Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-08-21
OBRIEV APPOINTED EZEOTOR,

Elk Congressman William O'Brien was
on Friday last appointed by Chairman II.
W. Talbot, OF the Democratic State central
committee, an elector at large on the Mary.
land presidential ticket, to I'll the vacancy
caused by the resignation of Mr. Randolph
Barton, who declined TO serve because he
could not indorse the Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago.
Mr. O'Brien, who has been lawyer for
forty years, was Baltimore's Representative
in the Forty third and Forty. fourth Con-
crosses, from 1878 to 1877. In the latter Con-
gress he was member of the committee on
coinage, weights and measures, and says
that not single member of that committee
was aware that the intention of the meas
ure, which is now called "the crime of 49,"
was TO demonetize silver.
81 am blmetallist by conviction" said
Mr.. O'Brien in defining his position on the
coinage question. "My study of the question
has included all the literature a man could
we'll afford to read, and l have not by any
means confined myself to one side of the
question.
at is not necessary for me, / am sure, to
give any stronger reasons in favor of bimet-
allsm as against single standard than those
which were given by Alfred Rothschid at
the time of one of the early international
bimetallc gatherings in France. He said
that ii would be mistake TO go TO a single
standard, and the best authorities, both in
this country and Europe, fully agree with
him on this point. We want no stronger
evidence of the fact than that up to this pres.
ent year no considerable body of men in
., sa q, a
standard alone.
"The national conventions of both parties
up to and including the present campaign
have declared that bimetallism is preferable
to the gold standard. The Republican con-
vention at st. Louis commended only for the
present gold standard until bimetallism
could be adopted by International agree
ment. The national Democratic platform
differs from the Republican only in this,
that it is In favor of bimetallism through in
ternatonal agreement, but is willing that
this country should wait-it may be for
years, 1t may be forever-until the CONNER
cial nations of Europe may see fit to over
ride the unquestioned veto which England
assumes to put upon any international
agreement.
"The question is therefore narrowed down
TO this-whether we are to act independent
ly in financial affairs of Great Britain, very
much like our forefathers were courageous
enough In 1776 to act independently in pc.
litical affairs, or whether we are to abide for,
ever in financial serfdom TO English opinion
and England's interest on the money ques.
ton"
"But the issue present in this campaign
Is, l think, much broader than the mere
question of free coinage at any ratio 1t
involves the more important question OF
ftnfI, t.. NI,,
people to demand that all legislation shall
be in the interest of the many rather than
the few.
IL see no difficulty whatever in approving
the Chicago platform. The income tax was
favored by Grover Cleveland. Non inter
vention of the federal government in State
affairs has been a Democratic doctrine from
the beginning. And the right of the people
to critcise and ii necessary to condemn
decision of the Supreme Court on proper &C.
casion has never before been questioned.
ut is the most extraordinary departure
we have ever known in politics for the So
called gold standard Democrats to stand
singly and alone for gold. They out Herod
the Republicans because the latter are first
for bimetalism and only through necessity
for gold. Whereas this small body who
have gotten together in Baltimore seem to
ignore and set aside as unworthy of con-
sideration the time honored principle of De-
mocracy that the money of the people should
be both gold and silver. Ii | were to con-
slider my own personal interest, as every
gold standard Democrat without exception
seems to me to be Influenced, l would I'M
questonably be on that side. But think
duty should rise higher than any personal
considerations, and it seems to me that the
material prosperity and good of the whole
people should be the guide of every mans
actions"