Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-07-30
LEW1sBURe, WEST VIRGINIA, EVENING" JULY 81

which declares against the life ten
ure 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 which is
being built up in Washington which
excludes from participation in the
benefits the humber members of
our society. I cannot dwell longer
in my limited time. TCries of "Go
on! Go on %
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 already made.
Let me remind him that there is no
intention of affecting those contracts
which, according to the present laws,
are made payable in gold. But if
he means to say that we cannot
change our money System without
protecting those who have loaned
money before the change was made,
l want to ask him where, in law or
in morals, he can find authority for
not protecting the debtors when the
law of 1878 was passed, but now in
sists that we must protect the credi-
tor. He says he also wants to
amend this law and provide that if
we fail to maintain this parity within
year we will then suspend the
coinage of silver. We reply that
when we advocate thing which we
believe will be successful we are not
compelled to raise 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 secure an international agreement.
Why doesn't he tell us what he is
going to do if they fail to secure an
international agreement There is
more reason for him to do that than
for us to fail to maintain the parity.
They have tried for 80 years-for 80
years-to secure an international
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 thous-
sands, the gold standard has slain its
tens of thousands. IF they ask us
why we did not enbody all these
things In our platform which we be-
lieve, we reply to them that when
we have restored the money of our
constitution all other necessary re-
forms will he possible and that until
that is done there is no reform that
can be accomplished. Why is it
that within three months such a
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 advocates Of the gold standard
did not think that we would elect II
president, but they had good reason
for the suspicion, because there is
scarcely a state here to-day asking
for the gold standard that is not
within the absolute control of the
Republican party.
But note the change. Mr.. Nc
kinley was nominated at st. Louis
upon platform that declared for
the maintenance of the gold standard
until 1t should be changed into BIZ
metalism by an international agree
ment. Mr.. Mckinney was the most
popular man among the Republicans,
and everybody three months ago in
the Republican party prophesied his
election. How is it to-day? Why
that man who used to boast that he
looked like Napoleon-that man
shoulders to-day when he thinks that
he was nominated on the anniversary
of the battle of Waterloo. Not only
that, but as he listens he can hear
with ever increasing distinctness
the sound of the waves as they beat
upon the lonely shores of st. He
lena.
Why this change? Ah, my
friends, is not the change evident to
any one who will look at the mat
ter? 1t Is no private character,
however pure, no personal popular
lty, however great, that can protect
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 sur
render the right of self government
and place the legislative control in
the hands of foreign potentates and
powers.
We go forth confident that we
shall win. Why? Because upon
the paramount issue i'm this cam
paign there is not a spot of ground
upon which the enemy will dare to
challange battle. Why, if they tell
US that the gold standard is a good
thing, we point to their platform and
tell them that; their platform pledges
the party to get rid of gold stan.
dard and substitute bimetalism.
If the gold standard is good
thing, why try to get rid of it? 1
might call attention TO the fact that
some of the people who are in this
convention to-day and who tell you
that you ought to declare in favor of
international bimetalism and there
by declare that gold standard is
wrong and that the principle of BIZ
metalism Is better-these very peo-
pie four months ago were open and
avowed advocates of the gold stan
dard and telling us that we could
not legislate two metals together
even with all the world.
1 want to suggest this truth-that
if the gold standard is good thing
we ought to declare in favor of its
retention and not In favor of aban-
doning It; and If the gold standard