The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-24
FRIENDS OF SILVER.
Organization Perfected at Washing
ton Conference.
THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
Calls for Subordination of All Other
Questions.
THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
NATIONAL CONVENTION CALLED
St. Louis tho Place, July 81 the Time.
Number OF Delegates Apportioncd.
National Committeeman.

Washington, January 23-Thc silver con-
ference today resulted in an animated dis
cussion of the financial situation and the
policy to be pursued by the friends or sil-
yer.
During the discussion considerable feel
Ing was aroused by some OF the remarks
made by General Hatch OF Missouri in
which he stated IN effect that II the pop
ulists of Kentucky had done their whole
duty the election of Mr.. Blackburn to IA
scat in the United States senate would
not be matter of doubt. Genera,
Field of Virginia and others made heated
replies
Mayor Turner OF Lansing, Mich, and
Mr.. Stewart OF Nevada addressed the con-
Vention. The committee on resolutions
OF which Senator Jones of Nevada is
chairman, submitted the following re-
port.
The paramount issue at this time IN
the United States is indisputabiy the
money question. II is between the goid
standard. gold bonds and bank currency
on one side and the bimetallic standard.
no bonds and government currency on the
other On this issue We declare ourselves
TO be In favor OF a distinctive financial
| system,
we are unalterably opposed to the single
gold standard and demand the Immediate
return to the constitutional standard of
! gold and silver by the restoration by this
| government independently of any foreign
power. OF the unrestricted coinage of both
gold and silver into standard money at
| the ratio of IL to ], and upon terms OF exact
| equality, as they existed prior to 1879: The
silver coin to be n full legal tender equally
| with sold for all debts ana dues, publ
| and private.
We hold that the power to control and
| regulate paper cureIcy is inseparapie
| IRON the purpose TO coin money and hence
| mat all currency intended TO circulate as
money should be Issued ard its volume con
uolied by the General government only
| aud should. be legal tender
| We are unaltcrably opposed to the issue
| py the United States Of interest bearing
| bonds In times OF peace and we denounce
AS biunder worse than a crime the ,res-
ont treasury policy. concurred in by q
| republican house. of plunging the country
| in debt by hundreds of millions In the
| vain attempt to maintain the gold stand
ard by borrowing gold, and we demand
| the payment OF all coin obligations of the
| United States as provided by existing laws
| In either gold or silver coin, at the option
! OF the government and not at the option
of the creditor.
| Whereas the demonetizati ton OF Ailver in
1873 enormously increased the demand for
gold, enhancing its purchasing power and
| lowering all prices measured by that
| standard; and
| Whereas since that unjust and fnde-
| fensible act. the price of American prod
ucts have fallen upon an average Of nearly
so per cent, carrying down with them
proporaonately the money value of all
other forms of property except IN peculiar
ly favored localities: and
Whereas. Such n fall OF prices destroyed
the profits of legitimate Industry, injur-
ing the producer for the benefit of the
non-producer increasing the burden of
the debtor and swelling the gains of the
| creditor. paralyzing the productive oner-
giles of the American people. sending to
idleness vast numbers of willing work ers.
| sending the shadows of despair INTO the
| home Of the honest toiler, filling the land
with tramps and paupers and building up
| colossal fortunes at the money centers;
and
Whereas. In the effort to maintain the
gold standard the country has within the
last eighteen months, I'm time OF Jro-
| found peace and plenty, been loaded with
slGl 100000 of additional interest bearing
| debt under such circumstances as to allow
| n syndicate of native and foreign bankers
to realize net profit Of 100000 on n
| single deal, and
Whereas, Another call Is now ronding
for further gold loan OF 800. 900 900,
rhich, but for an outpurst Of poouiar
| Indignation, would also have been negoti-
ated In the same secret manner and
through the same syndicate: and
Whereas, II stands confessed that the
gold standard can be upheld only by 80
depicting our paper currency as TO force
the prices OF our products below the
European and even below the Asiatic
level, In order that We may Sell In for
eign markets. thus agFravating the very
evils of which our people 50 bitterly com
plain, degrading American labor and
striking at the very foundation OF our
civilization Itself: and
Whereas, the advocates Of the gold
standard persistently claim that the real
cause Of our distress is over-p production
that we have produced go much that IT
has made us poor-which implies that
the true remedy is to close the factory,
abandon the farm and throw 9 multitude
Of people out Of employment-a doctrine
that leaves us absolutely without hope
for the future; and
Whereas. the difference OF exchange be-
tween silver standard countries and gold
countries Is equivalent to bounty equal
to the difference between the value OF
gold and silver In favor Of the products
OF silver standard countries exported 10
gold standard countries, and n correspond
ing tariff against the products OF gold
standard countries exported to silver using
countries: and
whereas. The cost Of production other
wise In the old world, and particularly In
China and japan, IL far less than the cost
at which similar products can be pro
duced or manufactured in this country
by American labor without reducing our
farmers. miners, mechanics. manufactur-
ers and other Industrial workers TO the
level of Chinese coolies; therefore, be It
Resolved, That over and above an o,her
! questions OF policy we are In favor of
restoring TO the people OF the United
States the tirie-honored money Of the
| constitution-Rold and silver, not one. but