The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-02-25
CALL FOR UNITED ACTION.
Chairman Mot, of the National Commit
mittee of the Silver Party issues an Ad-
dress to the People.

Chairman Mot, of the National Commit
mittee of the Silver Party issues an Ad-
dress to the People.
To the People.
As chairman of the national commit
tee, appointed by the silver conference
lately assembled in Washington city,
| to organize the silver forces in these
! United States, in the battle which is to
| take place for the possession of the gov
! eminent this year, it is thought proper
! that I should make some statement to
the people in reference to it.
As the necessity of money as a me
dunn of exchange became revealed to
the minds of men, the two metals
finally accepted as the most suitable
for money were silver and gold. This
was natural because they were the two
most precious metals adapted to the
purpose, and were sufficiently limited
IL quantity.
AS mining has developed the fact
that these two metals existed in the
earth in almost certain proportions, a
! natural rayio of value was assumed.
This ratio has continued as arranged
by man under the natural order IS he
found it. 1t was accepted by mankind
as O part Of the grand plan upon which
the world was to move, and approved
by the philosophy and common sense
If all ages.
From this condition Of regular order
and cOnJentment, contributing TO the
gradual elevation of all classes Of SO
ciety, the extension of civibz alton, and
the general bsttermaut Of the hUm.n
race, this country and the world been
has rutole4sly torn.
1t has been done by the rejection Of
one Of the precious metals in Ihe inter
ost Of greed, and Oy this act the money
changers have been enChrOued, and the
narrowing Of the scope Of mOnetlzati0n
begun. As m~Onettzation has narrowed
money has become scarcer in proper
ton, and as money became sCGrcer
prices fell in proportion, and falling
prices have been the bane Of this world.
It was predicted after the den10ncti
cation Of silver that great suffering
would follow. This sutf ring is already
here. From a contraction of the cur
r0ncy we are DOW III the thrOe5 OF one
Of these desperate stages OF human ex
periance-a period Of heartache, canker
and steepless nights as the foundations
of prices have crumoled. Obligations
resting upon the supposed firm foun-
dauiun of a price in ready money have
crumbled into dirt as the foundation
Of the price has crumbled. The country
Is confronted by q grave emergency.
Further theorizjng is futile. The agi
tation Of the money question must be
settled by peaceful methods that will
give practical results
Ling, patient and 6ispassionate re
/! fecCI1n has convinced me that an indie
pendent American financial system is
absolutely necessary to the restoration
national prosperity and the establish
ment Of commercial conditions ia this
country that will give the common
paOpie-the Agricultural and laboring
classe5-an equal show with capital
! ard concentrated wealth. How can it
be eff Geo? Can it be done through
either the Republican or Democratic
party as now constituted? No Both
OrgGnJz 4tioLs are under the blighting
inf IenGe of the Eastern money power.
The record Of every national c0nven
ton of both parties for years IL plain
proof of the assertion. The legislation
of both parties in Congress is proof
that it is impossible as a party Qles
! Vi0n.
What, then, is to be done? As pa.
%triot5, as Americans who are for
America against the world, what is
F; our first and controlling duty in this
crisis? Shall we longer heed the prom
ises Of party platform declarations?
Shall we longer submit to the academic
discussion of what bimetallism meare?
Shall it be another campaign of strad
ding and eq~uivocation7 Or shall the
issue be squarely on the free coinage of
silver and gold, and q President elected
who represents the people on that great
question:
The first step, the essential prelim
mary to the correction of present
abuses, the establishment of national
prosperity and the maintenarc CO of the
national credit, is the election Of a
President whose Andrew Jackson o
age and infexible integrity will defy