The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1896-09-12

/ SSu1ADAGpa
Louis E. Erich, a Colorado siIys,
mine owner, staunch Democrat and
q delegate to the indianapolis Demo
cratic convention, made an eloquent
speech In the convention, from which
the following is an extract:
Il have come to this convention
against the advice and entreaty OF
many friends. They tell mo that rub.
lie opinion is much infamed in my
state. tits true. Yet in its intelli.
gence and manhood the state of Col.
orado has not descended to a level
where 1t will not tolerate and respect
the frank, free expression of honest
opinion. l am not afraid. There 10
only thing in wide universe which
fear, and that is to have my conscience
whispering to me, Thou art a coward.
The quality which in the last twenty
Years has, above all others, been lack
ing in these United States, and to the
lack of which our present troubles are
directly traeeabie, is moral courage.
AS indicative of the birth Of more
courageous public spirit; as revealing
TO the nation a body of men who so
clearly put patriotic duty above poIit-
iCal self.interest, who so evidently rank
fealty to their country higher than al
legiance to their party, this convention
Ito thinking, loyal Amerlcans-wilI
stand out as the most promising and
the most inspiring gathering since the
civil war. 5
The principal issue on which the po-
litiCal battle centers is the financial is
sue. We are confronted with the
strangest of conditions. In the last
quarter of a century, excluding the
United States, sixteen nations of the
world have limited the coinage of sill
yer: They comprise the most intelli-
gent nations on this earth, both mon
arches and republics. They hold with
in their borders millions of men who
till the soil, and who, like our own far
mers, must compete with the price Of
their products, in the markets of the
world. They include among their citi-
zens millions of men who stand in the
relation of debtor and creditor. They
enjoy the experience of centuries of
civilization. They are not lacking in
che loYe for humanity. Their students
of financial science are the recognized
world leaders. The international eco
nomic conditions are the same for
them as for us. And yet not in a
single one of all these nations has there
arisen a free and unlimited silver
party. Men have proposed interna-
tional blmetallism, but on the whole
continent of Europe the thought has
not entered into a single soul of public
" advocating that one of these nations
should, alone and independently, open
the minis to the unrestricted coinage
of silver. Is it not strange, passing
strange, that this new light in financial
science should have escaped all the
brains of Europe, should have eluded
all the trained thinkers Of the more
mature civilization of the eastern sec
fion of our own country, and should
have revealed itself in the silver camps
lof the west, on the plains of Missouri,
and in the valley of the Platter Mnst
there not have been some peculiar in
fiuences which injected this menacing
question into American political me-
Before graphing with the silver
question let me say word concerning
myself; and say it not that it can have
the slightest public interest, excepting
"a represent a Western type, and as
IL makes clear the standpoint from
which l have Investigated this ques-
ton. / am not a banker. | own large
interests in silver mines. NO hVing
soul owes me a mortgage. On the con-
trary: Ten years ago, impressed WIN
the wonderful natural resources OF the
Rocky mountain region, and relying
IN the financial sanity of my fellow
citizens. / invested my entire caPltai
in the far western states. The eonIln-
ued silver agitation has made my prop
erty unsalsablc. have seen the tue OF
debt rising slowly at first, but ever
more rapidly, and threatening In tune
to engulf me. No one can sympatnlze
with the debtor more keenly than my.
self l see my way out, however, not
by urging this nation into the Wllaes I
and most reckless financial experiment
since the days of the South sea DuOU ~.
HlrNRJ m l.