The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-20

ana circulating medium converripie
into such money without loss"
Remember. now. silver had been de-
monetized eleven years and we had
been through one panic and the Demo-
cratic party had been unsuccessful In
all national elections. and the Repub-
lican party was chiefly responsible
for the act OF 49," still the Democrat
ic party did not make a declaration for
the free coinage of silver.
In 1883 the Democratic national con-
vention met in ST. Louis and renomi-
mated Mr.. Cleveland and unanimously
Endorsed his former administration. The
"act OF '73" had been a law then fifteen
years and not one word was said In
that platform against IL, or about H..
and no promise was held out TO the
people for the free coinage Of silver
upon any basis.
The Democratic national convention
OF 1892 met In Chicago and nominated
Mr.. Cleveland the third time. his oppo-
sition to free silver being we'll known
At the time. as he had just prior to that
time written his famous Letter. in which
he defined his position in a manly.
statesmanlike manner. In no uncertain
platform Of '92 denounced the Repub-
lican party for passing the Sherman
law" which law practically utilized the
silver we produce in the United States.
calling II a makeshift, fraught with
many possible dangers. They did de-
clare for gold and silver as standard
money" but declared that the dollar
unit OF coinage of both metals should be
NJ int ID nd aha a q "a a
value. OF "for the adjustment of same
through international agreement" or
by such safeguards OF legislation
as would insure the parity OF
the two metals" and the equal pur-
chasing power OF each" This was nine
teen years after the passage OF the
'crime of 49," and there is not one
word In that platform denouncing that
act. nor in there a line in II advocating
the free coinage Of silver. A certain
enthusiastic delegate introduced free
coinage resolution in that convention.
and IL only received IL votes to 91a
against II. Mr.. Cleveland running upon
that platform received the largest cleo
toral vote ever given to a presidential
candidate. Thus II is plainly seen that
the Democratic party never has been
In favor of the free coinage of silver.
until this year. when the national con-
vention was dominated by Altgeld,
Tiliman & Co. We are constantly hear
ing this wing OF the Democratic party
drumming into the ears of their audi
rs that they are the Democratic
party. and that they represent the
true principles OF "Jeffersonian Demo
cracy." This cry may be so In some
respects. but certainly not so as re-
CARDS the financial question.
In 1906 one Thomas Jefferson was
president OF the United States. He
found that under free coinage Of silver
gold was approaching and silver was
depreciating: so he ordered the minis
Of the United States to cease the free
coinage of silver indefinitely. and at
the same time said: THE proportion be-
tween the values of silver and gold is
a mercantile problem altogether. Just
principles will lead us to disregard the
legal proposition: to inquire into the
market price of gold In the several
countries with which we shall proba-
bly, be connected in commerce. and
take an average from them" II De-
mocracy is 10 measure it's standard by
Mr.. jefferson. surely Mr. Cleveland
represents the true Democracy. for GER
tainly Jefferson was never a free sill
verite.