Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-07-16
WHAT CURTIS SAYS.
From the AtchIsOn Champion.

statement or his views on the silver
question. It contains several state
ments of historic interest just now,
and The CHAMPION gladly gives it a
place for the reason that It presents
facts all voters should understand.
Mr.. Curtis said:
Il was surprised when l learned
that the st. Louis convention had
promised to MAINTAIN the present
standard until there Is an information
al agreement, and l believe it would
have been better to have declared for
limited coinage at least until such
time.
II have not changed my views on
the money question.
ION the 9th day of March, 1896, the
republicans Of the fourth Kansas dis
trict honored me with a third nomina-
ton, at which time the convention de-
clared in favor of bimetallism. On
the date above named l informed the
convention by wire that l accepted
the nomination and extended my
thanks to them for the confidence
they reposed in me.
Il explained my position to the
people Of the fourth district in 1890
81, '94 and '95, and have had no
reason to change. They know where
stand and look to the republicans
of this district for my instructions.
PERSONALLY, l believe in honest BIZ
metallism. In other words, / am for
a bImetallism that will guarantee the
permanent dse of both gold and sill
yer and ami against monometallism Of
either meta because I believe mono
metallism will decrease our circula-
ton. This is evidenced by the fact
that our circulation has decreased
more than 81 per capita since NoYem-
Der, 1898. I am also against ire
deemable paper money and believe
that every dollar issued should be as
good as every other dollar.
"The republican party has always
commended for an interchangeable cur
rency based upon coin. Under its
policy every dollar has been main
tanned and redeemed according to the
promise, and l believe the republic
cans of Kansas stand today for the
use of gold, silver and paper inter-
changeable.
"The republican party may we'll be
proud of its financial policy from 1878
to 1898; 1t gave us as safe and as
sound currency as any people were
ever blessed with; every dollar was
good in every part of the United
States and its stability was not con-
fined to the limits of this country but
in every part of the civilized world it
commanded unbounded credit and
confidence.
During that period the paper cur
rency was based upon gold and silver.
The gold was back of the greenbacks,
the silver d,llars behind the silver
certificates and treasury notes, in
short we had in round numbers eight
hundred million dollars and 575 mill
ion Of interest bearing bonds resting
on Six hundred million dollars of gold
and silver. Now we have eight hun
bred million dollars of paper resting,
directly or indirectly, on one hundred
and two million dollars of gold and
to this sight hundred million there
should be added eight hundred and
thirty-seven million of our interest
bearing bonds.
rs there any wonder that our cur
rencY system is top-heavy," asked Mr..
Curtis.
Another thing" he continued, "an-
der the republican policy we had no
trouble with the gold reserve from
January, 1879, to March, 1898, and
Mr.. Foster said that in carrying out
the provision of the act of July, 1890,
this department had found it advis-
able to lnterpose no obstacle to the
redemption of the treasury notes Of
that act in gold coin when desired by
the holders" Yet he says "the
amount so redeemed up to July 81,
1892, was eight million, four hundred
and forty-seven thousand seveL hun
bred dollars.
During Mr.. Cleveland's first sd-
ministration, from 1885 to 1889, he
| tried to stop the purchase and coin
age of silver and forced the country
to cold monometallism and free trade