The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-09

"Untll International agreement is hal 1t
Ia the plain duty OF the United States 10
maintain the gold standard. 1t Is the recog-
nized and sole standard OF the great com.
mercial Nations of the world, with which we
trade more largely than any other.
Favors the Use of Silver Money.
He then adds that 1.-The Republican party
| has not been. and Is not now. opposed to the
use of silver money. as its record abundantly
| shows. 1t has done all that could be done
| for its increased use, with safe and honor,
by the United States acting apart from other
| Governments. There are those who think
that it has already gone beyond the limit OF
| financial prudence Surely, we can so no
| further, and we must not permit false lights
| to lure US across the dauger line.
More Silver Than Other Lands.
"We have much more silver in use than
| any country in tho world except lndla OF
| China-S500, 900, 900 more than Great BTU
ain. S15O,00O, 900 moro than France, nee 90 S4yo,- w.
| 900, 600 more than Germany, 1926, ,0O0 .OOo less
than India and 1926, ,0OO,0 ono less than emma.
"The Republican party has declared IN
| favor of an international agreement, ana IL
| elected President 1t will be my duty to en-
\ ploy all proper means to promote II. me
| free coinage of silver in this country would
| defer. If not defeat, international olmetall-
ism. and until an international agreement
| can be had every interest requires US TO
maintain our present standard.
"Independent free coinage OF silver at a
ratio OF 16 ounces of silver to ounce OF gold
| would insure the speedy contraction OF the
volume of our currency. It would drive at
least 500, ,000, 900 gold dollars. which we now
have, permanently from the trade OF the
country and greatly decrease our per capita
circulation. 1t is not proposed bv the Re-
publican partyto takefrom the circulating me.
dium Of the country any OF the silver we
now have. On the contrary, it is proposed
to keep all Of the silver money now In circu-
lation on a parity with gold by maintaining
the pledge of the Government that all OF 1t
shall be equal to gold"
Farmers and Laborers Suffer Most.
He maintains that "debasement OF the
currency means destruction Of values. No
one suffers so much from cheap money as
the farmers and laborers. They are the first
10 feel its bad effects and the last to recover
from them. This has been the uniform e1-
perience of all countries, and here, as else
where, the poor, and not the rich, are al
ways the greatest sufferers from every
attempt to debase our money. It would fall
with alarming severity upon investments al
ready made, upon insurance companies and
their policy holders, upon savings banks and
their depositors, upon building and loan as.
sociation members, upon the savings OF
thrift, upon pensioners and their families
and upon wage earners and the purchasing
power of their wages"
In the Highest Degree Reprehensible.
Continuing, he observes: "tt is cause
for painful regret and solicitude that an
effort is being made by those high in the
counsels of the allied parties to divide the
10 &C \ 10 ntr i,tn al nrQ-
ate distinctions among US which, in fact, o
not exist and are repugnant to our form OF
government. These appeals 10 passion and
prejudice are beneath the spirit and intelli-
gence OF a free people and should be met
with stern rebuke by those they are sought
to influence, and believe they will be.
Every attempt to array class against
class, the casseS against the Masses sec.
ton against section. labor against capital,
the poor against the rich or interest against
interest in the United States. is in the high
est degree reprehensble. 1t is opposed to
the National instinct and interest and should
te resisted by every citizen.
"This ever-recurring effort endangers
popular government and Ia menace to our
liberties. 1t is not q new campaign device
or party appeal. It is as old as government
among men, but was never more untimely
and unfortunate than now.
Protection Of Supreme Importance.
"Anothor issue OF supreme Importance"
Mr.. Mckinley states, "Is that OF protection.
The peril OF free silver is menace to be
feared; Wa are already experiencing the
effect Of partial free trade. The one must
be averted. the other corrected.
"The Republican party is welded to the
doctrine of protection and was never more
earnest in its support and advocacy than
now. II argument we're needed to strengthen
its devotion to the American SYSTEM or in.
crease tho hold OF that system upon the party
and people, 1t Is found In the lesson and Ak
perience Of the past three years.
"The public exigencies demand prompt
protective legislation which will avoid the
accumulation Of further debt by providing
Government. This IL manifestly the require.
ment of duty. If elected President OF the
United States It will be my aim to vigorously
promote this object and give that ample en-.
couragement to the occupations ofthe Amer.
lean people which above all else is 80 i'm
peratively demanded at this juncture OF our
National affairs"
Finance Not the Cause.
He then asserts: TT is mere pretence to
attribute the hard times to the fact that all
our CUCTcuCS u VI d kOlu 0Oou
never made times hard. Those who assert
that our present industrial and financial de-
preston Is the result OF the gold standard,
have not read American history Alright or
been careful students OF the events Of recent
years. We never had greater prosperity IN
this country, in every field of employment
aud industry, than IN the busy years from
1850 to 1892, during all OF which time this
country was on a gold basis and employed
more gold money in its fiscal and business
operation than ever before.
"We had, too. O protective tariff under
which ample revenues were collected for the
Government and an accumula,ing surplus
which was constantly applied to the payment
Of the public debt. Let us hold fastto that
which We know is good. 1t Is not more
money we want; what we want is to put the
money we already have at work" Continu-
ing, he says: "We cannot inspire confidence
by advocating reputation or practising dis.
honesty. We cannot restore confidence,
either TO the Treasury or to the people, with
out a change in our present tariff legisla-
tion.
More Work Wanted.
"It Is not Nh increase in the volume Of
money which is the need Of the time. but an
increase IN the volume OF business. Not an
increase OF coin, but an lncrease OF conh-
dence. Not more coinage, but more active
use of money coined. Not open mints for
the unlimited coinage OF the silver Of the
world, but open mills for the full and unre-
stricted labor Of American workin2men. The
employment OF our miuts for the coinage Of
the silver OF the world would not bring the
necessaries and comforts Of life back to our
people. This will only come with the ON.
ployment Of tho masses, and such employ
lnent is certain to follow the re-establish-
ment OF n wise protective policy which shall
encourage manufacturing at home. Protec.
tion has lost none OF its virtue and import.
ance.
The first duty of the Republican party, II
restored to mower in the country will be the