The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-07-04
DRAMATIC INCIDENT

Speech Of Senator Teller at Re-
publican Convention.
The Silver Leader Points Out His
Objections to the Gold Plank
and Bids Goodby' to
the Party.
is the speech made by Senator Teller
on the motion of Permanent Chairman
Thurston to adopt the report of the COM
mittee on resolutions on platform:
Gentlemen of the conventions: i will
not attempt to infict upon you a dis
cussion of the great financial question
which is dividing not only the people of
this country but of the whole world.
The few moments allotted to me will
not enable me to do more than state in
the briefest possible manner our objec-
ions to the financial plank proposed for
our consideration. 1 am a practical
man and l recognize the conditions ex-
listing in this convention, foreshadowed
as they have been by the action of the
committee on resolutions to whom this
proposition was presented and by whom
1t vas rejected.
Loyalty to my own opinion conpels
me in the face of unusual difficulties to
present his substitute for your consid-
Grafton, not with that abiding hope, nor
with that courage with which l have
presented the same views in other bod
les with a greater measure of success
than [ have hoped for here. The great
and supreme Importance OF this question
is alone my excuse for the few words i
have to say to you l have dealt with
this subject in a public capacity for
now twenty years. / represent a state
which produces silver, but I want to say
to you here now that my advocacy OF
the proposition Is not In the slightest
degree influenced or controlled by that
fact. (Applause). 1 contend for it
because l believe there car be
10 sound financial system in any u
Try in the world that does not recognize
this principle. / contend for 1t because
Since 1873, when 1t was ruthlessly strlck-
en- from u statutes, there has been
continued depreciation of all the pro-
ducts of human nature n human ener-
BY. contend for it because, in this year
1896, the American people are in greater
distress than they ever were in their
history. / contend for it because this.
In my judgment, is the great weight, the
great incubus which has weighed down
enterprise and destroyed progress in
this favored land of ours. l contend for
1t because I believe the progress of my
country is dependent upon 1t. l contend
for it because l believe that the civil
ization of the world Is to be determined
blythe rightful or wrongful solution of
this financial question. ! am tolerant
of those who differ with me. ! act from
my judgment, enlightened as l have
been enabled to enlighten it by many
years of study and many a of
thought. In my judgment the American
people in the whole line of their history
have never been called upon to settle a
question so great to them as this.
what is more important to the Amer
lean people than the question OF a prop
err solution of what shall be the money
system of this land. have said enough
to show you that | think this is not a
question of politics, but a question of
principle, 1t Is not a mere idle thing
but one on which hangs the happiness.
the prosperity, the morality and the
independence OF American laborerS
and American labor and American
producers. For the first time in the his
tory OF this great country we are con-
fronted with the danger of a great
financial system. which in my judgment
will be destructive of all the great inter-
ests of the land.
I'VE are called 20 to give to this
provision of u platform our adhesion
or to reject it. Mr.. President, l do not
desire to say any unkind or u~nfriendly
thing but / will state in a moment why
| object to this provision of the plat
form. The republican party has never
been the party of a single standard
(Applause). 1t was a blmetallic party in
its origin and in all its history. In 1855
it declared for bimetallism. In 1892 1t
declared for b~imetallism. In 1896 it de-
clares for the single gold platform. Mr..
President, in 1888 we carried the state
which here represent for the reppbli-
| can nominee. VIZ carried it on a bime-
| tallic platform. We carried it with q
majority which vas equal, considering
our vote, to that of any state in the
union.
Colorado has been a republican state
from the hour OF It's admission. 1t has
kept in the senate republican senator's
in the house republican members. But
l promised not to discuss the silver
question and 1 will not, except to say
that this platform is such a distinct de.
parture from everything heretofore hello
to by his party that 1t challenges oul
-, s., - ;.,1, 10 oaa,,nN II FT1,n r1nf
form contains some platitudes about a.
International conference. 1t provides
that we will maintain the gold standard
In this country until the principal ma
lions of the world shall agree that We
may do otherwise. Mr.. President, this
Is the first great gathering of republi-
! ans since the party was organized tina
has declared the inability of the Ameri
can people to control their own affairs
And to my horror, this declaration
comes from the great political party o,
Abraham LINCOLN and Ulysses S. Grant
do you believe that the American
people are either too weak or too cow
ardly to maintain their financial system
commensurate with the greatness o
the country and to do that of their owl
will?
GenCleIlen Oh lne ConNenllCH, YOU
will have no bimetallict agreement with
all the great nations of the world
1t cannot be obtained. And so this Is
a declaration that the gold standard Is
to be put upon this country and to bt
kept here for all time. Do o believe
that Great Britain. the principa
commercial nation of the world
II powerful competitor il
trade and commerce., will ever agree t.
open her minis to the free coinage O
silver or consent that we shall open our:
so long as she gets the advantage o
the low prices and of the decreasing
values brought about by the adoptio,
of the gold standard in 1873? But in
partial degree only we are the grea
debtor nation of the world. Great Brit
ain is the great creditor nation. w
pay her every year millions and hun
dreds of millions, as income upon her in
vestments il this country or upon he
loans, The gold standard, in my judg
ment, lowers prices and decreases val
ues and she buys OF us millions and mil
lions more than she sells. She buy.
upon the gold standard which is a low
erlng and depreciating standard. How
long do you think it will be before sill
will agree to q system OF finance tina