The record-union., 1896-09-13
0PP0N .NTS OF FREE SILVER.
BIG RALLY HELD AT CHICAGO
LAST NIGHT.
BOurke Cochran Addresses an Audi
ence of Six Thousand People
at the Auditorium.

L
rally here tonight OF the combined OPP
silver Hon. Bourke Cochran Of New
York delivered an eloquent and notable
address at the Auditorium before near
ly 5000 people under the auspices Of
the American Honest Money League.
The only decoration in the magnificent
theater was a great American flag
draped behind the orator and Demo-
cratic statesman. The audience be-
lCnged to the business class, and the
frequent outbursts of applause which
followed the rounded periods Of the
speaker attested the thorough sympa-
thy with the sentiments expressed.
There were SO many applications for
tickets to the meeting that an overflow
one was held in Battery D, which was
to addresses by local advocates of gold.
Mr.. Cochran was unable to address the
second meeting on account of failing
voice
Mr. Cochran, who was received with a
storm of cheers and applause and way
ing of handkerchiefs from the standing
multitude, said in part:
I'VE can have neither part nor act
upon assertions that are libels on the
grandeur of our institutions and the
patriotism of our citizens; on the maj
esty of our Republic, and on the virtue
and intelligence Of our people. 1 have
followed all of his speeches since he left
New York, and l cannot discover of
what he complains, unless it be that the
CT ime of 1873, as he calls it, has worked
Ill fn ha of
this country In my speech in Madison
Square Garden I propounded to Mr..
Bryan question of great moment, but
as yet have received no answer in Mr..
Bryan's speeches which he has made
since. l made this statement then, that
a debasement of the currency would
necessarily work reduction in the rate
OF wages paid to labor. Mr.. Bryan and
his Populist friends never went into the
question as to the effect of a debase-
ment of the currency on the condition Of
the workingmen, because they never
can Wages is fixed by law that is as
immutable as the ages. An infallible
test of prosperity is the rate of wages
paid to labor and l will support any
man who will raise the rate of wages,
no matter by what political name. /
believe in high wages, because they
mean general prosperity.
Il confess / do not know what the
crime of rs was, and 1 have some sus-
picion that Mr.. Bryan does not. The
question is not change in the stand
ard of values to apply to future con-
tracts; that would not do much harm.
1t is a question of changing the stand
ard of value applicable to existing con-
tracts which would accomplish the rob-
berry Of the creditor class. The fraud
which is being attempted will fall with
the heaviest hand upon the labOrer and
producer, who are always creditors.
who has ever heard that money was
scarce when confidence abounded, when
credit was sound, and when men trust
ed in the honesty Of each other? The
stock argument of Mr.. Bryan and the
Populists is the influence of England
on this country. This whole statement
about England and English domination
of our monetary system is absurd.
would not be afraid Of this money pow
er which they talk so much about if
was able to discover it. I would like
to become a money power myself. The
Only money power have seen Is where
a pair of brawny hands were at work
making something useful for the fam
ily Of mankind. I never heard that
England was trembling because of fear
that we would go to silver standard.
If she is trembling ii is with merriment
over the idea that her foreign trade
would be ruined by the United States
adopting the free coinage of silver,
when she accomplished the commercial
conquest of the world by the use of
better money.
Civilization is not riot and revolu-
ton, and mutual cooperation and as
sistance is not war. Each man must
decide this question in his own way