The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-08-22
HON. ". J. BRYAN.


the Missouri governor placed in the
Nebraskan's hand roll of parchment
bearing the notification proper. Ten
minutes of cheering followed. After
which Mr.. Bryan made his speech, the
most interesting parts of which are as
follows:
Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen of the Committee
and Fellow Citizens: 1 shall, at q future day
and in a formal letter. accept the nomination
which is now rendered me by the notification
committee, and shall at that time touch upon
the issues presented by the platform. 1t is
fitting. however, that at this time, in the pres
ence OF those here assembled, speak at some
length In regard to the campaign upon which
we are now entering.
1t has been charged by men standing high in
business and in political circles that our plat
form is a menace to private security and pub
lie safety: and IL has been asserted that those
whom have the honor for the time being to
represent, not only mediate an attack upon
the rights of property, but are the foes OF so
cial order and national honor. Those who
stand upon the Chicago platform are prepared
to make known and to defend every motive
which influences them, every purpose which
animates them, every hope which inspires
them. They understand the genius OF our in
stitutions: they are staunch supporters Of the
form of government under which we live, and
they build their faith upon the foundations
laid by the fathers
The Chicago Platform.
The Chicago platform has been condemned
by some, because IL dissents from opinion
rendered by the supreme court declaring the
income tax law unconstitutional Our critics
even go far Us to apply the name of an
archists to those who stand upon that plank of
the platform. It must be remembered that We
expressly recognize the binding force Of that
decision SO long as 1t stands as a part of the
law OF the land. There is in the platform no
suggestion of attempt to dispute the au-
thority of the supreme court The party is
simply pledged to use all the constitutional
power which remains after that decision. or
which mny come from its reversal
by the court IL may hereafter be
constituted" Is there any disloyalty
In that pledge? For hundred
years the supreme court of the United States
has sustained the principle which underlies
the income tax. Some 20 years ago the same
court sustained, without a dissenting voice, an
income tax law almost identical with the one
recently overthrown. Has not q future court
as much right to return 70 judicial precedents
as the present court had to depart from themp
When courts allow rehearings, they admit that
error Is possible. The late decision against
the income tax was rendered by a majority Of
one after q rehearing.
While the money question overshadows all
other questions in Importance. desire it dis
tinctly understood that shall offer no apology
for the income tax plank Of the Chicago plat
form. The last income tax law sought to ap-
portion the burdens of government more equit-
ably among those who enjoy the protection
Of the government At present the expenses
Of the federal government. collected through
internal revenue and import duties, are es-
pecially burdensome upon the poor Glasses of
society. A law which collects from some cit
liens more than their share Of the taxes.
and collects from other citizens less than their
share, is simply an indirect means of transfer
ring one mans property to another mans
pocket and while the process may be quite
satisfactory to the men who escape just taxa
tion. 1t can never be satisfactory to those who
are overburdened The last income tax law,
with It's exemption provisions. when constd-
cred in connection with other methods Of tax
alton in force, was not unjust to the possess
ors OF large incomes, because they were not
compelled to pay O total federal tax greater
than their share.
The Money Question.
Now let me ask you to consider the para
mount question of this campaign-the money
question 1t is scarcely necessary to defend
the principle of bimetallism No national
party during the entire history OF the United
States has ever declared against 1t, and no
party In this campaign has had the temerity to
oppose 1t Three parties. the democrats. the
populists and the silver party, not only de-
clared for bImetallism. but have outlined the
specific legislation necessary to restore silver
to its ancient position by the side of gold.
The republican platform expressly de-
clares that bimetallism is desirable when
It pledges the republican party to aid
in securing IL as soon as the assistance of cer-
tain foreign nations can be obtained. Those
who represent the minority sentiment In the
Chicago convention opposed the free coinage
of silver by the United States by independent
action on the ground that In their judgment IL
would retard or entirely prevent the estao-
lishment OF International blmetallism, to
which the efforts OF the government should be
steadily directed" When they asserted TINT
the efforts OF the government should be stead
ny directed toward the establishment OF inter-
national bimetallism they condemned mono
metallism-
The Gold Standard Found Wanting.
The gold standard has been weighed in the
balance and found wanting Take from 1t the
powerful support OF the mOney-ownlng and
money-changing classes and it cannot stand
for one day in any nation in the world. 1t was
fastened upon the United States without dis
cussion before the people, and its friends have
never yet been willing TO risk verdict before
the voters upon that issue.
There can be no sympathy or cooperation
between the advocates of a universal gold
standard and the advocates of bimotallism
Between NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. independent
or international-and the gold standard there
is an impossible gulf. Is this quadrennial
agitation In favor OF international bimetallism
conducted in good faith, or do our opponents
really desire to maintain the gold standard
permanently. Are they willing to confess the
superiority of a double standard. when Joined
by the leading nations OF the world, or do
they still insist that gold is the only metal
suitable for standard money among civilized
uhLiOhSE II luoy are, IN OSslrOuS OF Sc
curing bimetnllism we may expect them to
point out the evils OF q q gold standard and de-
fend bimetallism as a system. II, on the other
hand, they are bending their energies toward
the permanent establishments of a gold stand
ard under cover OF u declaration in favor OF in
ternationRl btmetallism, am justified in sug
gesting that honest money cannot be expected
at the hands OF those who deal dishonesty
with the American people.
The Advantages of BimetaIlism.
Bimetallism is better than monometallism,
not because IL gives a perfect dollar-that
is. dollar absolutely unvarylng in its general
purchasing power-but because IL makes a
nearer approach to stability, to honesty, to JUS
tice, than a gold standard possibly can Prior
to 1873, when there were enough open mints to
permit all the gold and silver available for coin
age to. find entrance into the worlds volume
of standard money, the United States might
have maintained n gold standard with less IN
jury to the people OF the country; but now
when each step toward "A universal gold stand
ard enhaDces the purchasing noMer of gold,