Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-07-23

crnmenJ ana that tne Danks ought TO
go out of the government business.
They complain about the plank which
declares against the life tenure in Office.
They have tried to strain it to mean
that which it does not mean. What we
oppose in that plank is the life tenure
that is being built up in Washington
which excludes from participation in
the benefits the humber members Of
our society. / cannot dwell longer il
my limited time. [Cries of "Go onl
Go onp'l
Let me call attention to two or three
great things The gentleman from New
York says that he will propose an
amendment providing that this change
in our laws shall not affect contracts al
ready made. Let me remind him that
there is no intention Of affecting those
contracts which, according to the pres
ent laws, are made payable in gold
But if he means to say that we cannot
change our monetary system without
protecting those who have loaned money
before the change was made. | want to
ask him where, in law or in morals, he
can find authority for not protecting the
debtors when the act Of 1878 was
passed, but now insists that we must
protect the creditor. He says he also
wants to amend this law and provide
that if we fail to maintain a parity
within a year we will then suspend
the coinage Of silver We reply that
when we advocate thing which we be-
lieve will be successful we are not COM
PEELED to raise a doubt as to our own
sincerity by trying to show what we
will do if we can. ask him, if he will
apply his logic to us, why he does not
apply it to himself? He says that he
wants this country to try to secure an
international agreement. Why doesn't
he tell us what he is going to do if they
fail to secure an international agree
ment? There is more reason for him to
do that than for US to fail to maintain
the parity. They have tried for 3Oyears
for 30 years-to secure an interna-
tional agreement, and those are waiting
for it most patiently who don't want it
at all.
Now, my friends, let me come to the
great paramount issue. If they ask US
here why it is that we say more on the
money question than we say upon the
tariff question, reply that if protection
has slain its thousands, the gold stand
ard has slain its tens Of thousands If
they ask us why we did not embody all
these things in our platform which we
believe, we reply to them that when we
have restored the money Of the constitu-
ton all other necessary reforms will be
possible and that until that is done
there is no reform that can be accom-
plished Why is it that within three
months such change has come over the
sentiment Of this country? Three months
ago when it was confidently asserted
that those who believed in the gold
standard would frame our platform and
nominate our candidate, even the advo-
Gates Of the gold standard did not think
that we could elect president, but they
had good reason for the suspicion, be-
cause there is scarcely a state here today
asking for the gold standard that is not
within the absolute control of the Re-
publican party.
But note the change. Mr.. Mckinley
was nominated at st. Louis upon plat
form that declared for the maintenance
Of the gold standard until it should be
changed into bimetallism by an inter
national agreement Mr. Mckinley was
the most popular man among the Re
publicans, and everybody three months
ago in the Republican party prophesied
his election. How is it today? Why
that man who used to boast that he
looked like Napoleon-that man shud-
ders today when he thinks that he was
nominated on the anniversary Of the
battle of Waterloo. Not only that, but
Is he listens he can hear with ever in
creasing distinctness the sound of the
waves as they heat upon the lonely
shores of st. Helena
Why this change? All, my friends, is
not the change evident to any one who
will look at the matter? 1t is no private
character, however pure, no personal
popularity, however great. that can pro
tect from the avenging wrath Of an in
dignant people the man who will either
declare that he is in favor of fastening
the gold standard upon this people or
who is willing to surrender the right Of
self government and place the legisla-
tive control in the hands Of foreign po-
tentates and powers.
We 60 forth confident that we shall
win. Why? Because upon the para
mount issue in this campaign there is
not spot Of ground upon which the
enemy will dare to challenge battle.
Why, if they tell US that the gold stand
ard is good thing, we point to their
platform and tell them that their plat
form pledges the party to get rid of a
gold standard and substitute bimetal
lism.
If the gold standard is a good thing,
why try to get rid of it? Knight call at
tention to the iact that some of the peo-
pie who are il. this convention today and
who tell you that we ought to declare
in favor of international bimetallism
ana thereby declare that gold standard
is wrong and that the principle OF BIZ
metallism is better-these very people
four months ago We're open and avowed
advocates Of the gold standard and tell
ing us that we could not legislate two
.sok,1. 4,..o4t,o,. s.,o,, xr-it, all the world