Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-30
INDUCED IN HEATED TALK.
But the Populo-siiver Convention VIII b,
Held In St. Louis July 22.

Washington, Jan. 23.-The morning ses-
/ sion of the free silver conference was
wholly given over to an acrimonious de-
bate between the popuhst and silver men.
The discussion was provoked by the de-
claration of ex-Congressman Hatch of
Missouri, who has come out squarely as
a candidate for the presidential nominal
ton on the silver ticket and who in an
impassioned speech blamed the populists
for the defeat of That sterling silver ad-
vocate Joe Blackburn of Kentucky
Inc committee on organization reported
| In favor of holding a convention at ST.
Louis July %. The apportionment of dele
gates based upon the silver strength as as
certained from the American Bi-metallic
union, was determined upon as follows:
Alabama,-4o; Arkansas,-15; Colorado So;
Delaware, 3; Georgia, 80; Illinois, 90; Iowa,
q; Minnesota, 45, Missouri. 3s; Nebraska,
Oh New Hampshire G. New York, A:
North Dakota, ~; Oregon, II; Rhode
| Island, 8; Tennessee, "a; Vermont s.;
Washington, II; Wisconsin, 25 New Mex
| leo, 8; District of Columbia, 4; Arizona, g.:
California, 3d. Connecticut, 10; Florida, 81:
ldaho 10; Indiana, 80: Kansas 60; Louis
lana. 10; Maryland, o; Michigan, "a; Mis-
isssippi, 10; Montana, IS; Nevada 40; New
Jersey Il; North Carolina, 75 Ohio, 40,
Pennsylvania, Is; South Carolina 20: Tex
as, 20; virginia, so: West Virginia, s: wy
omng, 10; and Utah, 80.
The convention adjourned sine die this
afternoon after appointing committees on
organization and finance and an executive
committee and adopting an address to the
country in part as follows:
me paramount issue at this time In the
United States is indisputably the money
question. 1t is between the gold standard.
gold bonds, and bank currency, on the
one SIDE and he bi-metallic standard, no
ponds ana government currency, on the
other
ION this issue we declare ourselves to be
in favor of a distinctive American finan-
cial system. We are unalterably opposed
TO the single gold standard and demand
the immediate return to the constitutional
standard of gold and silver, by the res
toration by this government Independent
~ OF any foreign power of the coinage of
both gold and silver into standard money
at the ratio of 16 to / and upon terms of
exact equality as they existed prior to 1878,
the silver coin to be a full legal tender
equally with gold, for all debts and dues,
public and private.
I'VE hold that the power to control
and regulate paper currency Is insepara-
Die from the power to coin money and
hence that all currency intended to circu-
late as money should be issued, and its
volume controlled by the general govern
ment only and should be legal tender.
We are unalterably opposed to the issue
by the United States of interest bearing
bonds In time of peace. and we denounce
as blunder worse than crime. the pres
ent treasury policy. concurred in by
republican house of plunging the country
in debt by hundreds of millions in the
vain attempt to main the gold standard by
borrowing gold and we demand the pay
ment of all coin obligations OF the United
States as provided by existing laws in
either gold or silver coin, at the option OF
the government and not at the option of
the creditor.
1--WE confidently. appeal to tho people Of
the United States to leave in allegiance for
the moment all other questions. however
important and even momentous they may
appear, to sunder II need be all former
party ties and Affiliations, and unite In
one supreme effort to free themselves and
their children from the domination Of the
money power-a power more destructive
than any which has ever been fastened
upon the civilized men Of any race or In
any age. And upon the cousun,mation OF