Birmingham state herald., 1896-03-15


 treated alike. It never meant anything else. It signifies the equal access of gold and silver to tho hints at fixed ratio and tlse option by tls9 dobtor as to the coin in which he shall discharge his debt. This matter Is important. Gentlemen here and elsewhere constantly misapply this word. do not propose to permit it any longer to tho extent to which my little influence may go. I here and now challenge any gentleman upon this floor or anywhere else-and this is not a mere rhetorical de- fiance, but is intended to bring this con fusion to an end--to produce a definition of bimetallism by any publioist or econo- mist of authority or any statesman of landing made prior to 1895 which is not in substantial accord with the definition I hnve given. Let no gentleman who may do mo the honor to reply to this speech neglect this point. Let him be either for the single gold standard or for bimetal- lism, and if for bimetallism let him dis cuss the means of reaching the end and frankly concede that the present system cannot be permitted to last.
 Goldbugs Satisfied.
 It has been, sir only since the great parties of tho United States have been ev-
 
 bimetallism, and that fact conficted with tho desires of certain people that they have sought to make a new definition of bi- metallism, and under that new definition to hold the pledgers to the letter of their ancient pledge without it's spirit. Why cannot men who do believe in tho gold standard be honest and say SOP do not impute now, when l use the word "hon- est, any moral obliquity to any gentle- man. I should perhaps rather phrase it in this way: Why shall not a man have tho open and manly courage of his convictions and stand up and be counted? Why let him not say as the Now York Evening Post said9 That great representative of English opposition to the Monroe doctrine, protection and bimetallism and every oth- CT form of Americanism said not long ago:
 "There are some people Ca diminishing number, however, who hesitate to avow themselves in favor of the single gold standard, although they are opposed to any change from tho present system. There are others (also diminishing num- ber) who think that because n certain linn ited number of silver dollars are in circu lation VIC havo bimetallism, or tho double standard, in this country. This is to- tally false conception, as false as it would be to assume that we have n pdper stand ard because limited number of green backs are alloat. The 'goldbugs' have no change of standard in contemplation. They arc satisfied with the present posture of affairs so far as that goes. The 'ox- pulsion of everything but gold as real money took place in 1873 and continues unabated. "
 Lot every man who believes with The Post initiate its frankness and say so. Let him say so along with the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts Mir. Walkerl chairman of the committee on banking and currency, who declared in his speech yosterday-I do not pretend to quote him exactly, but I remember per fectly tho substance of tho statement- that if all the nations of tho world were to come together and agree upon ratio for the free coinage of gold and silver it could not be maintained beyond very brief space of tiIno in face of tho inevitable laws of trade.
 Perhaps he believes it, sir. If he says so, have DO doubt he does, strange and incredible as it may seem to my poor fac ulties But, sir, if he does believe 1t, then I undertake to say he cannot remain in tho Republican party unless, when the Republican party next proclaims its doc urine in national convention, it shall change its platform.
 Now, MT. Chairman, I am not using tho words of excess and incaution. 1 say that the Republican platform uses unmistaka- ble language. It may not have said what the convention meant. If anybody wants to assume the burden of proving that the Republican party, in national convention assembled, solemnly declared what it did not mean, he Is welcome to do it.; but, for my own part, have never yet found it necessary to char ge the grand old Repub- lican party of these United States with deliberate misrepresentation. And that party in convention assembled proclaimed in the last authoritative national utter ance that we have from that organization:
 "The American people, from tradition and interest, favor bimetallism, and tho Republican party demands the use of both gold and silver as standard money"
 caro not what restrictions, limitations or qualifications were added to that sen tence to complete the plank. They never could get away from that initial pro nounoement pledging the party to the res toration of the full money functions of silver so as to clothe it with every dignity bestowed on gold. Tradition" refers to some ancient system, not the present. Standard money" is not token money.
 am not now discussing the means of reaching it, but defy any man on the top of this earth to say that the Republican party Is not by its platform pledged to achieve bimetallism in some way, and affirm that you must change that platform before man who believes in single gold standard can consistently stand upon it. If I am wrong on this point, let some sub sequent participant in this debate set me right.
 Single Gold Standard Is Wrong.
 Now, MT. Chairman, if bimetallists are opposed to the single gold standard what is the reason of their opposition? It must be because in some respects the single gold standard is wrong because in some way 1t is an evil, because in some way it injuri- ously affects the people of the United States of the people of the world. Bi- metallists contend that such is the fact. They contend that the single gold stand ard is and has been since its adoption by the leading commercial nations an appre- ciating standard whose unit has rapidly increased in general purchasing power and must continue so to increase; that this appreciation is evidenced by pro- gressive fall in prices throughout the gold standard world not accounted for by di- mi iniehtnc coat of nrOd nation and thai the