The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-18

Tt provides that We VIII maintain the
gold standard in this country until the
principal nations of the world shall
agree that we may do otherwise. This
is the first great gathering Of RepubH-
cans since this party was organized,
that has declared the inability of the
American people to control their own
affairs. (All the silver delegates rose
in a body al this point and hOwIed their
approval of the sentimenD-
do you believe that the American
people are too weak to actually main
tain a financial system commensurate
with the greatness of the country of
their own fruition?
"Gentlemen of the convention, you
would have bimetallic agreement with
all the great commercial nations of the
world and it cannot be obtained; so this
is a declaration that the gold standard
is to be put upon this country and kept
there for all time. Do you believe that
Great Britain, the great commercial
nation of the world, our powerful COM
petitor in commerce and trade, will
ever agree to open her mints to the free
coinage of silver? Or consent that we
shall open ours as long as she has the
advantage Of lower prices or declining
values chat have brought this country
by the adoption of a gold standard in
1878, to a partial demonetization.
we are the great debtor nation of
the world. Great Britain is the great
creditor. We pay her every year mill
lions and hundreds of millions of dol
lars as income on her investments in
this country on her loans. The gold
standard in my judgment lowers prices
and decreases values. And she buys of
US millions and millions more than she
sells. She buys upon a gold standard
at a lower and depreciatiug standard.
How long do you think it would be be
fore she win agree to assist in raising
values in this country? 1t is a solemn
declaration that the ItepuDHcan party
intends to maintain lower prices and
stagnate business for all time to come.
CCheers from the silver states There
is q beautiful provision in this platform
about the tariff [ subscribe to that.
Applause and cheers from all over the
house believe in a. protective tariff.
applause / have advocated ii for so
years [applausel but it is my solemn
conviction that a protective tariff cannot
be maintained UP gold standard. TAP
plause and cheers from the silver peo-
ple-l The tariff protection principle IS
for the raising of the price of human
toll; it is for giving to the producers
ample compensation for his labor; the
gold standard on the contrary every
where that it is enfOrced' it is for the
purpose of reducing values.
Now, to you, gentlemen of the con-
ventiOn, I am led to make this simple
objection as to the protective system.
that it is in danger, and I viii call
your attention to one other fact and
then leave it to your Judgment whether
this platform shall be adopted or re-
jected. Under existing conditions we
undoubtedly have the sold standard.
do not deny that But what I have
sought for years is to change it to the
himetallic system I have believe q,
and now believe, that when the Al
mighty created these two metals he
intended that the world should use
them for the uses for which they were
created (applause) and when he bless
ed this land of ours with more gold
and more silver than any other cOuu-
try in the world, he meant that we
should use them for the purpose for
which they were intended to-wit: the
use by the people as standard money
And today YOU would reverse the ira
ditiOns of our country and declare we
viii use only one.
If the American people are in favor
of that have nothing to say I must
submit to the majority vote, and the
majority voice i'm this country is yours
I do not believe this party Of ours. is it
could be polled. is in favor Of the gold
standard I believe that so per cant
of the people are in favor of bimetal-
1ism of the old fashioned kind that ex-
isted in this country up to 1873
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the
convention, I promised you that I