The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-23
SAVANNAH, GA, WEDNESDAY,. SEPTEMBER 23 1896

I
tectionists. In view of their financial
heresy and other grave departures from
| democracy we cannot support the candi-
dates of that convention, nor be bound by
its acts. The democratic party has sur
vived many defeats, but could not sur
vive victory won In behalf OF the doc
trine and policy proclaimed In its name at
Chicago.
THE Chicago convention was regularly
| called, and If had adhered to the faith,
| the organization which l represent would
| have been entirely unnecessary Indeed
thousands of democrats to-day have such
respect for orderly and regular organiza-
tion that they feel almost constrained to
submit to authority. Democrats have a
reverential affection for the constitution,
with all Its adjustments for
the rights of the states, as
established in the century of national
| life and still earnestly maintain their de-
votion to regular and orderly government.
| That some democrats should doubt the
policy of resistance to the action of the
| Chicago convention IS but natural That
| convention assembled claiming to be
| regular democratic convention and thou
sands of us who resist its action do so
only because 1T was perfectly false to
| democratic principles. No democrat can
! object to the condemnation of
the Chicago platform of arbi-
| trary interference by federal au-
! thorities in local affairs so much
is the well understood democratic theory
| of the proper relations existing between
! the states and the general government
But the real meaning is understood and
| known to be a fact, that these condemna-
| tions were directed against the President
| of the United States for his proper inter-
ference to enforce federal law by federal
agents. The real meaning of the Chicago
! declaraf ion in which the convention said
thoN rl4 f,.k.
| authorities in local affairs was a violation
| of the constitution of the United States
| and a crime against free institutions is
well understood TO have been intended as
| an Endorsement of the governor of Illi-
nois (hisses) and a condemnation of the
| President for acts which were unani-
| mously approved by the Senate of the
| United States and were strictly in con-
| formity with his duty as the chief magis-
trate of the republic
AS to the paragraph of that
| platform where it states that the
federal judges in contempt of the
| laws of the states rights and
the rights Of the citizens became at once,
| legislature, judges and executioner it is
known that the object of this language
| was to Sssail particular act of the fed
eral judges with reference to peculiar
conditions, which prevailed in Chicago in
| 1892. 1t may be that the powers of the
I COURTS IN the exercise OF their authOri-
| ties to punish for contempt need legisla-
tive revision. 1t is true that the power
condemned Is one which has been framed
and exercised by the courts, state and
! federal on many occasions. The power
has for its foundation principles that are
well understood, and the only difficulty
Is that different persons have different
views as to the extent to which
| that power should be applied
| A mere allusion to these declara-
tions of the Chicago platform is
all that is necessary for the present occa-
sion.
THAT part of the platform which re-
| fers to the money question attracts the
| largest measure of popular attention and
| 1t is to that clause of the Chicago plat
| form and the corresponding clauses of the
platform adopted by the Indianapolis con-
vention that l propose to direct attention
briefly"
Mr.. Palmer declared that the language
of the Chicago platform commits the con-
vention, its candidates and their support
) ers to the distinct, definite measure of the
| coinage of the silver dollar of 4121k grains
| of standard silver with unlimited legal
| tender qualities.
Mr. Bryan recognizes that commercial
law that makes local value for a silver
dollar to be a myth. He says that the
! silver of the world would necessarily find
| common value, that he comedies
| American silver would after free coinage
be supplemented by the bullion and coins
! of other countries until the silver of the
| world would find a common value Mr.
J Bryan's belief therefore that the adoption
of the free coinage of silver by the United
| States alone would advance silver to an
| equality in value with gold must be as
sumed as the official Interpretation of the
| Chicago platform, and unless ii has some
| foundation in the experience of mankind
/ I az vii ha vafaa
admitted and confessed that the course of
Mr. Bryan and his supporters in their as
sumption of this vast underta king ia
| characterized by degree of bold
ness unparalleled in political history.
! 1t is assumed, and 1t may be
conveniently conceded that the silver bul.
lion of the coinage of the silver using ma
tions has to be only one-half the coin
| value of gold. The undertaking is that
of necessity free coinage of silver will
double the value of silver throughout the
world and render the dollar of 4121z grains
of standard silver equal In acceptabiIity
and value OF gold coin Of twenty-five and
eight-tenths grains of standard gold
The real question, then, Is, can the
| American people by a law authorizing
the unlimited coinage Of silver dollars on
private account on a ratio of 16 parts OF
silver to / of gold, with fun legal
tender quality for all debts and dues. pub
lie and private, make the silver coinage
of the world of equal accepta bility ana
value and of equal power in the market
and in the payments of debts with all
the gold coined in the world. This state
ment OF the question is in unusual form.
but neither its truth nor its exactness
will be questioned by any thoughtful man
after he has fully considered tho
rapid methods Of modern intercom-
munication in the activities of com
mercial life. (Appause) In my Judgment
results such as ! have described, are i'm
possible Of accomplishment by the meas
ure proposed. / admit that silver bull
lion may be advanced In commercial
value by its increased usefulness, but
no advance to parity with gold Is possi-
BILE, and the whole result Of the measure
will be the depreciation Of the value OF
the coinage the ruin Of public and private
credit the disturbance of business and
the disturbance of values and the over
throw of American industres."
When Gen. Palmer finished and had
been cheered to the satisfaction of the
the crowd, Mr.. Flower introduced the cam
didate for the vice presidency.
Gen Buckner was received with araot