Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1896-06-26

4 ASsA4f NNGhAN-hNG NI@uS INV HaNG
been 4 citizen Of this county. During
that time have held positions OF
honor and trust at your hands. The
duties of those positions involve the
highest interests of society. 1t has
been the great aim and ambition OF
my official life, gentlemen, to conduct
myself with that degree of fairness and
faithfulness, honor and fidelity rs to
merit your confidence. When / re-
fec; about these matters I could well,
and with pleasure to myself, consume
the brief time you will accord me in
expressing sentiments of sincere graft
itudc to the people of Charlton county.
But, gentlemen, / feel that / should
ask your pardon for even these refer
enccs to matters that are purely per-
sonal.
To-day you have assembled in the
name Of the Democracy OF Charlton
county tor the purpose of transacting
business affecting public interests and
pertaining to public welfare. 1t is no;
my purpose, because l could not at
this time, to enter upon 4 systemat-
&c political discussion, but with your
indulgence / desire to say, 4 great
political party has recently assembled
within the borders OF our own state
and plainly and boldly declared Its po-
sition upon questions vital to public
welfare. The position of the Repub-
lican party upon the one great issue
that affects more individuals OF this
country, that Affects more homes, that
affects business in all of its ramifca-
tons and its various branches and de-
partmcnts more nearly and more d.
rccLy than any other issue, is directly,
in my opinion, in opposition to the
best interests of very large majority
Of the people of this country. Zap
plause.) We are to-day threatened
with 4 condition of affairs that in my
humble judgment appeals to the
patriotism and addresses itself to the
sober discretion of every American
citizen. The policy of The Republican
party upon the financial question is
dictated and directed by the money
powers of the. earth IN direct disregard
20 the best in ,eres;s and needs of the
masses OF ma nkind. The Republican
party in Its latform just adopted de-
clares in fIvor of maintaining the
present or existing single gold stand.
ard, and in the same platform CON-
mits itself to- a n honest effort to secure
bimetalliSm Ey International agree
ment. The mo propositions, gentle
men. il strikes me, are wholly and
fatally inconsistent. IL gold mono
metaIlism is good, if gold monomet-
allism is the bet for this country, then
why seek to- secure bimetallism upon
any terms, either International or in
DEPENDENT II the single gold stand
ard which our Republican friends,
aided by Grover Cleveland, have Civ
en- US, is the best for us, then IL you
pardon me, I would like to know what
is the matter with the country' Every
industry is paralyzed; paralysis seems
TO have seized in Its grasp every
American industry, and to-day all tot
ter in their feebleness TO survive. In
my opinion, gentlemen, 1t is not the
best for us Some Of our friends adj
yised US that it would be impossible
for this little nation, that n hundred
years ago licked England and the old
country, that it Is impossible for us
now, rs weak as we are, without the
concurrence Of other commercial IA
tons, to adopt a bimetalhc standard,
and therefore they advocate bimetal-
hsm by international agreement.
Now, gentlemen, in my opinion that
is absolute nonsense The idea of
Johnnie Bull or Baron Rothschild, or
Grover Cleveland, or the Morgan syn
dicate, or the Republican party
agreeing to anything contrary to7the
interest and the demands of capital in
this country. (Applause) If we are
ever to return TO a bimetallic condi-
ton in this country it must be as the
result of the positive, affirmative and
independent action of this country.
IIa--N E-tI LII ......- IL.