Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-06-26
SlLVER'S PROTEST
IN THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL ooNVEN-
TON.

Louis, Thursday Senator Teller presented
minority report on the financial plank, his
plank declaring for free coinage at the ratio
of 10 to I. After Mr.. Tellers proposition
had been rejected and the majority report
adopted by the convention, Senator Cannon
of Utah read the following:
THE SILVER MEMS PROT EST.
"In announcing the purpose asserted in
this paper it is due to our constituents and to
ourselves that there shall be a public show
ing of indicating facts
"'Ihe sole authorized expression of national
republican faith from June, 1902, until the
present date has been the platform adopted in
national convention at Minneapolis Neither
the utterances of State conventions nor the at
titude of individuals could change the tenor of
that platform abate the sanctity Of its bind
ing force Every delegate to this convention
was elected as its adherent and its advocate.
True, one of its most important paragraphs
has been subjected to such a divergence of
construction as to make its language unsats-
factory during the intervening time, and
dangerous if continued in the future; but
of the intent contained within that language
there has never been a doubt.
at is the rightful province of this conven-
ton to revise the party tenets and to an
nounce anew the party purpose. The ma
iority OF this convention in the exercise Of
such authority has this day made official enun-
citation of republican law and gospel. With
much of the platform we agree, believing that
in many essential particulars it compasses the
needs of humanity, attirms the maintenance Of
right and proposes the Just remedy for wrong.
But it declares one elemental principle, not
only in direct contravention Of the expression
Of party faith in 1892, but in radical oppos-
ton to our solemn conviction. We recognize
that in all matters of mere method it is but lust
and helpful that the minority shall Weld to the
will of the majority lest we have chaos in parties
and in government. But as no pronounce
ment by majorites can change opposing
knowledge or belief sincerely entertained, So
it cannot oblge minoritles to abandon or dis
avow their principles. As surely as it is
requisite for peace and progress that minori-
ties shall yield to majoritiea in matter Of mere
method, just as surely is It necessary for that
same peace and progress that minorites shall
not Weld i'm matters of fundamental truth.
THE republican platform Of 1892 affirmed
that the American people from tradition and
interest favored bmctlsm, and demanded
the USE OF both gold and silver as standard
money. This was accepted by us as a declar
alton in behalf of the principle upon which
rests the interests Of every citizen and the
safety OF the United States. In such terms
the platform was then satisfactory To the be-
hevers in bimetallism within our party; only
because OF equiYocal construction and evasion
has it since been demonstrated To- he nsuiti-
cient The platform this day adopted in the
national republican convention at st. Louis
says:
The republican party is unrcseryedy for
sound money 1t caused the enactment of the
law providing for the resumption OF specie pay
ments in 1879; since then every dollar has been
as good gold.
1--WE are unaIerably opposed 10 ever measure
calculated to debase our currency or impair the
credit of our country. We are therefore, OPP
posedto the free coinage of silver except by in
ternauOnal agreement with the leading CONNER
cial nations of the world which we pledge our
selves to promote and until such an agreement
can be obtained the existing gold standard must
be preserved.
"All our silver and paper currency now in cir
culauOn must be maintained at parity with gold,
and we favor all measures designed to maintain
invioIably these Obligations of the United
States and all our money either coin or paper
at the present standard the standard OF the most
enlightened nations of the earth,'
AS the declaration of 1892 has BEEN by
majority OF the party construed to- Justify a
single gold standard for our monetary basis. /
and as the recent trend of the official power Of
the party has been in that direction, we can
but assume that the money plank Of the new
platform. being much more favorable to per-
petual gold recommendation, will he deter
mnedy used in behalf of that idea. The
republican party has won its power and re-
nOWn by pursuing its purposes couragcouslv
and relentessly; it is therefore only in accord
ance with the party's history To- assume that if
1t shall come To present authority in the
United States it will crystalline into law and
administration under this tempting platform
Il