The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-07-17

80. ~
the fact, Ia the preparation Of financial
system, that the cost Of the production
Of silver has greatly fallen. Why, 1t Is
the very pregnant fact that confronts all
the world In the solving Of this great ques-
tion. Of the immense discovery Of silver
everywhere. The great fact confronts
the world that the cost of silver proluc-
tlon has been reduced nearly onc-half. II
the American people were brave, were
courageous; II they had the spirit Of 1870,
us this platform says, could they, single
and alone, make copper the equal of gold?
Could they make lead the equal Of gold?
Must you not take into conside ntion the
great fact Of production, the crest fact Of
the lessening Of the cost Of production In
the last fifteen aud twenty years?
If bravery, II courage, could produce these
results, then you could make any metal, no
matter what 1t might be, money metal.
But tell you lt Is q question Of economics,
Is not n question Of finance. 1t Is a ques-
ton of resources. And upon that It is the
Judgment of the minority Of the committee
that the safest course Is to take the first
great step in favor of international bimetal-
lism, and stop there. know it will be
form agrees with our Republican friends.
1t, to me. Is neither any better nor any
worse for It. l call your attention to the
fact that your plank upon pensions, that
your plank upon the Monroe doctrine, that
your plank upon Cuba, that your plank upon
territories, that your plank upon Alaska,
that your plank even upon the civil service,
IRE exactly like the Republican planks.
Therefore, I do not think that that criti-
cism will detract from the value of the sug-
gestion. Mr.. President, I said few mo-
ments ago I thought the safest course for
this convention to have pursued was simply
to have said that this government should
cfn f,vtA I'm ~ vn10 OnlH
and silver alike as the currency Of tho
country, and stop there. do not think
said, and will repeat It, that 1t Is wise
to hazard everything upon single mum.
bcr
The Income Tax.
Another suggestion permit me to make.
What was the necessity for putting into
the platform other questions which have
never been made the tests OF Democratic
loyalty heretofore2 Why, we find the dis
puted question Of the policy AID c0nsti-
tutlonality of the income tax. What? Has
1t come to this, that the followers of Sam
uel ]. Tflden, who. all his life, was the
opponent Of that ubiquitous scheme, which
was used against him In his old age to an
noy him and harrass him and humiliatc
him-whyr say. should 1t be left to this
convention to make as tenet Of Demo-
cratic faith, belief in the ppopriety and con-
stitutlonality Of an income tax? Why was
It wise to assail the supreme court of
your country2 Will some one tell me what
that clause means In this platform? II
you meant what you said and said what
vision? That provision, IL 1t means any
thing, means that 1t is the duty of con-
gress to reconstruct the supreme court of
avOwed-it means the adding OF additional
members to It,, or the turning out of office
and reconstructing the whole court. As
I said. will not follow any such revo-
lutionary step as that.
The Democratic party has passed tariff
bill, which, unfortunately, has not pro-
duced a sufficient revenue as yet to meet
the necessities Of the government. There
has been deficit OF about s50,DOO,O 600 year.
1t Is hoped that In the near future this bill
will produce ample revenues for the sup
part Of the government; but In the mean-
time your greenback currency and your
treasury notes must be redeemed when they
are presented, II you would preserve the
honor and the credit OF the nation. Where
would the money have come from IL your
president and your Southern secretary Of
the treasury had not DISCHARGED their duty
by the issuing of bonds to save the credit
Of this country? Let me call your atten-
tion to the figures. There has been issued
during thiss administration see 100000 Of
bonds. What amount of money have you
In the treasury to-day? Only just about
that sum. Where would you have obtained
the means with which to. redeem your
paper money II 1t had not been produced
by the sale Of bonds? Why, my friend Till
man could not have had money enough out
of the treasury from his salary to pay his
expenses home.
Mr.. President. reiterate to. this conven-
ton that 1t has brought into this canvass
an unnecessary, foolish issue, which puts
US on the defense in every school district In
fha 3tOto I 1O RI dpfOfN
by any other criticism of this platform Mt
this time. 1t is sufficient that you have en-
tered upon an issue on which the Democ.
racy Ia largely divided. In addition to that
you have unwisely brought into this plat
form other questions foreign to the main
question, and made the support of them
the test Of Democracy. I do. not think that
this was the course that should have been
pursued. Mr.. President, there Is time
enough yet to retrace these false steps.
The burdens you have imposed upon us In
the Eastern states in the support Of this
platform in Its question relating to silver
is all that can be reasonably borne. but
In addition to that you have put upon us
the question of the preservation Of the
public credit. You have brought into 1t the
question Of the issuing Of bonds. You have
brought into 1t the question of the recon-
struction of the supreme court You have
brought into 1t the question Of the issuing
OI pupeE AsOHcys 1Oui udtc UFOuSuI lulO IL
the great question of life tenure in office,
and this platform is full Of ipcongruous
and absurd provisions which are proposed
to be made the test of true Democrats.
Mr.: President, 1t is not for me to revive
any question of sectionalisnl, and shall
not do it. This country is now at peace.
all sections of 1t, and let it SO remain.
care not from what section Of the country
the Democrat comes So long us he Is true
to the old financial principles of our faith
ers will shake him by the hand and: ex-
press my friendly sentiments toward him.
The question of sectionalism will creep In
in spite Of the efforts of our best men to
keep 1t out. oppose this platform because
think 1t makes our success more difficult.
want the grand old party with which
have been associated from my boyhood to
bel have looked forward to the day when
1t should be-securely> entrenched in the If.
fections of the American people. 1 dislike
the Republican party. dislike all their
tenets. have no. sympathy with their
general principles, but l do think we are
here to-day making mistake in the ven.
ture which we are, about to take. Be not
deceived. Do not attempt to. drive old
Democrats out Of the party that have
grown gray In Its services to make room