimed
vicious, deadly blow at the honored
dollar OF the fathers in 1873. Since tina;
time we have mad nothing but financial
vexation, distrust, business depression
and ruinous paDics.
The five years which Immediately
| followed the demonetiZation OF silver in
1913 were treighted with more calamity
and suffering Oh the part Of the laboring
and producing people than was over be-
fore known on this continent in the same
! length Of time. A wave of coutiscatior
swept over the country, annihiIatiug
values, dcpriving labor OF it's reward, de-
stroying all market prices for property
except such as were bid at Sheritt's s sales
Nor Cd this wretched condition of affairs
show any signs OF improvement until the
partial restoration Of silver TO its money
funcL!oa6 look place'in 1878.
''It am told oi.thiS question that silver
bullion as a marketable commodity at
this Iine commands low price, my
answer is thai il gold had been conspired
against, persistently assaulted by foul
means, as well as tair, stabbed in the
dark and III The light, and IN the back
and under the fifth rib, and wherever
else dagger could be planted for nearly
a quarter OF a century past. il would be
in far worse crippled condition than
silver. No other form OF money on the
face OF the earth could have withstood, as
silver mas done, such malignant, un-
sparing crusades as the last twenty-five
| years have witnessed in this country.
'.It still holds its place in the affections
and confidence of the people. Battered,
bruised and tattered as it has been, YET it
| Will buy to-day all that gold will buy
ana pay ali the debts that gold Will pay,
! unless special contract has been made
| for gold. The American people will
never give II UP, and the sooner the min
| ions OF aggressive, ins0lent, consolidated
! wealth aud arrogant apostles OF gold mo-
nometalllsm Ieaslze and act upon this
| tact the better and safer il will be for
them IN the future of this country,
! I'm every State and Territory, from the
western side OF the Allegheny Mountains
to the Pacific Coast, silver has been