The herald., 1896-10-18
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: THE DESTINY OF FREE SILVER !;


Herald, and handed to The Herald for
simultaneous publication:
Permit me, through your heroic pa
per, to send greetings from 1000 silver
Republicans of Los Angeles county to
the patriots of Nebraska, who are do
ing battle for humanity under the lead
ership of William Jennings Bryan.
This Republican adjunct is but frac-
tion of that mighty force in California
which is today doing heroic service in
the army of Bryan upon the bimetallic
platform adopted by the Chicago con-
vention.
We have no apology to offer for our
action, nor other explanation than to
point to the traditions and record of
the Republican party for the past twen-
ty years for ourlfull justification.
Every national platform Of the Re-
publican party for the last sixteen
years has declared the purpose of the
party to give back to the common people
of this country their lost opportunities,
resulting from the destruction of one
half of the constitutional money OF the
country in 1873. Every prominent Re-
publican in the party, in and out of con-
gress, in every campaign and upon ev-
cry Occasion of public speech has taken
upon himself to honestly sdenounce the
tragedy of 1873 and 1898 as not only sub
versive of the peoples rights, but, when
viewed in the light of an economic
American policy, little else than an act
Of overt treason:
Major Mckinley the nominee Of what
was once the Republican party for the
office of president of the United States,
If not the most aggressive, was among
the most uncompromising denuncia-
tors of the peoples wrong above allud-
ed to up to the time of his nomination.
Upon that important day some magic
spell seems to have reversed the cur
rents of thought and feeling Of those
plastic leaders.
The "Cleve1and-C Carlisle" policy of
finance, SO dangerously wrong in the
estimation of Major Mckinley and
which had received his public denuncia-
ton as a ruinous policy to the entire
debtor class of the American people n
few weeks prior to the st. Louis con-
vention, became at once and without
change of heart his Praise Anthem.
The cause of the American people, so
dear to the Republican party in all the
past, was abandoned by the ST. Louis
convention, and the great working ma
chinery of the once Republican party
was turned over to the Cleveland De-
mocracy and the gold syndicates of the
country.
Political policies may change, and of
necessity do change, when overpower-
ing conditions require-but true prin-
ciples never.
If the gold standard policy of President
Cleveland, seconded and abetted by the
minions of Wall street and London, is
wrong under the administration of Mr..
Cleveland, we cannot see how it is to
be made right by simply changing the
name of the president to Mckinley.
There is no longer that saving difference
between the gold standard policy of
President Cleveland and that expressed
in, ov.txy y,>1, f%x
party which in times past has been the
mainstay of the peoples hope.
If the policy Of the Republican party
for the last sixteen years has been hon
est and designed to promote the high
est interests of the masses of the people,
and no new political conditions having
arisen to require so radical a change,
we cannot see wherein the present at
titude of the Republican party can ever
be justified.
1t is nowhere urged that any unlocked
for exigency has arisen, rendering the
abandonment of the peoples interests
even justifiable, but rather it is admit
ted that while the propelling power of
e the party love the people no less they
love the gold standard more
Universal and progressive deprecia-
tion is upon the whole country; visiting
it's consequences upon the producing
masses of the people. TlZs is no new
condition. Every Republican within the
party or anywhere else, with common
observation, and especially Major Nc
Kinley, has recognized this deplorable
condition of affairs. since the day the
American congress laid violent hands
upon the Constitution of the United
States and without the knowledge or
consent of the people removed from its
solemnly enacted provisions the right
and power of the people to coin and use
silver as debt paying and legal tender
money.
By this act one-half of the standard
money of this country was stricken
down, leaving the entire debtor class OF
four-fifths Of the people, hopelessly and
helplessly in debt and powerless to
evade the consequences of greatly ap-
preciated and restricted monetary sup
ply.
The immortal Abraham Lincoln said
eff the government contract debt with
a certain amount of money in circula-
ton, and then contract the money
volume before the debt was paid, it is
the most heinous crime that a govern
ment could commit against the people.
Never while truth remains in the
world will this sentiment be success
fully assailed. If such is true as applied
to a nation, why is it rot equally true
when applied to the Conditions of the
people of nation?
That scarcity of money makes dear
money and that dear money reduces the
value of every commodity for which
money is exchanged, is of course uni
versally admitted by all persons having
ordinary comprehension.
The demonstration of silver in 1877;
was the elimination of a stealthy
scheme of the gold power of the world
whereby it was enabled to corner ESQ tc
speak) the full legal tender medium OF
the United States, and in the language
of Mr.. Pitt, subjugated to monetary
slavery the people who could not be
bound by political chains. 1t was, to say
the least, a gigantic stroke of financia
policy, wholly wanting in moral justifi.
cation, unpatriotic, un-American. anc
fraught with consequences to the pro-
ducing masses of the American people
more appalling than all the wars, pes
tilences and famines of the world"
This outrage upon the American peo-
pie was perpetrated by the congress OF
the United States at a time when that
body was safely Republican, and dur
ing the continuance Ct an otherwise
prosperous and peaceful Republican
administration.
The Silver Republicans of California
propose to remain where the Republican
party has ever professedly stood since
that memorable event until the day o1
the surrender of the party at st. Louis
to the gold syndicates of the world.
AS our political orgsOization betrayed
the people in 1873, we do not propose tc
q Iia n don them in their desperation now