Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-07-17

} viduals the power to make pen al stat
utes or levy taxes.
Mr.. Jefferson, who was once re
garded as good Democratic author
ity, seems to have had different
opinion from the gentlemen who have
addressed us on the part of the minor
ity. Those who are opposed to thi.
} proposition tell us the issue of paper
. money is function of a bank, anC
that the government ought to 60 ou
of the banking business. ! stant
with Jefferson rather than with them
and tell them. as he did, that the issue
J of money is function of the govern
ment, and that the banks ought to &C
out OF the government business.
"They complain about the plank
which declares against life tenure oI
Office. They have tried to strain it tc
mean that which it does not mean
What we oppose in that plank is the
life tenure being built at Washington
which excludes from participation in
benefits the humber members of our
society. / cannot dwell longer in my
limited time. (Cries of "Go on"
go onvO
"Let me call attention to two OF
three great things. The gold man
from New York says he will propose
an amendment providing that this
change in our law shall not affect con.
tracts already made. Let me remind
him that there is no intention OF af-
fecting those contracts, which, accord
ing to the present laws. are made pay
able in gold. But if he means to say
we cannot change our monetary sys.
tenn without protecting those who
have loaned money before the change
was made, want to ask him where in
law or in morals he can find authority
for not protecting debtors when the
act OF 1873 was passed, but now in
sists that we must protect the credit
ors. He says he also wants to amend
this law and provide that il We fail to
maintain parity within year that we
will then suspend the coinage OF sill
yer. We reply that when we advocate
that which we believe will be success
full, we are not compelled to raise
doubt as to our sincerity by trying to
show what we will do if we can.
ask him if he will apply his logic to
us. why he does not apply it to him.
self. He says he wants this country
to try TO secure an international
agreement? There is more reason for
him to do that than for us to fail to
maintain parity. They have tried
for 80 years-for 80 years-to secure
an international agreement, and those
who are waiting for it most patiently
do not want it at all.
"Now, my friends, let me come to
the great, paramount issue. If they
ask us here why we say more on the
money question than we say on the
tariff question, reply that, if protec-
ton has slain its thousands, the gold
standard has slain its tens of thous-
ands. II they ask us why we did not
embody all these things in our plat.
form which we believe, we reply to
them that when We have restored the
money of the constitution all other
necessary reforms will be possible and
until that is done, there is not a re-
form that can he accomplished.
"Why is it that within three
months such change has come over
the sentiments of this country?
Three months ago, when it was con-
fidently asserted that those who be-
lieved in the gold standard would
frame our platform and nominate our
Presidential candidate. even the advo-
Gates of the gold standard did not
think We could elect a President I;
but they had a good reason for sus.
picion, because there is scarcely a
State here to-day asking for the gold
standard that is not within absolute
control OF the Republican party.
"But note the change. Mr.. Nc
Kinley was nominated at St. Louis
upon platform that declared for the
maintenance of the gold standard
until it should be changed into BIZ
metallism by international agree
ment. Mr.. Mckinley was the most
popular man among the Republican
party, and everybody, three months
ago, in the Republican party,
prophesied his election. How is it
to-day? What about that man who
used to boast that he looked like Ma.
poleon? That man shudders to-day
when he thinks that he was nomi-
mated on the anniversary of the bat
tie Of Waterloo. Not only that, but
as he listens, he can hear with ever
increasing distinctness the sound of
the waves as they beat upon the lonely
shores OF st. Helena.
"Why this change? All, my friends,
is not the change evident to any one
who will look at the matter? 1t is no
private character, however pure; no
personal popularity, however great,
that can protect from the avenging
wroth of an indignant people. We
60 forth confident that we shall win.
Why? Because, upon the paramount
issue in this campaign there is not q
spot of ground upon which they will
dare to challenge battle. Why, il