The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-08
THE REAL CRIMINALS.


The boy financier from the Platte said in
one of his speeches. and the Sentinel re-
prints it at the head of it's editorial page:
AN indignant peoples avenging wrath
will pursue the man who declares in favor
of fastening a gold standard upon this
people," This is one of Mr.. Bryan's high
sounding but empty sentences. If the
avenging wrath of an indignant people is
going to pursue all who have declared in
favor of establishing the gold standard in
the United States it should begin by de-
nouncing the memories of the dead and
gone members of Congress, Democrats and
Wings who voted for the act of June 2S
1884. This act undervalued silver, drove it
entirely out of circulation and placed the
currency of the country on single gold
basis. Among those who voted for it were
Senators James Buchanan, afterwards
President, John c. Calhoun. Henry Clay,
Thomas Ewing, John Tyler, Daniel Web
ster. Silas Wright and dozens of others of
less fame. Among those who voted for it
in the House were the two Adamses, John
Bell, Thomas Corwin. Edward Everett,
Willard Fillmore, Cave Johnson, Thomas
A. Marshall, Franklin Pierce James K.
Polk and scores of others, Democrats and
Wings. This act continued unchanged till
1858. The Director of the Mint says: I'm
1850 the United States had practically the
single gold standard, and not enough of
fractional silver for the requirements of
trade" In 1858 Congress passed new
coinage act which made no reference to
the silver dollar and no provision for it's
coinage. This act demonetized silver really,
as that of 1884 had done practically. The
Director of the Mint says: 1T was in
tended to place the country single gold
standard. and there were those who openly
avowed that such was it's aim This bill
was voted for by Senators Whitcomb and
Jesse D. Bright of this State, by Lewis
Cass, Salmon P. Chase, Henry Clay,
Stephen A. Douglas, Hamilton Fish, Han
nibal Hamlin, William H. Seward, Charles
Sumner Benjamin Wade. John P. Hale,
James A. Bayard and other prominent men
of both parties In the house it was voted
for by majority of the members of both
parties. Among the Democrats from this
State who voted for it were Cyrus l.. Dun
ham. A. P. Edgerton, Graham N. Fitch,
Thomas A. Hendricks, William II. English
and John G.. Davis-all Democratic leaders
in their day. Scores of other well-known
Democrats and Wings voted for it. In
speaking for the bill in the House Hon.
Cyrus l.. Durham said:
Another objection urged against this
proposed change is that it gives US a
standard of gold only. = What tad-
the two metals which Is not as well, if
not much better, attained by single
standard, l am unable to perceive; while
there are very great disadvantages result
ing from it, as the experience of every ma
ton which has, attempted to maintain it
that you should long at a time maintain
a double standard. Il Gentlemen talk
about a double standard of gold and silver
as a thing that exists and that we propose
to change. We have had but a single
standard for the last three or four years
That has been and is now gold. We pro-
pose to let it remain so, and to adapt silver
to it, to regulate 1T by it.
Congress Endorsed these views by passing
the BILL 1t was voted for by Wings and
Democrats alike and was approved by
Franklin Pierce, a Democratic President
1T thus happens says the present Di-
rector of the Mint in his last annual re-
port that the real decentralization of sill
yer in the United States took place in 1858.
It's demonstration in 1873 was only NOM
inal Nor was its demonstration in 1888
the result of accident or oversight. 1t was
deliberate and Intentional The act of 1873
only conformed the law to the actual
monetary condition so far as the metallic
currency of the United States was con-
cerned that had existed here for nearly
quarter of century before it's passage.
This. be it remembered is an official state
ment of the present Director of the Mint
In view of these facts it is evident that
if. as MIR. Bryan says, AN indignant peo-
pies avenging wrath will pursue the man
who declares in favor of fastening gold
standard upon this people the aforesaid
wrath will have to begin its pursuit very
far back and pursue the ghosts of great
many distinguished statesmen now de-
ceased