Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-26
EXPIRES. Harrison al Salem. Ind.

Now | ask YOU to bear with me while I
speak on this subject of standards. A
standard IS measure. You have a
standard bushel. a standard peck. a
standard yard stick. They are measures.
and Just so the standard dollar is meas
ure. The others are measures of quantity
or length, this Is measure of value. |
want to know how you can maintain two
standards if they are not of the same
size or length. Can you have two stand
ard bushels when one is only half as much
yard sticks when one is only half as long
as the other? You cannot maintain a dou-
bic standard of weight or measure or
equivalent of the other
The law can make dollar a legal ten
der 70 pay debts, but how much it will
out in the market. If the merchant
says he will give you two yards of calico
for a gold dollar and one yard for a sill
Yer dollar. that establishes the relative
value of your two metals, no matter what
you have in your law books. We are US
ing silver now, but the government is
buying the silver at the market price; ii
IS coming it on its own account: 1t is
making whatever profit there is in it for
the people; it is putting behind this sill
ger dollar the pledge of the government
nat it will maintain its equality with the
gold dollar. We limit the amount that we
coin. and by limiting the amount. by put
ting this governments pledge behind it.
We can maintain "A certain amount of sill
- o. panty WIN Soit anu we are uOlflS
Il now.
Their proposition is that we shall turn
this all over to the mine owners: that the
government shall build its costly mints
equip them with costly machinery. pay
high salaries to their asSayers and mint
ers and coners. and that we shall put
All this freely at the service of the men
who own these silver mines. A dollar like
that, unsupported by the government, I'M
limited as to the amount of coinage. can
not be maintained at par. 1t is proposed
bonds outstanding. held by trust COM
panies. held by savings banks as security
and investment for the small earnings of
the widow and the orphan and the pru-
dent workingman who has made his de-
poSits. shall. instead of paying in 100-cent
dollars. as promised. discharge all these
public obligations in 50-cent dollars.
''rhe people of this country love it.
they love its honor. II they had not
loved it: if they had not held its honor
in priceless esteem. they would not have
sent out these great armies in the Civil
war that its flag might not be stained
They loved it so that men died for it.
with the light of glory in their faces as
IN, The light of life went out. They loved its
its honor commercially. and they will not
have this government put in a position of
repndiating one-half of its just obliga-
lions. (Cheers)
We Were tempted to do that in the old
fat money times. They told you that
the redemption of our greenbacks in gold
Wouiu piiliS ueStructlOn 10 the country
In the war times we wrote on the face Of
notes. The United States will pay 81
and come what will We will not sully the
achievements of our arms by financial
reputation.
You heard my voice in that campaign
appealing for national honor. You heard
my voice then saying to you that re-
sumption would not hurt, but would helm
you: and | call you to witness now
whether what l said then was not true
Great applause) There is another prop
osition ! want to say a word about Mr.
BRYAN has spoken with some contempt
OF those people who he says have been