The San Francisco call., 1896-08-29

they will tell him that the land has gone down
in value now, and that the farm Is not worth
enough to be good security for the thousand
dollars.
Then what? There is one thing He can
turn the farm over to the man who holds the
mortgage; That he can always do. Mhat What is the
result? He and his wife have lost $1,000 they
had invested in the farm. They have lost the
labor they put forth in trying 10 pay the mort
gage, and then they lose the farm and start
out in life again. How about the other man, VINO
sold him the farm and got the thousand dol
lars down? II he loaned that thousand dollars
he got security on his thousand and he has the
thousand within his reach, and then he gets
his farm back ask you II there is any differ
ence between the holder OF capital and the
owner of property in the appreciation OF the
dollar. The man with the money is twice as
well off as he was before. and the man who
tried to own property loses all he has and has
to begin again. You find the men who hold
the notes meeting in convention and declaring
that the gold standard is the best system OF
money that was ever invented. But will these
people who have lost their homes, will they
meet together and indorse the system that is
destroying them?
Ny friends, this is a practical question that
confronts the farmers of the United States and
not of the Uniteo States alone, but the farmers
OF Ireland, the farmers OF England ana an ne, the
nation in the world that have the gold stand
ard to-day. / assert that the gold standard
could not live for one day in any nation under
the sun without the aid OF money-owners ana
the money-changers to keep 1t in existence. L
assert that the gold standard has never re-
ceived the Endorsement of any class OF people
except those who prosper most as society is
destroyed by rising dollar.
Now. want to say to you that my denuncia-
ton of the gold standard is sustained by even
this which you can see Let me me give you is
good thing, you ask him why 1T is that no
party in the historyof the United States has
ever declared for o gold standard In its plat
form.
Isn't it strange if the gold standard is good
thing that no party has ever seen I'll to say so
in platform? And yet that is true. 1t is true
no National party has ever indorsed gold
standard, and yet there are people who favor
it. Why don't they have the courage to write
platform and risk an issue before the people?
But no, they don't do that. They 60 TO st.
says the Republican party pledges itself to
blmetallism, which of course is denunciauon
OF the gold standard [Laughter and applause
If the gold standard is good why should We
try to get rid of it, my friends? Applause
If the gold standard is good, why did the Re
publican party pledge itself to help. keep
rid OF the gold standard just as soon other
nations viii helpus daughter and applause.]
That is not my language, my friends:
That is the language OF the Republican plat
form and that is the construction placed upon
1t by the candidate who runs upon in its ac-
ceptRnce. He says in his letter that the Amer1-
can people cannot enter upon bimetalllsm
without the concurrent action of other ma
tions. Does he say we shall mainte1n gold
standard for one year? No. For four years?
No. But the conclusion is that we must main
tain it forever if other nations say we must.
[Applause.l 1t is not question OF politics, my
friends. Whole parties are divided on this
issue. 1t rises above the question of politics.
They have declared against the right OF the
people OF the United States to govern them
selves. They have declared that while we
want to get rid of the gold standard we must
keep the thing which we don't want until
aliens shall bring US the relief which we should
achieve for ourself. [Applause.l In my humble
Judgment the American people are the only
people who have right to say what the
American people need IN legislation.
They have driven down the price of your
products; they have increased the burden OF
your debts; they have foreclosed your mort
cages; they are degrading and lowering the
standard OF civilization by driving people who
want to work out upon the streets, and then
idleness breeds crime and crime menaces the
safety of every citizen OF the land. Applause.
A voice, "How about free trade 2" 1t is not
more taxes the people want, but more money
to pay taxes with. [Applause.l If there is any
farmer here who has not taxes enough to pay,
beg him to go to his county treasurer and
pay enough to satisfy his conscience and not
try to tax all the rest OF the people. lap.
plausel
The subject of taxation is ever present with
US. We can change our tariff system any time.
but we have reached cur crisis In monetary
affairs and we have got TO decide whether the
American people Will run our finances or turn
our Government over to syndicates to take care
of for u.s.
This question is of much importance to those
who are seeking to raise the value OF gold by
legislation, and should it not be important to
those who for twenty years have suffered from
this financial legislation? l met farmer
over in Illinois. He was a schoolmate of mine
in college, graduate from college. He is
man of exemplary habits, honest, frugal and
industrious. He had his three children with
him in the room and the tears rolled down his
cheeks as he told me that II conditions re-
mained as they were it was the saddest thing
he had to contemplate that he could not give
to those children the education and advantages
he wanted to. That home is multiplied by
thousands and tens OF thousands in this land,
and you tell me that it is just to have system
of legislation that takes away from the parent
the possibility of educating his children as
ne would, and is compensated for 1t by giving
money undeserved into the hands those who
by machination corner the money market and
spend the money bv buying foreign titles for
their daughters. [Long and continued ap-
plause.
Ny friends, civilization is wrapped up in
the solution OF the money question. 1t is the
main question involved in this campaign. The
right of self-government and the existence of
republican institutions is involved in ii. If
foreign nations can force financial policy
upon the American Nation they will want to
enforce their system of governmental system
which brings distress to the people, a system
which is a monarchical system and which
maintains itself by standing armies. Even
now, my friends, when we speak out against
unjust legislation they say we are disturbers
of the public peace and q menace 10 law and
order. Do you mean 10 say that the farmers
gathered here and the laborers who are con-
gregated in our cities are enemies to our coun-
try? No. They have earned the epithets of
our opponents, not because they menace law
and order, not because they are going to in
augurate injustice, but because they say
"Thou shalt not steap shall apply to the great
corporations as well ss to the highwayman
and burglar.
1t is because they declare that this Govern
ment was not instituted in order that its in
strumentalities should be monopolized by
those who use the Government for their own
But cannot talk longer fCries of .fGo on,
go on."] No, l have to go back to speak at
another town tonight. lwould like to talk to
an audience like this until l could say many
more things which, to my judgment, are
worthy of your consideration, but shall have
done all hope to do now if 1 could impress
upon you the Importance of studying this
money question, as it relates to you. If some
body cries "Fire'' and you don't know where
the fire is, you may seem little concerned; but
If man tells you your house is on fire, YOU
become in terested. The PRONUNCIATION OF the
gold standard is an attack upon your homes
and your hresides and you have as much right
TO resist 1t as to resist an army marching to
take your children captive and burn the roof
over your head. [Applause.J
have simply told you what l believe. /
speak the sentiments that lie deep down in nv
heart. used to be Indifferent to the money
question, and until six years ago / Thought
anybody was a crank who talked about money