The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-10-29
c. K. DAVIS ANSWER
Senator Davis Replies to the Pop.
Ulists Who Are Quoting
From His Speech.
He Shows the Condition Changed
and Unlimited Free Coinage
Of Silver Is Impossible.

In his talk at the opera house Mon
day evening Hon. John Day Smith
quoted from a speech delivered by
Senator Davis soon after the passage of
the Sherman purchase act in 1890. We
give the extract in full, and Mr.. Davis
explanation. Mr.. Smith gave one side
of the story-the UNION gives both
sides:
EXTRACT FROM CROOKSTON SPEECH.
My fellow citizens, to business matters. The
last congress probably passed more important
legislation than any congress since 1892 except
that congress during which we began the war.
They passed the silver bill, that instrumental
ity of finance, that right arm of every monetary
system which had existed in efficiency through
all the ages since and before the time when
Abraham paid three hundred shekels of silver
for the cave to bury his dead that great func-
ton of civilization was restored and made legal
tender and from the moment it was poured into
the veins of circulation prices increased, a uni
versal sense of prosperity was felt and the
country began to move forward upon a career
of prosperity which, assure you my fellow
citizens, we do not begin to appreciate, even in
its beginning. We raised it from it's discred-
tied and disturbed condition and we gave it as
money, the purchasing power Of gold. The
price of silver before the bill was passed was 90
cents, and 12O after the bill was passed, the
nominal price being 129 And what followed
Immediately upon the passage of that bill?
Prices raised throughout the country on the
cereals on corn and barley. That work for the
farmer was done by the Republican party. 1
tell you, gentlemen, the passage of that bill
was ten thousand times more beneficial to the
people in Minnesota and the Union than any
tariff bill your reformers could possibly devise.
SENATOR DAVIS EXPLANATION.
ST. PAUL, Sept. H. 1896.
ELMER E, ADAMS,
Fergus Falls. MINI.
DEAR SIR: I am in receipt of your esteemed
favor of the 18th inst. The speech referred tC
is one delivered at CroolSston, October 10, 1890
short time after the passage of the Sherman
bill, which was enacted July IA, 1890 have nc
doubt that the report which you sent me is sub
stantially what said. 1t is what every Re-
publican speaker in the land was saying at that
time, and what everybody hoped. You will
find similar expressions in the message Of
President Harrison sent to congress at its
opening in December, 1880. spoke as the then
appeared to me, and so did all the other speak
ers. We did all we could to ensure the success
of the experiment. I have never hesitated tt
speak what thought in unequivocal language
during my political life nor have I ever hest
tated to retrace my steps whenever convinced
by the stern logic of events that they have
taken direction perilous to my constituency
There is a higher consistency than that mulis1
perversity which will go wrong because il
started wrong. It is that consistency of char
acter which will do right whenever the right i:
seem When perverse leader of public opin
ion adheres to demonstrated error upon thu
plea that he must be consistent, under an ego
tistic pretext of honor, it will be said of hin
that, .a.# 3 .s
His honor rooted in dishonor Stood
And Faith, unfaithful, kept him falsely true.
When congress met the first Monday O
December, 1899, the silver agitation was at it.
height. The principles which underlie thi
controversy were not then as we'll understood
as now, and above all, there had been no dem
onstrations by actual test which could tend t,
prove which of the contesting theories wa
right. There was general desire among mel
of all parties at the converting of that congress
to utilize silver as legal tender money unde
conditions which would not demonetize golt
and thereby produce contraction. Accordingly