Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-24

Senators Prepare n Declaration.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2i-Thc silver con-
ference resulted in an animated discussion
of the financial situation and the policy
Co be pursued by the friends Of silver.
During the discussion considerable feel
ing was aroused by some of the remarks
made by Hatch, of Missouri, in which he
stated in effect that Il the Populists Of
Kentucky had done their whole duty tho
election of Blackburn to n seat in the
United States senate would not be q
matter Of doubt. General Field, of Vir-
Rinin, and others made heated replies
Mayor Turner. Of Lansing, Mich, and
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, also ad-
dressed the convention. The committee
on resolutions, of which Senator Jones.
of Nevada, was chairman, submitted its re-
port, consisting Of an unusually long pre-
amblc and ending with the declarations:
Contains the Nub of the Platform.
THAT over and above all other ques-
tions OF policy we are in favor OF restoring
to the people Of the United States the
t!mc-honored money of the constitution
gold and silver, not one, but both-the
money of Washington, and Hamilton and
Jefferson, and Monroe, and Jackson, and
Lincoln, to the end that the American
people may receive honest pay for an
honest product, the American debtor pay
his just obligations in an honest stand.
and not in n standard that is appre.
ciatcd 100 per cent above the great staples
Of eur country, and TO the end, further,
that silver standard countries may be de-
priycd of the unnatural advantage they
now enjoy in the difference in exchange
between gold and silver-an advantage
which the tariff legislation alone can not
overcome.
supreme Effort Against the Money Power.
we, therefore, confidently appeal to
the people OF the United States that lcav-
Ing in allegiance for the moment all other
questions. however important, even mo-
mcntous, they may appear. and sundcring
II need bc the former party affiliations,
they unite In u supreme effort to free
themselves and their children from the
domination OF the money powcr-a power
more destructive than any which has ever
been fastened upon the civilized men in
any race and In any age.
desires and efforts we invoke the gracious
favor Of divine Providence.
Paramount Issue Declared.
The preamble begins with the state.
mont that Tho paramount issue mt this
timc in the United States is indisputably
the money question. IL is between the
gold standard, gold bonds and bank cur
rcncy on the one side, and the bimetallic
efu mn, hpn1- nd
r,ncy on the other. On this issue we de-
clare ourselves to he in favor of dis
tinctivc American financial system. We
arc unaltcrably opposed to the single gold
standard, and demand the immediate ~
turn to the constitutional standard of
gpld and silver 10y the restoration by this
government, Independently of any for
cign power, of the unrestricted coinage of
both gold and silver into standard money,
at the ratio Of rs to /, and upon terms of
exact equality rs they existed prior to
lS13; the silver coin to H. full legal ten.
der equally with gold for all debts and
dues, public and private.
Paper Currency and Ronds.
I'VE hold that the power To control and
regulate u paper currency is inscparable
from the power to coin money; and hence
that all currency intended to circulate as
money should bc issued and its volume
controlled by the general government
only. and should be legal tender. We are
unaltcrably opposed TO the issue by the
United states Of interest. bearing bonds in
time OF peace. and we dcuouncc rs a blum.
der worse than crime the present treas.
ury policy, concurrcd in by IA Republican
hoGsc, Of plunging the country in debt by
hundreds of millions in the vain attemp;
To maintain the gold standard by borrow
ing gold, and We demand the payment of
all coin obligations os the United States,
ms provided by existing law. in either gold
or silver coin, ut the option OF the govern.
mcnt and not at the option of the cred.
itoT"