The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1896-09-16


not be a hard question for any Kentuck-
ian to decide. Every one knows that
Senator Beck was the highest type Of a
Democrat, that, next to Henry Clay, he
wss the great commoner" Of Kentucky,
that he himself worked his way up from
among the masses, and that he was al
ways their friend. When this great
Democrat made his famous speech, jan
uary 1886; the Courier Journal did not
denounce him as an anarchist; they
treated him as a great statesman. They
placed brilliant and faycTable headlines
over his speech and ended with the ex-
preston "The issue squarely made"
That is what the Coulter Journal thought
then, they seem to think differently
now. Let us examine that speech be-
cause it is remarkable one to have
been made by Democrat under Dem
ocratic administration.
In the beginning he declares war on the
financial policy and gold standard ten
dency, as outlined by President Cleve-
land. He evidently did not think them
Democrats. He further brings into
prominence the very question and the
very side Of it that the main plank OF the
present Democratic platform does. All
through his speech we see cropping out
this argument: there is nothing wrong
with free silver except adverse legisla-
ton and preconcerted and unwarranted
discrimination. The ten years that have
elaps I'd sinced Mr.. Beck made that great
speech serves to prove the wisdom Of
his decided stand against the financial
policy OF Cleveland and TO emphasize
the soundness of his judgement. The
following excerpts from that speech
show how "the issue was squarely made"
by Senator Beck ten years ago.
EXCERPTS FROM SENATOR DECKS SPEECH.
"No more intelligent and statesman
like message, taking it as a whole, has
ever emanated from the Executive
Mansion since have taken part in pub
lie affairs, but disagree with the Presi-
dent and his affairs, as TO the manage
ment OF our currency and coinage and
Ipropose, respectfully, but plainly to
state the reasons why, and to point out
the remedy recommend as a substitute
for changes proposed in the message and
official report.
believe that it can be demonstrated
that gold and silver coin, and the paper
representative OF both, stand on an abso-
lutte equality before the law, that three
fourth Of our officials to pay the money
received at our custom house to our pub
lie creditors in the manner and for the
purposes prescribed by the law of the
United States"
The present crusade against silver is
only another evidence OF the audacity of
the organization of wealth they have
always secured all they demand however
unjus' their demands are they have
uccetded in alarming the president and
Secretary of the Treasury, as they have
done preceding Administrations they
threa n to use the power which our
laws give them over our currency, Ct
withC,awing from circulation among the
people, and, if need be, from the country,
the g j they control, and thus derange,
even # ruin follows, the business Of the
peopr. Every concession increases
their audacity adds to their power,
a stan. must be made some where by
the representative of the tax payers, on
al absolute surrend er Of all the none
ta~y terest of the country into their
hands must follow"
''Ti-re is not an outstanding obliga-
ticn OF the United States, nor OF any
state, municipality, corporation or indi-
vi iual, which cannot be legally and hon
orablN discharge by the payment of the
present standard silver dollar. What
right has Congress to deprive the deb
tor of that right by adding more silver to
the coin then he agreed to pay, or by
stopping its coinage 80 that he cannot
obtain it? 1t is as palpable violation
VI ''HtieSA W ihNibahC Tue ObllBdllOub
of the debtor as to impair or reduce the
standard of value OF the coin which the
creditor sti pulated in his contract
should be paid to him"
France and other countries maintain
their silver and paper in all transactions,
public and private, at par with gold un.
der far greater difficulties than we have
to contend with, no matter from what
standpoint the comparison is made.
-
France is little more than two.thirds
as large as Texas her internal trade and
commerce is mere bagatelle compared
with that OF this almost boundless con-
tent her population is not two-thirds as
large as ours and far less enterprising;
her foreign commerce is much smaller
than ours gold can be transported from
the bank Of France, in Paris TO the bank |
of England, in London, in few hours
they are not as far apart as New York |
and Washington.
Why is it not done Why is she not |
brought to the so-called degrated silver
standard?
-.
Simply because her officials and her |
public creditors sustain her silver and |
do not repudate it nor seek to degrade |