Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-20
Able PLEA FOR SOUND MONEY
Senator Gray's Great Speech
at Chicago.
DANGER OF THE SILVER DELUSlON
Free Silver Coinage Would Put
Gold at Premium.


the great sDunu-inoney Dehioeiaic meS'-
ing in the Chicago Auditorium, on the Sat
urday night prior to the Democratic M
tional Convention, was by Senator George
Gray of this State. He said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
almost feel that it is an ungracious task
that has been assigned me to follow so
quickly upon the eloquent words of the
young Massachusetts statesman who has
thrilled your hearts and captured your
understanding by his eloquence tonight
Great appause.) 1t may be that i may
bring in one note of discord to the har-
mony of his eloquence, and thus while re-
lieying the tension of your attention will
do little eredit-tCries of 'Louder)-to
the speaker who has uttered it.
We are here tonight, my fellow Demo-
s-(applause)--to discuss the situation
In which we find the party Of our attach
ment and our love. l would to God that
tonight l was addressing you only
upon the issues that divide us from our
ancient enemy, the Republican party.
tApplause)
i wish from the bottom of my heart
that this were one Of those old, brave and
gallant rallies of our party against the
falsehood and pretentions Of Mckinley
other purpose. We are here, my fellow
citizens and my fellow Democrats, as sup
porters of the principles of our party. as
believers in its time-honored doctrines,
to proclaim in the first place our allegi-
ance to those principles, and our unswery-
ing loyalty and devotion to our party
creed. In the second place we are here
to. protest against what we conceive to be
threatened departure from those prin-
cipIes and the promulgation of a danger
GUS heresy from our party faith. am not
here to denounee those who differ with me
or TO asperse the motives of those who
hitherto have been hOnored members of
our great party, but who have apparently
united to accomplish purpose abhorent
to us as Democrats, and at war with that
for which the great party to which we be-
long has stood fer nigh 100 years of glori-
Gus and eventful history. CApplause)
1t is proposed now, my friends. mistak-
enly. but honestly, no doubt, to declare in
the Democratic platform that values can
be created by act of Congress, and that a
fat of the government of the United States
can control and regulate the price of silver
in all the markets of the world. This is
an avowal of paternalism that would put
TO shame that of the Republican party
and against which all the traditions of the
Democratic party have been consistently
arrayed.
That there are those who honestly be
lieye that this can be done and that Con
gress by an enactment can bridge thu
chasm between the commercial value o
sixteen ounces of silver and one ounce o.
gold cannot lessen the danger of such al
experiment nor relieve us from the dut!
which our convictions impose upon us.
To those who so believe, and they ar
many, impute no dishonesty of purpose
10 insincerity of conviction. No; will
agree with them, If the experiment mus
he tried, to try it with the proyiso that i
in Il given time, say, six months or Il year
their hopes or beliefs are not realized III
law shall not be operative. daughter an
applause) But what are we to say I
those who either do not believe that
parity of commercial or bullion value en-
be achieved by free coinage Of 16 to l q
who profess to be Indifferent to the result
who look forward with satisfaction.-nt
with certain jOy-tO the silver mono
metallism which we know will be- brougI
about by such legislation: who woul
falsify our money that debtors might seal
their debts and hold out to agricultur,
depressed by worldwide economic change
the hope of higher prices in chcapenc
n money? With such architects of ruin "
can have no sympathy. Sound dem
cracy can have no tolerance for the
teachings and must denounce their depar
ure from the ancient Democratic faitl
What account are we, my friends. whe
we go home from this convention to ri,
to the toiling masses of the COUNT
rhEl IND.
peculiar care of Democratic party al
whose adherents to its PRINCIPLES has n
ways been its chiefest strength and rIor
II we proclaim to them that we won
cheaper the money that rewards their |
Dor in order TO raise the price of the 70,
and other necessaries of life that mon,
must buy? The party of tariff spoliati,
may indorse such a doctrine. 1t lives
the favor of the protected and priyileg
classes, but the Democratic party new,
(Applause.)
Its mission has been to Tighten the In
den that bows the back of labor. moi
add to its weight, and that must contin
to be the mission of the Democratic mar
N II 1t is to live in the future as il has
It's glorious past. tApplause.) Think
1t, my friends,what this proposition meal
Address the intelligence of your nein
bors; address the intelligence of your f
low democrats and ask them how il &c
slsts with Democratic doctrine that th
should proclaim as the chief and forcm,
principle to be enunciated in Democra
platform that we must by legislation
crease the price of the necessaries of Ii
make it more difficult for you to obt;
with the wage of labor the food TINT
TO support you and your family in orc
that one class may be satisfied of tn
insatiate and unreasonable clamor Mt 1
expense of the toiling millions of /
country.
don't close my eyes to the depress
condition of agriculture. nor do / vi,
with unconcern the hard case in viii
many of those engaged in that purs
find Intensely es by reason of the low mr.
which the increased grain-producipg nj
OF the world has brought about, Are
dealing fairly by the farmer or by Of
selves II we conceal the truth as we see
or compromise our convictions in order
obtain his vote? The man who owns /
farm is capitalist. Where do we get I
right to say that we will levy tolls on
wage earning labor of the country in ore
to make good the losses which econon
changes have wrought? If it is sou
Democratic doctrine to raise the price
the necessaries of life by legislation in
der that those who produce may lew ii
Increase from the wage-carninp labor
the country thnn I yyarn tbnsa 49,. l,,,