The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-07-21
Hon. Frank M. Nye's Speech Before the
Minnesota Silver Convention.

extremes. There is an element t. It
would destroy and tie downfall
would conhscate the fruits of patient
industry and thrift and reduce all
wealth TO the possession of the idle
as we'll as the thrifty, the vicious as
we'll as the honest. the criminal as
we'll as the law-abiding.
There is another element, unyield-
ing, exacting and despotic. It sits
upon the throne OF the world and
arrogates to itself the right to rule
by the power of wealth. 1t is unfeel
ing and inconsderate of the natural
rights of mankind. 1t worships at
shrines of gold and it seeks to crush
all beneath it, who refuse to bow to
it's heal tless, soulless and selfish god
see before me a body of conserva-
tive, loyal men, who have ever helped
to restrain lawless ness, to uphold
law and order and TO preserve the
strength, the honor and dignity OF
the government and of all our cherish
ed institu tions. You belong to that
great body OF men who are builders
and not destroyers; you have stood
as barriers against every violent and
vicious element in our country, in
political and social life the defenders
of that which is best and noblest in
our national character.
Today, under the same proud ban
ner of good and patriotic citizenship,
you march face to face in determined
battle against the other extreme, that
power of combined, organized and
legalized selfshness whose insolence
and greed are as great menace to a
a free people as anarchy itself. The
same honest, fearless, law-abidine
citizens, you have chosen today the
path which leads midway between
these two extremes, the only path OF
safety, OF high and lasting national
honor and patriotism. 1t is the path
of equity and right. Your lamp is
conscience, your star is faith and
your goal is absolute and peri ct jus
tice to all men; Justice which while it
studiously protects wealth does not
forget the poor and oppressed; justice
which pays every honest debt wit
honest money, but with money thai
shall be as honest for the poor man
AS for the rich man, for the debtor as
for the creditor, for the borrower as
for the lender; a money which shall
with 81 ability, fairness and honesty
measure labor and the products OF
labor with as perfect justice to the
producer as to the mere hoarder of
wealth.
would stir no storm of passion OF
hate. would rather counsel mOder
alton and prudence, but | believe in
that faith which is born of conscienc.
and conviction, and when conscience
is once satisfied, man should be firm.
determined, uncompromising and
unyielding until be is shown that he
is in error.
They tell US all the country needs
is to restore confidence. believe my
self that confidence is one of the chic,
corner-stones of national prosperity
But confidence is what? In gold
alone? No. In silver alone? No.
In reciprocity alone? No. In tariff
eitherfor protection or revenue alonei
No. Not in all these combined hal
so much as confidence in the people.
Confidence in the hearts and con
sciences and souls of the great COM
mon, plain producing people of this
country. am frank to admit tina,
the great lack of confidence today is
not wholly due to bad legislation. II
is no doubt in part due to habits of
feverish speculation, extravaganza
and lack of business integrity too
common in the day and age in which
we live What seems to be lack OF
confidence is in fact an over confidence
Of mankind in the mere VII tue OF
money itself We have gone to the
extreme of naturalization and have
esteemed wealth greater than the
source of wealth. We have forgotten
that the element Of our true greatness
is in the heart and brain and soul.
the bone and sinew ofthe honest PEG
Ma Of An,nrica We have fnrnntten