Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-15

citizens whom have met before. We
are entering upon a memorable cam
pafgn, and the issues are being drawn
for the contest. The two parties de-
scribed as the two great parties have
already adopted their platforms and
for president and vice president, and in
a short time the campaign will be open
ed fully and you will be making up your
minds as to which platform and as to
which ticket you will support.
IT trust the issues involved in this
campaign will be clearly understood and
carefully studied. Parties are not made
to be worshipped;. they are merely the
instruments by which we serve our
country. People are made not for par
ties, but the parties are made for the
people, and the parties can only claim
the support of the people when these
parties are efficient instruments in the
hands of the people for accomplishing
good. And those who. are called upon to
vote have the right to consider the plat
form. utterances and the policies adj
vocated by the, various parties, as well
as the candidates who are nominated.
I'm this campaign believe there will
be less of personalities and more of prin-
ciple than in any campaign which we
have seen in recent years. The people
have before them two great public ques-
tions. We must not expect that any
platform will contain all you desire. No
thinking person finds In any platform
an expression of everything which he be-
lieves, nor must you expect that any
platform will be free from some objec-
tion. We select our party, select our
platform, not in the hope of finding
something which is absolutely in accord
with our opinion, but we take that plat
form which for the time being promises
to us the best legislati tion on the most i'm
portant questions.
I'm this campaign it is decided by all
sides that the most important issue is the
money question. 1t matters not whether
you believe in the restoration of silver
or in the gold standard, you must admit
that the settlement of the money ques-
tion Is of the first and greatest import
ance, one that when settled leaves Moth
ing else to be considered. On the money
question the two great parties have
taken positions directly opposite to each
other. Four years ago the position taken
by the republican and democratic parties
was almost Identical. The republican
party said the American people were in
favor of bimetallism and the democratic
party were heading to the use of gold
and silver as a standard money for the
country and to the coinage of both for
money.
Thus you see that both parties de-
clared in favor Of gold and silver as the
money of our country. Four years have
passed since that platform was written,
anu lhCSc lOuI years IdNt OCCn luIl VI
momentous happenings. but as this cam
paign approaches the great parties line
themselves up for the fray. Upon this
question the party at st. Louis declared
for the maintenance of the gold stand
ard, but the platform does not say that
the gold standard is a good thing, be-
cause that platform pledged the party
to get rid of the gold standard, but de-
clared that this change cannot be made
except by international agreement until
H. 10 Il
help.
"The democratic party met at Chicago
and 1t adopted the platform which is in
direct opposition to the platform adopted
at st. Louis. The st. Louis convention
declared for the maintenance Of the
gold standard until something else could
be done in the near future. But more
than that the republican platform did
not promise any complete monetary sys-
tenn. The democratic party outlined
what it desired to have done and de-
clared that the silver dollar should be
of full legal tender for all debts, public
and private, and that such Legislation
should be enacted as is necessary to the
restoration of the unlimited coinage of
silver and gold at the present legal ratio
of 16 to l without waiting for the aid of
any other nation. We also declared that
the silver dollar should be full legal ten
der for all debts, public and private, and
that such legislation should be enacted
as Is necessary to prevent for the future
the demonetization of any legal money.
ment should exercise the right to redeem
it's obligations in either gold or silver.
'The issue is drawn, and we have our
chance in this campaign between an
American financial system for the Amer
ican people and an English financial sys-
tenn for the English aristocracy. If I
mistake the patriotism of the people, who
have never been appealed to in vain
there can be but one issue in this cam
paign and but one result. If they ask
us what about other questions, we tell
them that SO long as the right of self
government Is In danger there is no 9TH
er question. But want to impress upon
your mind two things. l want to ask
will be asked over and over again in this
campaign. They are questions that we
will be asked with ever increasing en-
phasis. The two questions are these
If the gold standard is "a good thing, why
should we try to get rid of It, and If the
gold standard Is a bad thing why should
we wait until some other nations are will
ing to help us let go?
1--WE care not upon what issue they
force the fight. We are prepared to meet
them upon either issue, or both. / thank
you, friends and. fellow citizens, for the
interest which you have manifested and
for the compliment which you have paid
to us by your assemblage here today. /
can but beg OF you that you Will remem-
ber your duty as citizens We, who
stand upon the platform adopted at Chi
cago do not come to you as supplicants
to beg for your votes. Your votes are
your own, and no man rs asked to do any
thing save as his conscience dictates.
And we beg you to study all the ques-
tions presented, study all the issues in
volved, and then let your ballot register
a free mans will" str5
Mr.. Bryan left Centralia for Salem at
$50 p. m.