Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-06-19

vision of our platform our adhesion or to
reject It.
Mr.. President. I do not desire to say
any unkind or unfriendly things, but L
will state in a moment why l object to
this provision ON the platform. The re-
publican party never was the party of a
single gold standard. 1t was a bimetallic
party in its origin and in all its history.
In 1888 1t declared for bimetallism. In
1892 1t declared for bimetalliSm. In 1895
it declares for the single gold standard.
Mr.. President, in 1888 we carried the
state which | here represent for the re-
publican nominee. We carried it on a
bfmetallic platform. We carried it with
majority which was equal to that of
any state in the union. Colorado has
been a republican state from the hour
of its admission. 1t has kept in the
senate republican senators and in the
house republican members. But l
promised not to discuss the silver ques-
this platform is such distinct departure
from everything heretofore held to by
this party that it challenges our repub-
lcanism to accept it. The platform con-
talnS
Some Platitudes
about an international conference. It
provides that we will maintain the gold
standard in this country until the princi-
pal nations do otherwise.
Mr.. President, this is the first great
gathering of the republicans since the
PARTY was organized that has declared
the inability of the American people to
control their own affairs And to my
horror this declaration comes from the
great political party of Lincoln and
Ulysses s. Grant.
Do you believe that the American peo-
pie are either too weak or too cowardly
to maintain their financial system COM
mensurate with the greatness of the
country and do that of their own will?
Gentlemen of the convention, you VIII
have no bimetallic agreement with all
the great commercial nations OF the
world. 1t cannot be obtained.
Temporarily forgetting his pledge to
the president, Mr.. Teller launched out
into a general discussion of the internal
tional phase of the silver question, declar-
ing the American people had the power to
maintain financial system commenSu-
rate with their own greatness. Cap
plause)
He approved the doctrine of protection.
| (Applause) But he believed protection
impossible under a single gold standard.
He asked the convention to pardon him
If he closed with some personal illusions.
He had formed his conclusions on this
subject to such an extent that they be-
came binding on his conscience He be-
lieved the morality, the civilization-nay,
The Very Religion of This Country
were at stake in this contest. Men in
This was what made him a republican,
because he believed its principles We're
calculated to build up and sustain the I'M
fortunate and distressed. He did not be-
lieve this could be done on the gold stand
ard. With this solemn conviction upon
him he must sever his connection with
this political organization, with which he
had been so long associated. (Cheers)
AS he subsequently repeated his decla-
ration of an intention to sever his con-
nection with the party cries OF no, no.,
were raised in different parts OF the hail.
He recognized that jibes and sneers
would follow him, but he was used to
that. Before the republican party was
organized he stood for the doctrine of
free silver, free homes and equal rights.
(Cheers.) There were few men in the
party who had been more sincerely at
tached to it's principles than he, and he
could not go out of 1t without heart
burning and regret. IF [ go out of the
republican party" he said, Il care not
what the consequences may be, whether
it takes me out of political life or not.
l go with the feeling at least that main
tain my consistency, and manhood ap-
proves the sacrifice. Retiring from you
as do, perhaps never again to have the
opportunity of addressing a republican
convention, cannot go without saying
that ! cherish down in my heart hope
nay, a belief-that better counsels will
prevail and that at some future day on a
true republican platform, sustaining re-
publican principles, 1 may have the in
satiabIe privilege of again addressing
you"