The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-06

ton. The Republican party in its plat
form expressly states that the nnanclai
policy of this Nation must be determined
by foreign nations rather than ours Inc
platform says the Republican party
pledges itself to secure International BIZ
metallism as soon possible, and until
that can be done must maintain gold
standard. What does that mean? 1t means
that bimetallism is better than gold
standard, and that we cannot have that
better thing until the leading commercial
nations shall consent to its adoption Does
it say that we must bear the affection of
a gold standard for a year? No. They do
NJ t INIT to to no4 yea year For tour fn
How long? According to the Republican
platform W. must bear the affection of
gold standard forever if foreign nations
insist upon it. (Applause).
REFERENCE TO PETITIONS.
Suppose you turn over to other nations
the power to determine when you shall
have bimetallism. How can you get them
to act? Can you vote men into seats in
foreign nations? No, my friends; it is not
in your power either to elect or discard.
How can you get at them? Send them
petition. That is the way to do it. ZAP
plause and laughter.) Why, my friends, if
the Republican party is going to carry out
this policy it ought at every public meeting
have blank petition to be signed by the
members present asking foreign nations to
please give US bimetallism. applause and
laughter.) What is your chance by petit
ton? Why, my friends Tor twenty years
and more the people of this Nation, the
toiiing masses, have petitfoned all parties
to give them bimetallism. and when the
Republican party met in st. Louis the wall
of the distressed arising from our people
was loud enough to have been heard by
ANYBODY whose ears were not entirely oc-
cupied with the sounds that come from
Wall street. (Applause) Did they hear
your petitions? No, they discarded them.
/ ask you, Republicans. if the Republican
party which you made. was deaf to your
entreaties. what hope have you OF making
an impression on foreign legislative bodies?
(Appiause) L ask you, RepubIcans, who
have been the bone and sinew of the Re
publican party since the time it elected
Lincoln. ask you if the Republican party
does not have mercy when you cry, how
can you expect to find pity in a land from
which you wrested the empire in which we
live? (Applause.)
LAS l remarked this afternoon, l am Will
ing, to submit any. question to the people
of the people. If this campaign results in
the election of my opponent, | snail be
the verdict of the people can be reviewed
at another election. And still am willing
peopIe on the greatest issue that comes be-
fore them (Applause) If the Republican
party believes that the gold STANDARD a IS q
good thing let them come out and defend
the gold standard as a good thing and
promise to keep it here so that people can
enjoy it and then we can meet their argu-
ments. but when they tell us that no mat
ter whether it is good or not, no matter
whether bimetalIism is desirable or unde-
sirable we must simply sit and wait and
we cannot do anything until international
agreement can be secured. / suggest to
them that they had better turn over the
affairs of this Nation to International agree
rnent or annex ourselves to some nation
that is big enough to look after its people
fAppIause) Now, my friends, there are
people who believe that this Nation IS not
strong enough to contend against the imam
cial money centers Of the world
Now L have talked longer than ex-
nected TO (cries of Go on, Keep ahedd!),
but YOU know. an audience like this is SO
encoura ging to a speaker. But / must go
outside and talk a while and then go home
and get a little rest. But [ want to leave
with you this parting Injunction: ] am
not here to ask you for your votes; ! have
too much respect for the sovereignty of
the citizen to appeal to him TO present me
his vote as gift 1t is his own-not his to
part from by begging or by selling. 1t is
his own. not to surrender 1t under threat
of coercion. G4ong and continued cheer
he pleases (applause) but W1en I surren-
der all claim to the votes Of those who be-
iieve that the restoration Of the free coin
age of silver by this Nation alone would
be Injurious to this NaJion-I say when
l surrender my claim to the votes of those
who think the policy for which / stand
would injure this Nation | assert my claim
to the votes of those who believe in the
immediate restoration of che free and I'M
legal ratio of is to /. without waiting for
the aid or consent of any other ration on
earth. Great applause.) When l release
my claim to those who believe in a gov
eT ~ment of Syndicates. by syndica-es and
for syndicates. l assert my claim TO those
who believe. with Abraham sncolna that
a government of the people. by the people