Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-30
SPEECH OF HON. JOHN W. ToMLINsoN.

SPEECH OF HON. JOHN W. T0MLlNS0N.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
When 1 received your invitation, through
one of your most distinguished citizens,
to come from my home in Birmingham
to speak at this meeting of loyal demo-
Gratis in the beautiful city of Mobile |
felt greatly honored, and tonight L feel
honored by your most cordial reception.
The great democratic party ON July
8, 1896, in national convention regularly
assembled, speaking through its supreme
body duly organized, adopted platform
in entire accord with the history, prin-
ciples and traditions of the party, the
republican allies, their agents and at
torneys to the contrary notwithstanding.
Platform Democratic.
The platform adopted by that conven-
ton is predicated upon the democratic
theory that government exists in this
country only by the consent OF the gov
erned. for the sole purpose of protect
ing the life, liberty and property of all,
none enjoying special Fights, Ibenehts
or privileges not shared by all.
In order to perpetuate such govern
ment by the people there must be
strict adherence to our dual scneme
of government, of republic OF repupncs'
ever maintaining the constitutional au-
tonomy of the states and right OF local
self government, and forever lighting
'.arbitrary interference by federal au-
thorities in local affairs" by means or
odious force bills and government by IN
junction las violation of the constitu-
ton of the United States and a crime
against free institutions.
The democratic platform recognizes
and reaffirms this great truth. The re-
publican party and allies, on the other
hand. believe, which is directly opposed
to the democratic belief that the masses
of the people cannot be trusted; that
farx hn
with the government, and that govern
ment in this country should be invested
in a strong central government, Which
would be more easily controlled py the
mighty in their own selfish interests.
1t is no wonder, therefore, that TINS
class. holding to such a theory or our
government and realizing that their po-
sition is untenable before the people,
should abandon the weapons OF reason
and logic and resort to denunclaton VI
the democratic platform as revoiutlona-
ry and democrats as anarchists ana re-
pudiationists.
Renuhlicans and Allies Fear the People.
Having availed themselves of every OPP
nortunity since the days of Alexander
Hamilton to ride rough Shod over the
people, especially the laboring class, IN
the promotion of their own selfish inter-
ests, they fear the just rule oil the people,
and declare in their speeches and through
the newspapers they control that the
triumph of democracy would be great
calamity-tO them.
Tn 1879 this same class, to strike blow
for centralized power and to weaken the
masses, seized the opportunity TO sur- tn
reptitiously strike down one-half the
metallic money of this country by de-
monetizing silver, which increased the
value of their gold and reduced the value
of all property held by the masses.
What was their motive for demonetlz-
w n
tive for doing away with half the metal
lie money of the country? 1t was not be-
cause of the 5O-cent dollar, because at
that time silver was at a premium over
gold of per cent. 1t was to decrease
the amount of money so as to make the
balance held and controlled by them
scarcer and more valuable.
Does not the same motive exist today
for not remonetizing silver? Is not their
motive still to keep money scarce? Is
there any sincerity in their talk about
= the 50-cent dollar? Doesn't any sensible
man know that if silver could be taken
to the mints and coined into dollars re-
ceivable in payment of all debts, pubic
and private, that no man would part
with his silver at less than par.
The Same Sinister Motive.
The motive of the republicans and their
ALI is the same today as it was in 1873.
They do not want one-half the metallic
money of the country restored as primary
money 1t would decrease the value of
their gold and LESSEN their power to CO.
cree others to do their bidding.
Mr.. Mckinley, in his letter of accept
ance, makes use of the usual sterotyped
platitudss about cheap money. The dem
ocrats do propose to have cheaper gold
by reducing its value to what 1t was
when silver was demOnetized. How? BY
the remonetiza tion of silver and thereby
restoring the volume Of money to what 1t
was, which would be just and honest.
Under the existing state of things gold
has not only enhanced in value, but is
enhancing in value every day why!
Because gold and silver are not admitted
to the mints for coinage as in the days
gone by, but only gold, and the coinage
of gold is not keeping, and cannot keep,
pace with the increasing population.
No intelligent man can deny that cur
rency contraction is going on In this
country Statistics of the treasury de-
partment show that the money of this
country as compared with the popula-
tion, has decreased in round numbers
more than per cent within the past
year
What's the result? 1t is continuous
falling prices. Because all property be-
ing measured by property decreases in
value in the same proportion that money
decreases in volume. The scarcer money
becomes the dearer and more valuable
it becomes and the less valuable all
property Wnlcn IS measured Dy IL De-
comes. No intelligent man will deny this.
Money Growing More Valuable, Property
Less Valuable.
Day after day. therefore, as the coinage
of gold Is not keeping pace with the in
crease of population, money is becom-
ing more and more valuable and prop
erty less and less valuable. There will
be less money in circulation tomorrow
per capita than there is today. Under
this process the masses, who are the
holders of property, are bound to get
poorer and poorer every day, while the
holders of money are getting richer and
richer every day.
You have the property, they have the
money. Yours is growing less valuable,
theirs more valuable. And day after day
you are becoming less able to support
your families, pay your taxes and your
debts.
The people are realizing this, and they
are not mistaking the cause, notwith-
standing the representations daily sent
out by wholesale from the money CEN
ters. Nor is the laboring man being
fooled by their pretended solictude for
his welfare.
AS they see this state of things the
people are becoming wrought up to a
degree not realized by the multi-million-