Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-08-17


not only shall refuse to apologize for the adj
convention. but shall also refuse to apologize
fer the exercise by it of the right to dissent
From decli ike Of od sRs public
Is public servant whether he holds
whether ie serves 'i for term Of wears or during
eood behavior and the people have right to
where the parent of despotism; free government
exists in Jealousy and not in confidence These
are the words of Thomas Jefferson, and sub
popular government than that entertained by
those who would prohibit unfavorable COM
ment upon court decision. Truth will vindi-
cate ITSELF only fears free speech. No
public official who daaI re- s,n his
whom he the right to discuss his official
conduct
Three Platforms on Finance.
Now let ne ask you to consider the para
mount question of this campaigning money
principle of bimetallsm. No national party dur
ing the entire history Of the United States has
campaign has had the temerity to oppose it.
Three parties-the Democratic, Populist and Sill
siiism H. but have outlined the specific legisla-
ton necessary to restore silver to its position by
the side of gold. The Republican platform
pressly declares that bimetallism is desirable
when it pledges the Republican party to aid i'll
securing it as the assistance of certain
foreign nations can be obtained. Those who rep
resented the minority sentiment in the Chicago
the United States by independent action the
ground that in their Judgment it would retard
national bimetallism to which the efforts of the
government should be steadily directed When
they m tdat the efforts OF the
lishment of international Dmetall1sm, they con-
demned monometallism The gold standard has
been weighed in the balance and found wanting
Take from it the powerful support of the money
owning and the money changing classes, and it
cannot stand for one day in any nation in the
world. 1t was fastened upon the United States
without discussion before the people, and its
friends have never yet been willing to risk Il
verdict before the voters upon that issue. There
can be sympathy or cooperation between the
advocates of bimetallism. Between bimetaIlism
whether independent or international-and the
gold standard there is an impossible gulf.
Is this quadrennial agitation in favor of in
ternational bimetallism co ucted in good faith
or do our opponents really desire to maintain
the gold standard permanently? Are they will
ing to confess the superiority of double stand
ard when Joined in by tho leading nations of the
world or do they still insist that gold is the
only metal suitable for standard money among
of securing bimetallism we may expect them
TO point out the evils of gold standard and
other hand, they are bending their energies to-
ward the permanent establishment of gold
of international bimetallism. / am Justified in
suggesting that honest money cannot be expected
at the hands of those who deal dishonesty with
What is the test of honesty in money? It
must certainly be found in the purchasing power
of the dollar. An absolutely honest dollar
would not vary in its general purchasing power;
it would be absolutely stable when measured by
average prices dollar which increases in
purchasing power is just as dishonest as a dollar
which decreases in purchasing power. Prot
Laughln of the University of Chicago and
one Of the highest gold standard authorities in
his work bimetallism not only admits that
gold does not remain absolutely stable in value
but expressly asserts that there is such
thing as a standard of value for future pay
absolutely invariable." He even suggests that
a multiple standard, wherein the unit is
| tho ro11ir rarion of
articles of general consumption would be a
more just standard than either gold or silver
or both, because "a long time contract would
thereby be paid at its maturity by the same
purchasing power as was given in the begin
1t cannot be successfully claimed that mono
metallism or bimetallism any other system
both monometallism and bimetallism the govern
ment fixes the weight and fneness of the dollar
invests it with legal tender qualities and then
opens the mints to its unrestricted coinage
leaving the purchasing power of the dollar to
metallism is better than recommendation. not be-
cause it gives perfect dollar-that is, a dol
ing powerful because it makes nearer APP
proach to stability, to honesty, to Justice, than
gold srandard posspy Ga ,i Iflor TO lS5
all the gold and silver available for coinage to
ard money the United States might have main
tanned a gold standard with less injury to the
people Oh gold aoGsrd nbenc b
purchasing power of gold, depresses prices and
transfers to the pockets Of the creditor class
great nation must be thrown upon the side of
gold unless we are prepared to accept the
natural and legitimate consequences Of such an
act Any legislation which lessons the worlds
stock of standard money increases the exchange
able value OF the dollar; therefore crusade against
silver must inevitably raise the purchasing
power of money and lower the money value OF
all other forms of property.
Our opponents sometimes admit that it was a
mistake to demonetize silver, but insist that that
we should submit to present conditions rather
than return to the bimetallic system They err
in supposing that we have reached the end of
the evil results of a gold standard; we have not
reached the end The injury is continuing one
and no person can say how long the world is to
Standard money. The same influences which are
now operating to destroy silver in the United
States will, If successful here be turned against
other silverusing countries and each new con-
vert to the gold standard will add to the general
tinues, prices must fall and general fall in
prices is but another definition of hard times.
Coinage and Business interests.
Our opponents, while claiming entire disinter-
estedness for themselves, have appealed to the
nne he d 81 gsi voter to
consider the effect of any proposed legislation
tie financial policy outlined in the Chicago plat
form, believing that it will result in the great
opposed to the geld standard because they have
felt its effects Since they sell at wholesale and
gained by falling prices and besides this, they
have found that certain fixed charges have not
fallen at all. IaXeS nave NOT been pefcepllDly
decreased although 1T requires more of farm
products now than formerly to secure the money
with which to pay taxes Debts have not fallen.
The farmer who owed 81 900 is still compelled to
pay COO. although it may be twice as diff
licult as formerly to obtain dollar with which
to pay the debt. Railroad rates have not been
reduced to keep pace with falling prices, and
besides these items there many more. The
farmer has thus found complaint against the
The wage earners have been injured by a
cold c+ande~d 1nd have n!tn~oscnd Themselves
Upon the subject with great emphasis. In Feb
T9ary, 1895. petition asking, for the im oa9e
date restoration of the free and unlimited COIN
age Of gold and silver at 16 to 1 was signed
by the representatives of all, or nearly all, the
l>dulnS o47~lIL.,t Ions u plcsvAtcd - Goa
gress. Wage earners know that while gold
standard raises the purchasing power of the
dollar it also makes it more difficult to obtain
possession of the dollar: they know that en-
ployment is less permanent loss Of .work. more
probable and Unemployment less certain. gold
standard encourages the boarding of money be-
cause money is rising it also discourages enter inter-
hand. the restoration of bimetalism will dis
courage boarding, because. when prices are
steady or rising. money cannot afford to lie idle
in the bank vaults. The farmers and wage earn
ers together constitute a considerable majority
of the people of the country. Why should their
interests be ignored in considering financial egiS