Evening star., 1896-06-18

practical man, and 1 recognize the con-
ditions existing in this convention, fore
shadowed as they were by the action of
the committee selected by the representa-
tives assembled from different states
This plank ana the proposition was pre-
sented to the whole committee and by it
rejected. Loyalty to my own opinion COM
pels me in the face Of unusual difficulties
TO present this for our consideration, not
with that bounding hope or with that cour-
age that 1 have presented this in other
bodies with greater measure Of success
than 1 can hope for here. The great and
supreme importance Of this question is
alone my excuses for the few words that 1
shall say to you.
In conjunction with this subject in
public capacity 1 have dealt with it, how
ever, twenty years. 1 represent state
that produces silver. but l want to say to
you here and n63 that my advocacy is not
in the slishtesF degree influenced by that
fact applause, anf voice. 'Good!)
Il am for it because l believe that there
can be no sound financial system in any
country in the world that does not recog
nize this principle 1 contend for it be-
cause. since 1878. when< it was ruthessly
stricken from oW statutes, there has been
a continued dephectetion of-all products of
human labor are h2naa energy 1 contend
for it beeausss5nx {his19year Of. 1875 the
American people are n greater distress
than they ever, ,were III their history /
contend for it because this is, in my judg-
ment, the great weight, the great incubus
that has weighed down enterprises and de-
stroyed prices in this favored land of ours.
1 contend for it because I believe the prog
of my country is dependent on it. 1
I vi liz
cation of the world Is to be determined by
the rightful or the wrongful solution Of
this financial question. I am tolerant of
those who differ with Inc. act from my
judgment, enlightened best 1 have been
able to enlighten it, by my years of study
and my years of thought. In my 1udg-
ment the American people in the whole line
of their history have never been called
upon to settle question of greater i'm
portance to them than this.
Importance of the Money Question.
"The great contest. in which many of you
participated. for whether we should have
two flags or one. was not more important
to the American people than the question
of a proper solution of what shall be the
money system of this land.
Il have said enough to show that think
that this is not question of policy, but a
question of principle. 1t is not a mere idle
thing. but one on which hangs the happi-
ness. the prosperity. the morality and the
independence of American labor and Ameri-
can producers. Applause)
Confronted for the first time in the his
tory of this glorious party of ours, con-
fronted, 1 say, for the first time with the
danger of a financial system that in my
judgment will be destructive of all the
into IF
upon to give to this provision of our plat
form our adhesion or rejection
Republicans ana Monetary Standards
MIR. President, do not desire to say un-
kind unfriendly things, and will touch
for moment, and only for a moment
upon why l object to this provision Of the
platform. The republican party has never
been the party of a single standard. Gap
plause.)
1t was a bmetallic party in its origin.
in all it's history. In 1888 it declared for
bimetallism. In 1892 it declared for BIZ
metallism. In 1896 it declared for a single
gold standard. In 1888 we carried the state
that l here represent for the republican
nominee; we carried it on bimetalic plat
form. We carried it with majority that
is equal, considering. our vote, to that of
any other state In the Union. F'aint an
plause) 1t has been a republican state
from the hour Of it's admission 1t has
kept in the Senate republican Senators and
in the House republican members
Mr.. President promised you that 1
would not discuss the silver question and
1 will not, except to say that this platform
is such distinct departure from every
thing heretofore done by the party that it
challenges our republican name to accept
it. f.,
international Conferences.
1.-The platform contains some platitutes
about international ct nferences 1t pro-
vides that we wifi maintain the gold stand
ard in this country until the principal ma
ticns of the world shall agree that we NAV
do otherwise This is the first gathering of
republicans since this party was organized
that has declared the inability of the
American people to control their own af-
fairs. (All the silver delegates arose in a
body at this and howled their approval of
the sentiment) To my horror, this decla-
ration comes from the great political party
of Abraham Lincoln and U. s. Grant Do
ycu believe that the American people are
too weak to actually maintain a financial
system commensurate with the business of
the country of their own fruition? Gentle
men Of the convention, you will have no
bimetallic agreement with all the great
commercial nations Of the world, and it
cannot be obtained.
80 this is declaration that the gold
standard is to be put upon this country