The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-04
TO SONS OF NORWAY.
Prof. SwensOn Delivers an Inter
esting Sound Money Address.

Prof. SwensOn Delivers an Inter-
esting Sound Money Address.
Prof. G. A. Swenson, president Of
Bethany college, Lindborg, Kas., de-
liVered an address at Harmonic hall
last evening, dealing with free silver
heresies and showing the logical po-
sition of sound money advocates. The
speaker has travelled much and OBJ
served the customs of other nations,
and he was member of the committee
OH resolutions at the Republican ma
tional convention, SO that he has had
exceptional opportunities for study and
experience. His style was simple and
convincing and he analysed the popular
free silver arguments in a way which
seemed very satisfactory to his aud
fence. He said in part:
Free speech is one of the beauties of this
free country, but correct thought is still
more valuable than free speech. We have
had whirlwind Of free speech in this CAM
paign. and now the people are settling down
to correct thought. While travelling about
the country received anonymous and threat
ening letters advising me to keep away from
Minnesota, because it had no use for gold
standard people. have been travelling in
your state several days and find 1t all right.
There was furry in a little town called
Duluth, caused by my friend, John Lind, but
we are getting over that and falling in line
for Mckinley.
I want to emphasize three points in my
speech. Pure and unselfish patriotism, love
Of home and devotion to principle. We need
to remember the lessons of patriotism and
Republicanism, and do not import incipient
socialism or half-grown anarchy for our cam
paign, as do the Bryan people.
| want to impress on you, especially on my
friends, the Scandinavians, that we should
cultivate love and gratitude for this, our
adopted home. Ingratftude is one Of the
marked qualities of the American people. We
get disheartened and think everything is
going to the dogs and forget our advantages.
You who have come from other countries
know the difference. You know how much
Norway 1t is true that we made a great
mistake four years ago, but God and Uncle
Sam are going to give us an opportunity On
Nov. to correct that mistake.
We have hard times, but 1t is the result of
Misrepresentation and over-confdence. We
borrowed other peoples money to build all
sorts of gigantic enterprises and now when
the reaction has come, we have no right to
repudiate those debts as the free silver people
propose to do.
Everybody is talking finance. That is an
other symptoms Of hard times. AS mans
pocketbook becomes fat he gets full of flnan-
eial theories, and when good times return to
fill out the pocketbook, he forgets all about
those wild theories Anyway, this is the only
country on the globe where man with no
previous knowledge of political economy can
III twenty-four hours go crazy on the money
question and set up as rival of John Sher-
man.
One Of the heresies advanced by the free
silver people is that we want free coinage so
there will be more money In circulation and
higher wages and prices. There Is no con-
nection between the two. Prices and wages
both depend on supply and demand.
The speaker showed by the per
capita circulation Of European coun-
tries that it does not rule prices nor
wages, and in regard to free coinage
of silver gave an instructive historical
illustration, showing that Sweden, un-
der the reign of Charles XII, $50 wears
ago, had tried a free coinage expert
ment with most disastrous results
Reports from friends in India showed
that it had suffered under free coin
age.
The speaker gave a number of apt
and witty Illustrations Of intricate
points. He urged that the Democratic
remedies of four years ago had so
Frustrated the country that it cannot
recover until it returns to Republican
rule. Confidence must be restored
labor employed, the tariff made really
protective, reciprocity re-eStabliShed
and good times and increased power
of consumption of goods will return
He specially warned his countrymen
against voting for Mckinley and al
! lowing themselves to be persuaded to
vote for the silver candidates for gov.
ernor or congyess.
The speaker was heartily applauded
as he made the various points of this
argument. j. w. Mernlund presided
| and the Masonic quartette rendered
several selections.