The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-10-17

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Oct 4.-Vice-P President
Stevenson declared himself in favor of free
silver in the speech which he made here yes
terday in the big Auditorium at the opening
session of the quadrennial convention of the
National Association of Democratic Clubs.
Believing, as | do, said Mr.. Stevenson,
THAT gold and silver find equal recognition
in the constitution of the United States; that
by their joint use in effecting exchanges and
performing the other functions of money we
have prospered in the past, and that the evil
DAYS now befallen us are in no small measure
the result of the decentralization of silver,
have no hesitation in maintaining my party
allegiance and casting my vote for Bryan and
Sewall the nominees of the democratic con-
vention.
(WHICH PATH is THE TRUE oNE?'
81 deeply regret that many of those with
whom have been associated in former con-
tests now oppose the election of the candidates
nominated in accordance with the time
honored methods and usages of the Demo-
cratic party. Without questioning their sim
cerity, the inquiry is significant. What is
there IN the attitude of the Democratic party
upon the monetary question to justify its
abandonment by those who have long shared
in its counsels and who have been the recipi-
ents of its rewards and its honors? As the
parting of the ways has been reached, it is
well to inquire. Is their path or is ours the
true one? Are we recreant to Democratic
faith and traditions in standing by the historic
organization, or they in aiding directly or in
directly in the triumph of its great antagonist?
''wE BELIEVE IN HONEST MONEY!
''As democrats we believe in honest money
the money of the constitution. We attach
deep importance to the words of Thomas
jefferson: Il concur with you that the unit
must stand on both metals. 1t was during
the administration of Washington that the
great Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander
Hamilton, said: TO annul the use of either
of the two metals as money is to abridge the
quantity of the circulating medium and is
liable to all the objections that arise from a
comparison of the benefits of a full with the
evils of a scant circulation. Have we in the
advocacy of bimetallism departed from Dem
ocratc teachings, from the Democratic faith
on this question? Let us see what have been
the declarations of the great conventions
which were alone authorized to speak for the
party.
UTTERANCEs OF DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS.
sin the national convention of 1880, in
which General Hancock was placed in uomi-
nation for the presidency, the platform de-
clared for honest money consisting of gold
and silver and paper convertible into coin on
demand The full party vote was polled in
favor of both candidate and platform in that
memorable contest.
sFour years later in the Chicago eonven-
tion-and it seems to me there is something
in the words Chicago convention always
suggestive of victory-Mr Cleveland was
nominated and subsequently elected upon the
declaration we believe in honest money,
the gold and silver coinage of the constitution
and the circulating medium convertible into
such money without loss These words con-
stituted no unimportant part of the platform
upon which the chosen standard bearers,
Cleveland and Hendricks, were triumphantly
elected. As member of that convention
gave my cheerful assent to that declaration
considered it then, as | do now, cardinal
tenet of Democratic faith. 1t will be remem-
bered that in the convention of 1888 the plat
form of the last preceding convention was
unanimously reaffirmed
II call attention to the explicit declaration
of the national democracy in the Chicago
convention of 1892. The financial question
in some of its phases was then and had long
been under earnest discussion. The plank of
the platform l now read was not mere acct
dent, but the result of able discussion and
careful deliberations
- We hold to the use of both gold and sill
yer as a standard money of the country, and
to the coinage of both gold and silver without
discriminating against either metal or charge
for mintage; but the dollar unit of coinage of
both metals must be of equal intrinsic and ex-
changeable value, or be adjusted through in
ternational agreement or by such safeguards
of legislation as shall insure the maintenance
of the parity of the two metals and the equal
power Of every dollar at all times in the mar
kets and in the payment of debts, and we de-
mand that all paper currency shall be kept at
par with and redeemabe in such coin.
"HAvE WE ABANDONED THE FAITHg'
''This declaration met my earnest approval
then, as it does now. Whatever differences
may exist as to the proper construction to
be placed upon one of its clauses there can
be no doubt that in strict accord with an I'M
broken line of deliverances of Democratic
conventions it is declaration for bimetal-
lsm, the recognition of both gold and silver
as the standard money of the country. What
language could be stronger 1--WE hold 10
the use of both gold and silver as the
standard money Of the country Can It be
that those of us who four years later still
hold to the use of both metals as standard
money Of me country have abandoned the
faith and are no longer worthy to be called
Democrats Is there room for doubt that the
platform that ! have just read committed the
party to the coinage Of both gold and silver
without discriminating against either metal or
for charge Of mintagey Is there a shadow Of
doubt that the party then solemnly demanded
that all paper currency should be kept at par
with and redeemable in such coin Not in