The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-12
HONESTY IN GO vERNMENT.
Hon. W. w. Thomas, Jr., Discourses the
Sound Money at St. Paul.
lst. Paul Pioner.Press. J

(St. Paul PiOner-Press.
Hon. W. W. Thomas of Portland Me-,
who was appointed minister to Sweden
BY President Lincoln and who had this
post for many years last night addressed
the young people of the First Baptist
church on the subject of soand currency.
Mr.. Thomas did not make a campaign
speech but gave rather lyceuin talk
on the subject which was interspersed
freely with "reminiscences.
He said that in the political arena Of
this country there was no geographical
division and the man who undertook to
array section against section or class
against class deserved no place in the
political history of the nation. The
issue OF sectionalsm had been settled d
the conditions in his own State where
the immense over production of the chief
crop. potatoe, shad driven the price down
to 20 cents barrel. Then the free silver
orators had focked to Maine and had ell
deavored to lead the farmers stray.
But the honesty OF the New England
farmer had risen superior to the spirit of
| reputation and the State had given a
greater majority for sound money and
ever before been accorded n party or
ticket IL Ehe State. He related how q
new colony New Sweden had cast every
vote in the district for the Republican
ticket.
MIR. Thomas cautioned the voters not
to lose sigh of the old landmarks of hon.
esty and truth in government and he
characterized the free coinage of silver
as tho most Infamous scheme ever pro-
posed to az enlightened nation akin only
to grand larceny. He prophesied that
the bankruptcy, panic and destruction
that would follow would oIothe the en-
tire nation in sackcloth and ashes for
years. In the general upheaval the
workingmen of the nation would find it
even more difficult to earn a 50-cent dol
lar than 1t was now to earn q good 100
cent dollar. The wage earners formed
the largest creditor class. Their weekly
demands on capital were far greater
than even the national debt. Yet the
free coinage men proposed to cut in half
this enormous credit while raising the
| cost of oil supplies.
MIR. Thomas related in m interesting
manner the history Of Sweden under
Charles XII, when copper was coined
free in large chunks and stamped e..
He showed a specimen OF that ancient
coin. Never had q country suffered from
such disaster as had Sweden when
this coinage was enforced. No war,
however great, had ever beggared a
people to such an extent. This money
was called calamity money" and 1t
had proved its right to the title.
If the free coinage Of silver is good
thing" concluded MI. Thomas, "then
the free coinage of copper or iron is bet
ter. And why not have the free coinage
of papere That is still cheaper. Then the
hatists will have their millennium"
Mr.. Thomas closed his interesting ad :
dress by referring briefly to the SO Gale d
crime of '73'' and said that it was not
this alleged crime, but the bluuder of
1888 In voting Democratic admins
tration into power that had brought on
the panic and hard times. There was
but one remedy. Turn back into the
well beaten path of prosperity az esta b :
lished and maintained by the Republi-
can party for quarter Of century.