The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-14
VIM. j. BRYAN
AT ST. LOUIS.
Speaks to 10000 People ON Sat
urday Night
In Three Different Localities in
st. LOUIS
CHEERING is LOUD
And Great Enthusiasm erVades
CHEERING is LOUD
And Great EnthusiasmPervades
The Audiences.
Mr.. FBryan's Platform Breaks
Down at SpOrtsman's Park.

night, ". J. Bryan, the Democratic
nominee for president, addressed be
tween 900 and 10000 people. At each
Of three meetings he was greeted with
prolonged cheers and at frequent inter
walls during each Of his speeches the
enthusiastic pOpulace gave vent to up
roarOuS applause The nominee was
met at the train by an immense crowd.
he was escorted to the Planters hotel
where he had dinner and then went
to COncordfa park, the Auditorium and
SpOrtsman's park and at each he made
a speech. So great was the crowd that
hundreds were turned away at each
point
When Mr.. Bryan and his escort step
ped upon the platform at COncOrdia
park the great throng arose and for
several minutes shouted and cheered.
Upon being introduced Mr.. Bryan said
in part;
Ladies and Gentlemen: We are
entering upon campaign which
evil to the people of this coun-
try. There are some who believe in the
maintenance of the gold standard until
the foreign nations comes to our relief.
There are those on the other hand who
believe with US that the immediate
1ree and unlimited coinage of gold and
silver at the present legal ratio of Is to
i, without waiting for the aid or con-
sent of any other nation, is absolutely
essential to national prosperity. Great
applause.) I desire 70 submit a few ar
tOratiOn of free coinage. (ApplauSe.)
Now want to submit for your consid-
GRAFTON two or three propositions and
believe they are so clear and SO plain
that every one Of you can recognize the
force of them.
In the first place I call your atten-
ton to the fact that the Republican
party through its platform and through
Its public men is making no effort to
supply the people of the United States
with a sufficient amount of money to
do business with If I We're to tell you
that a grown person could wear the
clothes Of a child, you would think
me foolish If I were to tell you that a
grown person could live on the food
necessary to sustain life in a, child you
would call me foolish, and yet they
call those men financiers who assume
that the people growing in population
can survive on a money decreasing
In its amount applause and three
cheers for Bryan We're given.) I want
you to remember now the figures which
[ am going to read to you These fig
ures are taken from q government pup
location issued on the first day of July,
1886. In this government publication
issued by the treasury department on
the first OF July, 1896, find q. state
ment of the amount of money of all
kinds in circulation among the people
for the various years Let me call your
attention to the amount given for the
years of 1894-5 and '96. In 1894 the
amount in circulation was 81, CSC, 900 900. |
In 1895 the amount of money in circu-
latiOn had fallen to 81. Sol, 600 000-a de-
crease in one year of fifty-nine millions
ments are made on the Both day of June
OF each year-the amount in circula-
ton had fallen to ST. SOC, 900, 000
What does it mean? It means that
In two years time according to the
treasury report the amount of mon
ey in circulation among the people had
fallen about $3.50 900, 900. (Great ap-
plause. } In other words in two years
time there had been a decrease of |
nearly 10 per cent in the amount of |
money in circulation among the people
This, my friends, is the treasury re-
port and this report shows that while |
the circulation in 1894 was from S24. % |
up per capita, in 1896 it had fallen to |
S21.10-a fall of more than SO per cap
tia (Applause.)
Now I have called your attention to !
the decrease shown in the treasury ac- !
made a speech on the 6th Of June, 1890 |
and in the course of that speech he !
used these words II our present cur
renCy is estimated at 81 $50 OO0, 900 and |
our population is increased at the rate |
of 3 per cent per year, it would require l
an increase of $42, 600, 900 to keep pace |
with the growth Assuming that $54,- |
oO0. 600 g year additional circulation is /
needed upon this basis, that amount is 1
provided for in the bill by the issue of |
treasury notes in exchange for bullion |
at the market price.
He says we need an increase of I
something like $50, 900 900 and yet in |
stead of having an annual increase of /
fifty millions in the last year, we have /
had a decrease (applause) making a /
deficit of about two hundred and fifty /
hve millions OF dollars in the currency /
Of the country.
Now. if Mr. Sherman did right in /
1890 in saying that the people needed |
new money every year. then my friends /
want to ask you why it is that the |
Republican party, in the face of the |
constant decrease in the circulation of /
money, has made no provision what
ever to satisfy the needs of an increased |
population? Great applause)
when we talk about these matters
cur opponents say that we do not un-
derstand dnanciers- (Laughter.) My
friends. we understand mathematics,
and a man does not have to understand
much about mathematics to know that
a nation that requires an increase in
must suffer If, instead of an
Increase, it his a decrease in circulation. /
(Applause-) Not only does the Repub-
1ican party make no provision for an ]
increase of the currency to meet the
needs Of the people, but the Republf-
can party has been silent in regard to !
the manner in which the currency has
been contracted If the Republican
TO believe that the Republican party |
will follow the example set by previous |
and followed by the !
Democratic administration and go on /
contracting the currency instead of in
creaslng it." (ApplauSe.)
While Mr. Bryan was addressing the
meeting at SpOrtsman's park, the
platform ON which he stood gave way,
and he, together with a dozen distin-
guished citizens who occupied seats /
thereon were Drecipitated to the 1
ground Fortunately no one was hurt /
The crash caused an uproar and for a
time It looked as If a panic would re-
suit There were at least 20. 900 people
q R-F~- I