The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1896-08-29
Blaine on the Cold standard

n' SPOKESMAN Review quoted re-.
eentiy from aspeech made by nl.ins
VI the senate, to show that he WAS vIgo
rus ~ pronunciation Of the silRle gold
standard. Henry l.. Wilson took er.
eepuon To the extracts, and ouo,ed
o'her sentences from Blaine's speech IA
support his Claim that Blaine was ON.
posed 10 free coinage This otfiee no,,
mas the inll teIt OF Mr. Blaine's speech
ana VIII state his position As therein de-
elared. Ns
Mr' Blaine differed from the fire..
coinage advocates Of the present dsy
oniy IN the matter VI ratio. lie eon.
demhed the act Of 1873 as uneonstitu.
tional, vicious and passed without the
khoHi0dge OF consent Of the American
people. lie expressly declared for bI.
melalllsm, predicted all the evils now
suffered from the single gold standard
and distinctly declared for All American
solution Of the problem.
His speech nowhere contained any.
'hlhg upon which the republicans can
no" base OF defend the money plank of
The ~ LOUIS platform. That platform
declares the single gold standard mt
he maintained until Europe consents 10
Its REIMBURSEMENT by the United states.
This means the gold standard for yeaS.
and probably forever.
Mr. blaine declared fos the immedi.
ale REJECTION Of the single gold standard
and be expressly said that II was the
duty Of the congress Of the United
states 10 renonetlse silver. The re
sPo0si6iIliy Of re-es,AbilShing silver In
sts ancient ard honorable place as mon
sy la EUROPE aud America, " Asld Mr..
iilaine, ~dvTolTes really OH the congress
Of The rnitsi stated The republican
platform says II deToiVes GA the lead
tig nations Of Europe
III ne act heie With prudence, wis-
dom. and hrtnheSa, said Mr. blaine,
we shall not oniy successfully rcmon.
sIiss silver. and bring IL Into general
tisr as money In Cur ouh country, bGt
the influence Of cur example will be
i'oisaiiAi among ali European nations.
ulih The possible exception OF England.
Indeed. oug annual indictment 10 Eu.
r1Ie 10 80 great that II We have tho
right TO pay II In silver. ne necessarily
ooetre ,hose nations BY The strongest VI
all forces. selt interest. TO AID Us ia up
bedding The VAlae Of SILVER as money"
= deep gulf lies between BlAinc's bold
policy aud The p.olao, noH advocated by
the Cleveland administration and the
republican national platform. ltlsine
HAs 20, cocTcsng Europe 10 take our
SILVER Cleveland and The ~ Louis
platform declare that ne must permit
Eatnps 90 coesce as 10 pay In gold.
Hot Nj lElsine made hts meaning
eloA'cf than that, 4 believe. he added.
that the pal,!sc creditor oan afford 10
bs raid ia any silver dollar that the
tnl,sd states can afford 20 pay"
Mt lHaiHe then gave his reasons for
opposing The single gold standard,
which tho republican party nov ploiges
ilss!. 10 maintain 4 bcllsTe the Sirug
&c pou going on in this country aud tn
o,lsr couBIrsrs Tot = single gold stand
As,!. hc said. would. u successful, pro
daoo widespread disaster in the end
throughout the commercial world. The
destruction Of silver ~ money. and es-
,abltahIug gold a. the sole unit Of value,
tuust hare = ralnous effect on all forms
o. ptupsrty sIcer; thnse Investments
which yield = fTed return in money
These would b. enormously enhanced
IN value aud would gain disProPoTtion
ate and unfair advantage over every
ether species Of property"
The evils predicted by blaine have
fallen upon this land. CrediA have OBJ
tanned the unfair advantage over every
other species Of property" They have
uipc.i out the debtors equities. and de
blsrsi the values Of commodities.
Unfortunately the leaders Of the re
publican party. can not, or will not. see
these truths. The trouble with them
IL that their hindsight in iSsb IL not AZ
true a. Tlsine's foresight in 1878.
Sr,ok Review.