The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-15
TIE. Tai NIcoLLET AVENUE. MINNEAPOLIS. MIMI.

are In this convention today and who
tell you that we ought to declare in
favor Of international bimetallism, and
thereby declare that the gold standard
is wrong and that the principle Of BIZ
metallism is better, these very people
advocates Of the gold standard and tell
ing us we could not legislate two metals
together, even with all the world. Gre
newed applause and cheers.)
want to suggest this truth, that II
the gold standard is a good thing. we
ton and not in favor Of abandoning 1t:
and if the gold standard Is bad thing,
why should we wait until some other
nations are willing to help us to let go?
(Applause.)
Here il the line Of battle. We care
We are prepared to meet them on either
issue or on both. If they tell US that
the gold standard Is the standard Of
civilization, we reply to them that this
the most enlightened Of all the nations
of the earth, has never declared for q
gold standard, and both the parties this
year are declaring against It. CAP
plause). If the gold standard Is the
standard civilization, why, my friends.
should we not have It? So II they come
to meet us on that we can present the
history of our nation. More than that,
we can tell LueIH tuIS, tudA euSy Will
search he pages Of history in vain to
find single instance In which the COM
mon people of any land have ever de-
clared themselves in favor Of q gold
standard. (Applause)
Mr.. Carlisle said in 1873 that this was
struggle between the idle holders of idle
capital and the struggling masses who
. produce the wealth and pay the taxes Of
the country, and, my friends. 1t is simply
a question that we shall decide upon
which side shall the democratic party
fight? Upon the side of the idle holders
of idle capital. or upon the side Of the
struggling masses? That is the question
that the party must answer first. and
then it must be answered by each In
dividual hereafter. The sympAthies OF
the Democratic party. as described by the
platform, are on the side Of the strug-
Cling masses, who have ever been the
foundation Of the Democratic party. Cap
plause.)
There are two ideas Of government
There are those who believe that II you
just legislate to make the well-to-io pros
porous, that their prosperity will leak
through on those below. The Democratic
idea has been that IL you legislate to
make the masses prosperous their pros
perity will find its way up and through
every class and rest upon 1t. (Applause)
You come to US and tel. US that the
great cities are in favor OF the gold
standard. tell you that the great cities
rest upon these broad and fertile prairies.
Burn down your cities and leave us DUR
farms and your cities will spring up
again as II by magic, but destroy our
farms and the grass will grow In the
streets of every city Of this country.
cloud applause.)
My friends, we shall declare that tAis
nation IL able to legislate for tts own
people on every question, without watt
ing for the aid or consent Of any other
nation on earth (applause), and upon
that issue we expect to carry every sim
gle state In the union. (Applause,) I
shall not Islander the fair state Of Massa-
chusetts nor the state of New York by