The San Francisco call., 1896-09-27
TRUE BIMETALLISM.
Why the advocates of a Double Standard
Should Tote for Mckinley and
HOb0s.f


silver and gold upon ratio OF 16 to l, have
had many friendly criticisms showing the
great need of primary school upon the ques-
ton that now absorbs the entire discussion on
the Democratic side of the pending campaign.
One asks, If a double standard, why not a
quadruple? Another says he is interested in
an iron mine and wants that placed in the field
OF coins OF ultimate redemption and asks why
not, If silver7 To what base metals, if not
uses, may we not come at last in the discus
sion OF the question of the restoration of one
OF the two metals known throughout the ages
as the measures of values, which simply means
Tor every 371M grains of silver and every %. %
grains OF gold each shall constitute a legal
dollar in the payments of all debts, thereby
restoring the quantitative theory of coins for
ultimate redemption as before.
The enemies of the double standard so
called, are very tenacious in their debate upon
the violation of contracts by the recoinage of
silver. They demand what was nominated
In the bond" have never heard of any ad-
vocates OF the recoinage of silver proposing
anything else. Our National bonds are pay
able in coin, and if it can be shown that that
meant gold coin only at the time OF their sale,
they must be so paid. Our California con-
tracts are all made payable in gold under a
special law, and the contract must be kept in
violate. Then let us repeal the law and re-
pent in sack cloth and ashes for this act, regis
tered in the history OF our Civil War as the
only State which refused TO accept the legs
tender paper OF our country, sanctioned by
Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court as
being as great a necessity for the hour as a
Ilfe-preseryer is upon sinking ship. That act
will ever remain the one great stain upon Cal
1forn1a's loyalty. Had we sold our gold at the
premium prevailing during the war that would
have represented solid value to-day and
would have brought to our coast large immi-
grafton that was discouraged by the discount
upon their legal tendency currency.
The restoration of silver would destroy the
equity OF contracts, we are told; not If the
parity is maintained; and if it is not, let the
debtor make good The difference in existing
contracts only. Did not the decentralization
destroy the equity then? Lincoln before he
pronounced the emancipation proclamation
gave the insurgents hundred days TO lay
down their arms and to return to their ale
glance; then he would recommend TO the Gov
ernment the appointment OF commission, to
value their property in slaves, and pay them
for them. No, they said; we have staked our
hopes upon the establishment OF q govern
ment, with slavery aB its cornerstone, and we
propose to stand the hazard of the die. They
did and lost. How was it with the silver miner
and the debtor classes? Were they given a
hundred days notice before the passage of the
demonetization act of '73? Not an hour, if
we are to believe Carlisle, Blaine, Beck and
Garfield, or Judge Coffin OF our own city, then
member of Congress from Iowa. But it was
done with n apparent secrecy, well calculated
TO question the purity of motives of those con-
cerned in its passage. Can such a question soon
De eliminated from the forum OF public discus
sion when large number OF our cit zens hold
that the country has suffered as great loss
in dollars from this repeal as they did from
the Civil War?
The two great parties both claim to be BIZ
metallsts. Both desire the recolnage of sill
yer, but by different methods. The Demo-
cratie-Popullstlc party says the only way is to
"pass law. Like the great and good Horace
Greeley who, sound upon everything but
finance, said 1.-THE only way to resume is to re-
sumo, some years before the Government had
4f.Oasa
suspended banker knows better than TO under
take to resume until he has an ample reserve.
SO with recoinage; we must have q reserve;
that means the concurrent action among the
nations; not all, but number that hold at
least rs per cent of the silver of the world.
DR.. Otto Arendt, member OF the PTussian
House OF Deputies and member of the silver
commission OF 1894, says the time OF monetary
polemics has passed. The question with them
is already settled, whether silver is to be
restored TO its free use worlds money but
the question now is with them how is it to be
done? We Will soon send you our How, he
says. That is what our country IS now waiting
for, says the Republican party, and the prac-
tlcaI settlement OF this question will be
reached through the wisdom OF that party.
Mckinley, when elected, and OF which
have no doubt. will stand in regard 10 this
question as Lincoln did in regard TO the war
and the emancipation proclamation. He said
this was q war for the Union with slavery if
needs be, but for the Union without slavery if
we must. Mckinley will work, he says in his
letter OF cceptance, FOR an international
agreement and cooperation, and failing in
that he Will approve, l believe, any measure
for the remone tization OF silver that the rep
resentatives of the people may proc aim.
This should be campaign of education, not
elimination. "Error OF opinion may be toll
Grated where reason is LETT free to com bat It,
We may often go wrong through error of judg-
ment, when right may be often thought wrong
by those whose position does not command
full view OF all the ground" said Jefferson.
An honest difference OF opinion upon the pub
lie policy of our country upon all quest ons
should always be applauded. One of the most
satisfactory results of this discussion is the
breaking up and disintegration of the Demo-
cratic party.
They can no longer be called Bourbons, and
hence menace to popular government. 1t
was said OF Senator Newton Booth that he
stepped from behind his counter and broke up
two great parties in this State. This silver
discussion Is doing in the Nation what the
Senator did in this state; If not breaking them
up, il is making political friends of antagon-
lists OF fifty years standing. l prefer to an
sweI to the rollcan from tnat party, which, in
addition to its resolution to do all it can for
the remone tization OF silver in practical wav
and placing it in its historic place as coin OF
ultimate redemption, on parity with gold,
pro- oses to protect our own workshops and
fields so that the rejoicing may be heard at
home, when the champion of the cause of
protection visits them, instead of reading in
our cable dispatches of the hospitality of Rfr-
mingham and Manchester being extended
and accepted by the author of our free trade
or tariff for revenue only laws, when he crosses
Llo AIldntlc.
shall vote the Republican ticket because
believe in the continuance OF the National
banks, which the Democratic party opposes
1t opposes banking system that has been
tried for third of a century and not one of its
bills in all this time has been lost 10 its holder
while II would have the Government do the
banking for the country; it proposes to own
and operate the railroad and telegraph and
telephone lines. The historic record of the
Republican party is full of acts for the better
ment of our common oountrymen Whenever
1t has had control of the legislative and execu-
tive departments OF the Government it has
met the embarrassing needs of the country
with wisdom that challenges our admira-
ton. The movement towards reciprocity of
trade relations with our neighbors OF North
and south American States, is itself sufficient
to awaken the voters of this country to a de-
sire to replace them in power again TO the end
that the benefit to accrue therefrom may be
enjoyed.
l am a Republican because 1 deplore the
strain now made upon popular government by
the war every four years waged by hundred
thousand outs against hundred thousand
ins.
1t is sad to contemplate what would be the
condition of a like contention when 500 600
offices. which would be required when the cor
porative property proposed to be acquired and
operated by the Government, were the prize
TO be battled for every four years should the
theory of the Democratic -Populistic pro-
gramne be carried out / am q Republican