The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-10-08

duty all other reforms must wait. The
test of party principles Is the government
they assure; the proof of good govern
ment is u contented and happy people, and
the supreme test of both Is the ability to
yuide the country through crisis as
well as to administer the government
in ordinary times. Our people now face
crisis, a crisis more serious than any since
the war, To what party shah they turn
in their dire emergencyp 1t Is true tnat
the present crisis may not involve all
equally, that there are those who do not
suffer now and may not suffer should the
crisis threatened by the gold standard
come on in all its fury.
Human selflshness makes these deaf to
all appeals, but to these, fortunately, the
Democratic party has never needed to APP
peal to win its battles, nor does 1t now,
save as there are some among them who
can rise superior to self in the sacrifice
which such crises demands of every pa
triot. We are told that the country has
prospered under the present monetary
standard, that its wealth has enormously
increased. Granted so, but in whose
hands2 In the hands of the toilers, the
formers, the miners, the fabricators in
factories, the fraters OF the nations wealth
in peace, its defenders in WARP have they
the prosperity which was theirs so late as
20 years agop / deny it, They deny 1t.
None affirm it save those whose interests
Is W uO 3d. w nOSt pTOHu WOulu
as prosperity returns to those on whose
distress they thrive?
All Is indeed right between capital and
labor. The "best money in the world" Is
none too good for those who have got 1t.
but how is 1t with the 80 per cent of
our people who have got It to getr How
Is it with those who must buy this "best
money in the world" with the products of
their own labor2 These are the people for
whom the Democratic party would legis-
late. What is the best money for theseY
Is the question for all to ask who really
love this land. How else can you increase
labors' purchasing power but by increas-
ing the price of labors products? Is it a
| fair measure of values, that in our great
! producing section ten bushels of potatoes
must be paid for dollar, ten bushels Of
| oats for a dollar, six bushels OF corn for q
| dollar, threc bushels Of wheat and all
| other products of the soil, and mines, and
the labor of all wage earners at the same
| ratioY Does any fair mind say this Is
| honest money that forces such an ex-
change, and if it is not a fair exchange, is
it honest, is it less than robbery
This is the condition to which the single
gold standard has brought us. Under 1t
| the appreciation of the 'best money in
| the world has increased the wealth of
the rich, and for the same reason has in.
| creased the debt of the debtor. So it has
been, SO under the present standard 1t
must continue to be. With these object
| lessons about me, little need have we for
history and statistics, and the studies of
scholars. Little satisfaction 1T is to us
| that they have warned us long since OF
the deadly evil Of the gold standard. II
! has brought us at last to the parting OF
! the ways. Whittier shall the people GO
! in the way that has led to the enslave.
ment, or into that which offers them their
only chance to regain individual liberty,
lasting prosperity, and happiness? Let
not our opponents charge us with creating
class distinction. Alas, for the republic
they are already here, created by the Re,
| publican policy Of the last 80 years, created
by the very system we would now over
throw and destroy. Nor do we raise a
sectional issue. The nomination you ten
der repels the charge.
None knew better than that this nom,
ination Is meant as no personal tribute
but as an assurance that our party Is a
| non sectional party. Not by our policy,
but only by the continuance of the gold
standard can sectionalism be revived
Neither shall our opponents be permitted
to terrify the people by predictions that
temporary disturbances or panic will
come from the policy we propose. The
American people will be loyal to the ma
tion's money, will stand behind 1t and
maintain IL at whatever value they them
selves may put upon 1t. Once before In
the present generation have our people
been called upon to face momentous
crisis. What then said Mr.. Lincoln, the
chosen leader of the plain people of the
ianuY was ne awed by threats or weak
ened by the willy persuasion of the false
friends, who, as today, pleaded for com
promiseswith wrong. His answer was;
"If our sense of duty forbids this, ther
let us stand by our duty fearlessly anc
effectively. Let us be diverted by none. o
these sophistical contrlvances wherewitl
we are so industriously placed and be
labored, controvenes such as cropping 10
some middle ground between right an.
wrong reversing the divine rulSand call
ing not the sinners but the righteous q
repentance, such as invocations to Wash
tngton, imploring men to unsay VIVA
, Washington said and undo what Wash
hgton did. Neither let us be slandere'
from our duty by false accusations agains
u.s. Let us have faith tat right make
might, and In that faith let us to the Sp
dere to do our dnty as we understand IL.