Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-10-01

as we 90 forward with the argument,
because there are some things that
cannot be gain said, there are some
things upon which we are all agreed.
1890 was a successful and prosperous
year wasn't it? And in that year Nc
Kinley was building that monument
which shall stand so long as man lives
TO attain human greatness and VIM.
Bryan was doing whatsoever he could
To convince. people that VIM. Mckinley
was "a cons pirator against the liberties
of his people and an enemy OF their
prosperity because he was trying TO
build still higher the bulwark that
should prevent the invasion OF foreign
labor.
Pass over to 1892. That was still
moro prosperous, wasn't il? Voices
answering yes Let your memories
run back To your own town here where
| am told there was not an idle wheel
or an idle hand in 1892, and Mckinley
was standing like the giant that he is,
defending the prosperity OF his own
people, defending the working man Of
America, against those who were
Strengthening the ramparts that he had
so splendidly built in 1890. And who
led the forces of the enemy in 1872?
VIM j. Bryan. He was the most val
lent worker in the election that result
ed in the promotion OF Grover Cleve-
land the second time to the high office
of President of the United States.
And the line of his argument was,
working men of America, and farmers,
If there is one avenue towards prosper
ity towards success, it is christened free
trade. There was no word in all his
argument for that year that anything
more was needed to lift you all to the
very pinnacle of prosperity, than the
striking down OF the tariff measures OF
1890 and the substitution OF his
economic principles in their stead.
The people were prosperous and 1t is
easy for prosperous people to be mis-
taken. 1t is easy for prosperous peo-
pie to be taught TO believe that there
are still better things ahead, and so
the people of America disregarded the
teachings of the past by striking down
the rampant that had thus been built.
In 1893 you will remember that VIM.
l.. Wilson, the author OF the bill which
took the place OF that which bore, the
name of our candidate for president,
after making one of his speeches for
free trade in the House, was joyfully
borne from the halls of our legislative
assembly by MIR. Bryan, because he
was leading the people into the Prom
ised Land, he was opening to them the
treasures of prosperity. Then We come
down to 1894 and VIM. }. Bryan was
still advocating simply free trade as Il
panacea for all our evils and Mr. Me
Kinley was standing there firm, as he
always stood, defending the cause
which the people of the United States
In 1892 had stricken down. In 1896 we
find VIM. Mckinley still standing inn
movable as a monument and fixed as
the stars.
But it is necessary to go more specifi-
cally to the questions that are being
discussed and although | am not one
that regards the financial question as
the only one, or as indeed the most
important one, yet inasmuch as we are
giving it now the principle distinction,
| invite you for few minutes to con-
slider with me whether there ought to
be free coinage OF silver in the United
States at the ratio of Is tol. Now the
Republican platform is familiar to US
all but it seems to me that there has
been, not here, but in some places, the
widest misinterpretion with respect to
that platform-what it proposes to do
and hopes to accomplish, and with
your permission | will read that article
of the Republican platform as an
nounced at st. Louis.
"The Republican party is unrestrictedly for
sound money. IL caused the enactment OF the
law providing for the resumption OF specie pay
ment in 1879. Since then every dollar has been
as good as gold. We are unalterably opposed
TO every measure calculated TO debase our cur
40
are therefore, opposed TO the free coinage of
silver except by International agreement with
the leading commercial nations OF the world
which we pledge ourselves TO promote and
until such agreement can be obtained the exist
ing gold standard must be preserved. All our
silver and paper currency must be maintained
at parity with gold, and we favor all measures
designed TO maintain inviolably the obligations
of the United States and all our money,
whether coin or paper at the present standard
the standard OF the most enlightened nations
of the world.
When any political party proposes
to great people like those. Of the
United States to depart from an estab
lished system, it is incumbent upon
that party to give some guarantee Of
the safety OF the path into which they
would lead us. Let me then examine
our own system to see what it is and
what it has done. The center idea OF
the Republican platform is that there
shall be no debasement of the currency,
that whatever money we have, be it
gold, silver, paper or created substances
for money, all shall be of equal value.
They shall be just as strong in your
hands today as in my hands tomorrow.
That they, in other words, shall be
maintained at all times at parity with
each other. Now this is the central
idea of the Republican platform. 1t is
the only reason In the world why the
Republican party is opposed to the
free coinage OF silver at the ratio Of rs
to /. [ApplauseI
1t has used, and it proposes to use
silver as part OF its system, but it
proposes to use 10 SO that under all cir
cumstances it shall be at par with gold.
1t proposes to SO use IL that its stand
ard shall be held up TO the highest
now in use, and not so used that the
highest we have shall be cut in twain.
That is the difference between the Re-
publican and Democratic parties at
this moment. The Republican party
believes in bimetalism, that is, use of
both gold and silver, but it knows as
every man OF intelligence, who has
given the subject the slightest study,
knows that the free coinage of silver
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