Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-06-26

Ehtest degree Influenced o
Mat fact Applause an,
III ] contend for 1t be
Ne there can not be SCUM,
ITEM In any country nor in tn
does not recognize this prln
ontended for it in 1873, when i
essly stricken from our statute
when there has been a con
probation of all the products
aoor and human energy. con
because in this year of 1879
the american people are in greater dis
Hes5 than they ever were in their history
= contend for II because this is, In m,
judgment, great incubus that has strucl
down enterprise and destroyed progress.
IN this favored land of ours. / contend
Ter 1t because 1 believe the progress Of
my country Is dependent on 1t. / contene
Tor 1t because I believe the civilization OF
the world is to be determined by the
rlghtful or wrongful solution of this fl.
nancial question. I am tolerant of those
who differ with me. / act from my judg.
ment enlightened as best l have been
able to be by study and by years OF
thought. In my judgment the American
people In the whole line of their history
nave never been called upon to settle q
question of as great Importance as this.
Any great contest in which my party par
tlcipated was not more important to the
people than this question of finance is.
have said enough to show you that
l think this not a question of policy, but
question of principle. 1t is not a mere
nothing, but one on which hangs the hap
plness, prosperity, morality and independ-
ence OF American labor and American
producers. (Applause.l Confronted for
the first time in its history this party of
ours, confronted I say for the first time
with the danger of a financial system
that, in my judgment, would destroy all
the great interests of this land, we are
called upon to give this provision in our
platform of adherence. Mr. President, 1
do not desire to say unkind things, and
| Will touch only for moment upon why
1 object to this provision in the platform.
A BlmetaIlic Party.
The republican party has never been a
party of single standard. (Applause.) 1t
was bimetallic party in its origin and in
all its history. In 1888 it declared for BIZ
In 1892 it declared for bimetal-
ism; in 1896 it declared for the single gold
standard. In 1888 we carried the state
that 1 here represent for the republican
we carry it on a bimetallic
platform; we carry 1t with a majority
that was equal, considering our vote, to
that of any state in the Union. (Faint
applause) 1t has been a republican state
from the hour of its admission. 1t has
kept in the straight road.
An international Agreement.
Mr.. President, 1 promised you 1 would
not discuss the silver question, and L
will not except to say that this pla form
thing heretofore held by the party that
it challenges our republicarism to ac-
cept it. The platform contains some plat
itude about international conferences. 1t
provides that we will maintain a gold
standard in this country until the prin-
cipal nations of the world shall agree
that we may do otherwise. This is the
first great gathering of republicans since
this party was organized that has de-
clared the inability of the American peo-
pie to control their own affairs. (All the
silver delegates rose in a body at this
point and howled their approval of the
Do you believe the Ameri-
can people are too weak to actually main
tain a financial system commensurate
with the greatness of the country by their
own fruition? Gentlemen, you would
have bimetallic agreement with all the
great commercial nations of the world,
and 1t can not be obtained. So this is a
declaration that the gold standard is to
be put upon this country and kept there
for all time. Do you believe Great Brit
ain, that great commercial nation of the
world, our powerful competitor in COM
merce and trade, will ever agree to open
her minis to the free coinage of silver.
or consent that We shall open ours, as
long as she has the advantage of lower
prices or declining values that have
brought this country, by the adoption of
We are the great debtor
nation of the world. Great Britain is
our creditor; we pay her every year mil
lions and hundreds of millions of dollars
as income in her investments in this
on her loans. The gold stand
ard, in my judgment, lowers prices and
decreases values, and she buys of Us
millions and millions more than she sells
She buys upon the gold standard at a
lower and depreciating standard. How
long do you think it would be before she
will agree to assist in raising values in
this country? 1t is solemn declaration
that the republican party intends to main
tain lower prices and stagnate business
for all time to come. Cheers from The
silver states>.
Protective Tariff.
There is a beneficial provision in this
platform about the tariff. l subscribe to
that. l believe in a protective tariff.
have advocated it for 40 years, but it is
my solemn conviction that a protective
tariff can not be maintained upon a gold
applause and cheers from the
silver people,. The tariff protection prin-
ciple is for the raising of the price of hui
man toll. 1t is for gi lg to the producer
ample compensation Tor his labors. The
gold standard, on the contrary, every
where that it is enforced, is for the pur-
pose of reducing. values.
Gold and Silver Created for Money.
Now, gentlemen or the convention
am led to make this simple objection as
to the protective system-that it is in
danger; and I will call your attention to
one other fact, and then leave to your
Judgment whether this platform shall be
adopted or rejected. Under existing con-
ditions we undoubtedly have a gold STAN
dard. 1 do not deny that what 1 have
sought for is to change it for a bimetal-
lie system. 1 have believed and do be-
lieve that when the Almighty created
these two metals He meant the world
should use them for the uses for which
they were created (applause), and when
He blessed this land of ours with more
gold and more silver than any other
country in the world He meant that we
should use them for purposes for which
they were intended, towit, to be used by
the people as standard money, and today
you would reverse the traditions of our
country and declare that we will use
only one. If the American people are in
favor of that l have nothing to say. l
must submit to the majority voice in
this country of ours. l do not believe
this part of ours, if it could be polled,
is in favor of a gold standard. l believe
Der oent of the DeODle are in favor of