The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-20
CENTER SHOTS.
From Speech of John r. Tanner, Re-
publican Candidate for Governor of Illi-
nois.

From Speech of John r. Tanner, Re-
publican Candidate for Governor of Illi-
nois.
The Democratic politicians have cham
pioned free silver in spirit of sheer reck-
lessness. They know very well that 1t
VIII prove disastrous in practice; but these
Democratic bosses saw that every ad-
vantage they promised the mechanic, the
farmer and the laborer as a result of tar
iff revision on Democratic lines had van-
ished away in the light of very sad
| experience. They felt they must find q
new issue or go down; they knew they
could not make the old Democratic mill
grind in 1896 with the water that turned
II and passed on in 1892. They were con-
fronted with the necessity of making the
voters believe their present distress re-
suited from something besides reckless
Democratic tariff tinkering, so they again
trusted to popular credulity. while they
explained through weary columns Of
sophistry that II is a stringency of the
currency. consequent on silver demoneti-
Zaton. which really affects the country
They think possibly they may kick up q
dust over the currency that in the result
ing confusion they may betake themselves
to a place of political safety. In this
spirit and upon this policy our popocratic
friends have rendered to us the issue of
silver, at the ratio of 16 to ]. We accept
their challenge; we will meet them upon
their own chosen ground, and we shall
learn whether this new and even more
mischievous humbug than that which
won in 1892 can now be yoked up with the
latter and be again successful at the ballot
box in 1896.
"Free silver coinage in America, at the
rot In Of tn 4 mo in fp=t yNIa
silver monometallism, and, therefore, for
a time at least. contraction and net cx-
pansion of the currency. The 1853. $50 49,
gold coin, now in actual circulation, will
at once retire from business because the
1OO-cent gold dollar will refuse to circulate
in company with the fiat 51-cent silver dol
lar. 1t means the exclusion of the United
States from a position as one OF the fa-
vored and controlling nations of the earth
and places us with Mexico, China and
Japan. 1t means that every savings bank
may pay its depositorS in currency half
as valuable as ii received. 1t means that
insurance companies may pay their losses
in a money half as valuable as that con-
templated when they issued policies and
half as valuable as that in which prem-
ums and dues were received. 1t means
that the laborer must measure his wages
in dollar which will buy for his table
only half the meat and potatoes that the
dollar of today will purchase. 1t means
that the old. decrept veteran shall re-
ceive a pension of half-value and that ev-
cry guardian can settle with his orphan
ward on a basis of 80 cents on the dollar
The proposition is as impudent as it is
dishonest.
II II II
''It would doubtless be convenient-yes,
pand would be immensely profitable to ;he
owner of silver mine-to be able. when
ever he chose to carry so cents worth of
silver to the mint and have stamped upon
1t the eagle which proclaims 1t a dollar.
and which compels you and me to receive
IL as a dollar from the favored mine
owner as a payment of any debt he may
owe us. That would be good for the mine
owner, but would 1t not be a little tough
on the rest of us? The government will
not put its stamp on the farmers bushel
of corn or wheat or pound of pork and
say: This Is a dollar 1t will not certify
that the toll and sweat of the laborer or
mechanic is to be a legal tender i'm the
market for any certain price. 1t puts no
stamp Of value on the weaver's web Of