, 1896-10-30
CORTHBI ON DEMOCRATIC PLATF0RH.

Just At this time. when the heat O the political campaign is at the boil
the views Of NeIIs T. Gorthsn. late chairman If the democratic state commit
tss. may Be Of some ssrvce in guiding the befossed voter into the haven of
truth. Without equivocatton n evasion. Mr.. Corthell has expressed his IN
qualified c1inion Of the rank heredes Of the democratic platform. and those
views have been given honestly. for n % man in the state has been more de-
voted to democracy than he. We quote at som length his views upon the
question. a. follows:
Putting asas son of the declarations If the county platform. which. i
confess. I cannot understand. there al be nc mistake in the real meaning of
the resolution upon the silver question which demands the free and unnmit-
Cd coinage Of silver and gold into primary and redemption money It the ratio
Of II to I without waiting for tn action or approval of any other soern-
ment'
This declaration mean that the United States shall. Immediately. make
the most radical change in its money system yer attempted by any govern
1t mean. that v e shall undertake alone. without charge and for the sole
benefit Of the bullion owner, to manufature into coins all the silver mater
il which may be brought form any part Of the world.
1t means that we shall force every citizen Of this country, by law, to ac-
cet silver 1t double its real value in payment of all debts and in exchange
for his property or labor.
It means that we shall abandon all hope of establishing bimetanism and
substitute, ct ouce, . silver standard for the gold standard.
1t means that the goyernment shall, by law, join the trusts and monopo-
lies lin the conspiracy to raase prices at the expense Of the workman and the
consumer and for the benefit Of los who OWL and CONTROL tia property and
commodities ri the country
tempt to increaSs tn circulation of the blood by opening the arteries and in
jecuns milk ph water into them. These fluids may be thus forced into cir
culation busr they will simply dhnace al equal quantity of the life blood
yhc~e function they cannot perform.
( Ill were to propose the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at
the ratio Ga o I I should be justly regarded 8 al uncompromisng gold
monometalist; because Its real value is as 80 to L; and everybody knows
that a law which processes to give equal value to so cents worth of gold and
of Use and substituting the less valuable ain it's place. Yet the n pro-
posal is n o nor absurd or impossible of frution than the other. Gold at to
way from It's present intrinsic value. Either ratio would result in immediate
monometalMsm.
So it has become a question of ratios; and, under the proposed ratio of
16 o !, a question Of standards-snvero Dr. gold-not both, but one.
I have advocated the democratic policy of bimetalnsm, fully conscious
siomty u under tisr resolution 1t is now made clearly and distinctly a
question Of enforced choice; between the single silver standard, with the ue
OF ut metal. upon n ont hand; and the existing gold standard. with
the actual Use Of both metals and the possibility of IN ultimate double stand
ard, upon the other hand.
a not be any possible hesitation in making a choice. am a civilized per-
SON.. living in a civilized country and in a progressive age. I am in favor Of
the civilized and modern money standard as against the standard of uncivi-
lied and unprogressive countries
These are democratic principles 8 understand them.