, 1896-10-05

considered radical. | have friends in
Laramie who have always differed . n
some parts of my position. I have zen
so radical at some times hat some of
my friends have come around and look
ed into my eyes to see If they could
discover that far away, dreamy look,
that betoken's absolute lunacy. Laugh-
teri But l want to tell you, that
never, in my widest silver dreams, did
l eve hang in the balance a dollar that
should not be equal in purchasing pow
err to every dollar coined and stamped
by this nation. tApplause.) And no
true bimetallist ever had such a no.
tiCl. No friend of silver ever contem-
plated a silver dollar that wouldn't be
equal to every other dollar the nation
over, until the convention met in Chi
cago-never! (Applause.) That con-
vention. by deliberate action, in open
convention assembled, refused to
adopt a plank in its platform, the in
depreciation of which would be that the
money of this government should be
equal and alike. The silver dollar that
l believe in, and have always believed
in, is the silver dollar I hold in my
hand-a silver dollar that today, in the
pocket of the humblest workingman
On the railroad in Wyoming. will buy
as much bread for his children Is will
the gold dollar in the pocket of the
richest and most selfish goldbug Of
Wall street. That's the silver dollar l
am for. tApplause.) My democratic
friends say I am inconsistent. They
say they don't a any other kind Of
dollar. They say I'VE propose to have
this government of the United States
put exactly the same stamp on it that
you have. Where lies the difference
between this dollar and the one we
propose to coin? Have they not the
same amount OF silver, of equal fine
ness. with the same relative proper
ton of silver and base metal; isn't the
imprint upon the stamp the same? Is
not the one dollar the exact counter
part of the other; are they not the
same, identical dollar?" l answer you
no. You ask why? l say the differ
nee is this: 1t is true that the dol
lars have the same weight. 1t is true
that the dollars are the same in fine
ness of metal. 1t is true that the dol
lars are stamped with the same die.
Then what is the difference, and what
do you propose to withhold from your
dollar? 1t is this: This dollar has
pressed into the stamp at the mint the
nation over and equal in purchasing
power to any other dollar coined or is
sued; and evey time hat stamp comes
down on SO cents worth of silver, It i'm
presses the pledge or the t1at-if you
please-of this government, for exact
ly the difference between the bullion
value and the coinage value. That's
the difference between the dollars.
But we may admit that free coinage
may give the benefit claimed for It ty
its most enthusiastic friends, how are
you and l to receive that benefit?
There seems to be a prevailing opin-
ion among some with whom l have
talked. that once the mines of this
country are set to running, that by
some magic process the dollars will
move from the mint into my pocket
and yours We know, If we stop to
think about 1t, that is not the case. We
know that there never has been a dol
lar that has gone into your pocket or
mine, If we are honest men, but what
has got there as a result of toll, or from
the sale of the product OF toll; and thus
VII! it ever be. The owner of silver
bullion takes his bullion to the mint.
1t receives coinage: he receives the dol
lars, every one. Not one of those dol
lars under free coinage goes into the
treasury Of the nation to be put into
circulation. Every one goes into the
bank or the pocket Of the bullion own
er. and with that coinage, he can with