Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1896-06-20

parity is bad in morals and is vicious N
policy. Sound thinkers upon the great
i question of the currency know from the
beginning of the experiment now lni!'e2-
1 ably and certainly it would fail. The
/ commerce of the country would be again
! thrown upon the sea of uncertainty. and
| the specter Of want would continue %
haunt us for years to come.
| Upon opening mints to the indie
| pendent free coinage of silver. foreign
| credits would be withdrawn and domestic
! credits would be greatly cnrtailei. More
| than this there would be certain and
]! sudden contraction OF our currency by
| the expulsion of $500 coo. .G0G of gold: AMI
| our paper and silver currency would in
| stantly and greatly depreciate in pur
| chasing power. But one result would
follow this-enterprise would be further
/ embarrassed, business decentralization
/ would be increased. and still further ami
| serious injury would be inflicted upon
| the aborers. the farmers. and all those
whose welfare depends upon whole
some commerce.
"A change from the present standard
to the lower silver standard would cut
down the recompense Of labor. reduce
the value of the savings in savings
banks and building ana loan associa
tions salaries and incomes would
shrink; pensions would De cut in two;
the benefcares of life Insurance would
suffer; in short, the injury would be so
universal and farreaching that a rali
cal change can be contemplated only
with the gravest apprehension.
"A sound currency is one of the essen
tial instruments in developing our com
merce. 1t is the purpose Of the repub-
! ican party not only to develop our do
mestic trade. but to extend our COM
merce to the uttermost parts of the
earth. We should not begin our contest
for commercial supremacy by destroying
our currency standard. All the leading
powers with which have to compete
suspended free silver coinage when the
| increased production Of silver forced the
commercial ratio OF silver aboga
the coming ratio to gold. Sh III
We ignore their ripe experience?
Shall We attempt what they hare
found utterly impossible? Shall 1t
be said that our standard is below
theirs?
You can not build prosperity upon a
debased or tluctuating currency. AS we'll
undertake to build upon the changing
sands Of the sea. A sound currency de-
frauds no one. It is good alike in the
bands of the empioye and employer. the
laborer and the capitalist Upon faith in
it's worth it's stability, We so forward
planning for the future. The capitalist !
erects his factories, acquires his mate
ria!s. employs his artisans. mechanics :
and laborers He is confident that his
margin will not be swept away by fiuc-
tuations in the currency The laborhr I
knows that the money earned by his toll
is as honest as his labor, ana that il is
of unquestioned purchasing power. He
like wise knows that it requires as much
labor to earn a poor dollar 5ts a good
one and he also knows that il poor
money is abroad. it surely finds its way
into his pocket We protest against low
ering our standard OF commercial honor. r
We stand against the democratic attempt
to degrade our currency to the low level
of Mexico, China. India and Japan. The
present high standard Of our currency.
cur labor and our tlas will be sacredly
protected ana preserved by the republic
can party.
There are many and important ques-
tions requiring enlightened and patriotic
judgment of the republican party. A pan
American commercial alliance was CON
ceived by James G.. Blaine, and the
highest motives Of sef-interest require
US to accomplish what he had SO We'll
begun.
Monroe Doctrine.
The Monroe doctrine must be firmly
upheld, and the powers Of the earth
made to respect this great and unHrittpn
law. There can be no farther territorial
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT by foreign governments
on the western continent.
Our devotion to the pensioners OF th2
nation was never more emphatic nor
more necessary than now. The repuI,- /
lican party believes in the development
Of our navy and merchant marine un-il
we establish oul undisputed supremacy
upon the high seas.
The struggle for Cuban liberty enlis;s
the sympathy Of TIL republican party-l
l, =,
est meaning on this continent. We wish
to see a new republic born on Cuban
soil to greet the new century. whose
dawn is already purpling the east.
My friends, the campaign Of 1896 IS
rpon us. The great questions for debate
in the august forum of the United States
are free trade and free silver against
protective tariff and sound money. As
we regard our homes and our honor our
happiness and prosperity and the future
power and majesty of the republic. let
us dedicate ourselves to the restoration
Of a protective tariff which shall be gem
timely American. and to the maintenance
Of an honest standard Of value with
which to measure the exchanges of the
people.
"A distinguished republican has said
that the supreme desire of the American
people is for an honest currency and a
chance to earn it by honest toll.
Fairbanks is a tall, slender gentleman.
His features are aquiline, forehead high.
His hair is jet black and he wears a
beard He made a strong figure he de-
Iiyered his speech in clear tones. His
voice however, lacked that penetrating |
quality which reaches out into space, and
he could be heard with difficulty by those
in remote portions of the hall. But when
his words struck a responsive chord the
answer was quick and spontaneous. As
iva, !, 1i11tr 1fEflIp he
nominees of this convention would be
triumphantly elected president and wee
president there was tumultuoUs demon
stration of applause.
This address. dealing as it did. with
review of the existing situation, was not
designed to fire the imagination. The tell
ing points Fairbanks made We're however,
appreciated and applaufed. His first ref
erence to the party's friendship for Sill
yer was marked with scattering applause
over the western and middle states dele
cations, which increased perceptply oS
the acquisition of the emphatic applause
of the eastern delegates when he added
that the party believed in the mainten-
ance of the present standard. soma
gold" shouted some enthusiastic MasSa-
chusetts delegates. The demonstration
reached a climax when he announced the
unalterable opposition Of the party 70
fifty cent dollars
Fairbanks address was iDtldii* "i
plauded throughout Certain parts OF II |
were especially cheered not only by the
convention, but by the immense audience
in the galleries. Among the points "hch |
elected special commendation were the
following: ''The government can not |
transmute silver into gold nor can IT pS
unlimited fiat make 50 cents worth ioo |
cents.
at requires as much labor TO earn |
poor dollar as it requires to earn a good |!
one.
1--WE protest against the policy Of lower
ing our commercial honor. We protest
against democratic attempts to lower |
the standard of our currency to the low |
level Of Mexico. China and Japan.
The present standard of our currency