The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-19

mon honesty.
We would look in vain through the
speech, delivered here one week ago 10
find true statement of the issue in
Nolved In this canvass. Indeed. / be-
Ieve IL Is doubtful III the candidate him
sell quite understands the nature of the
faith which he Processes / say this not
In criticism of his ability, but in Justice
TO ms morality. believe that IL he him
self understood the inevitable conse-
quences OF the doctrines which he
breaches, that his own hands would be
the very first To tear down the platform
on which he stands. We all must re-
member that lurd rhetoric, which
glowed as hercely In the western skies
as that sunlight which through the past
week foretold the torrid heat OF the en-
suing day, and here upon this platform
we find that same rhetoric as mild as
insipid as the waters of stagnant pool
BE is candidate who was swept into
the nomination by wave of popular en-
thusiasm, awakened by appeals TO pref
udice and greed. he is a candidate, who
declaring that this was a revolutionary
movement, no sooner found himself face
| to face with the American feeling than
| he realized that this soil is not propi-
tious TO revolution. that the people of
| this country will not change the institu-
| tions which have stood the tests and ex-
perience OF a century for the institutions
based upon the fastastic dreams OF Pom
ulist agitatSct' \ 1T the American ma
ton will nsysr Alnsent TO substitute for
the republic 81 Washington. Of Jefferson
and of Jackson SAe republic OF an Alt
geld. Tillman v. Bryan.
Whatever chyai8e may have come over
his manner az candidate, however
much the vehemence OF his eloquence
may have been reduced, two things for
which he stands remain unaltered. On
this platform he defended the most rev.
N fala he f,ft y he 600
ton, in language more vehement, but
not less earnest than that in which he
\ supported their adoption. On this plat
form he defended the Populistic pro-
gram for overthrowing the integrity OF
the supreme court. If there be any fruit
which has grown for the benefit of all
mankind out OF the establishment Of our
republic, X has been the demonstration
that IL is possible by the organization OF
an independSHt tribunal to safeguard
the rights of every citizen, and protect
those natural privileges against any In
vasion, from whatever source, or how
ever powerful might be the antagonizing
clements.
The very existence OF that power pre-
supposes the existence OF an indepen-
dent tribunal yet we have this Populist
convention. because a Populist measure
was condemned as unconstitutional,
proposing, not to amend the constitu-
that instrument itself, but proposing to
pack the court so that IL will pronounce
those laws to be constitutional which
the constitution Itself condemns; pro-
posal to make the courts of law instru-
ments of lawlessness; to violate that
sacred compact between the states, on
which the security OF this nation rests;
to profane the temple erected for it's pro-
lection by the hands of false priests,
who, though sworn to defend 1t, will be
appointed to destroy II.
The Financial Question.
In the time TO which L must conf1ne
myself tonight / can do nothing but
examine that one question, which Mr..
Bryan himself declares TO be the over
shadaYing issue of this campaign. am
a littV puzzled when | read this speech
TO decide just what Mr.. Bryan himself
imagines will be the fruit of a change
in the standard Of value throughout
this country. If Mr.. Bryan could show
me that by means known TO heaven or
earth wages could be increased, / will
be ready to support him, because | know
of no test OF prosperity absolutely in
fallible except the rate of wages paid TO
laborers. When we come to find how
Nr. Bryan expects TO incsease the wages
of labor, we find ourselves lost in maze
OF contradiction. No man can tell how
or where or when the wages OF the work.
ingmen are to be increased; but anyone
who examines the scheme can see that
the inevitable tendency, the inevitable
consequence Of a debasement In the
standard OF value must be a reduction
I'm the rate OF wages-and that rs the
conspiracy In which the Populists is en-
gagged
Now Mr.. Bryan tells us that he wants
TO cheaper the dollar; that he wants 20
increase the volume OF money. / do not
could quite understand a Populists
notion of what money is further than
that he believes IL is n desirable thing
to get, and that he is not very particular
about the means in which he can get
his hands on it,
Nothing is more common than the
mistake that money and property are
Identical. They are not. There may be
a very large volume Of circulating me-
dium. and very great poverty. The Issue
OF paper money simply Is no more an
increase Of wealth than the issue by an
individual of his promissory note would
show an increase OF his property. AS a
matter OF fact, an Increase in the coinage
is no proof of an increase I'm PROPERTY,
but may be a strong proof OF a decrease
I'm wealth IL Ia not the volume of money,
but the activity OF money that counts.
The basis OF sound trade is sound
money; money which Is intrlnsically
coinage OF this country the government
cannot affect. n II tried TO. | can take a
$40 gold piece. and 4 can defy all tle
power OF all the governments OF this
Garth TO take 5 cents OF value from IL.
Having earned IL by the sweat OF my
brow. having earned II by the exercise
of my brain. having earned IL by the
exchange OF my commodities, l can go
20 the utter1nost ends OF the earth. and
wherever ] present IL its value will be
unquesfioned and unchallenged. That
gold dollar. this meeting. the Democratic
party. the honest aasses OF this cOun-
try. without distinction OF party divis-
ions. demand shall be paid 90 the laborer
when nc earns IL. and that no power on
earth shall cheat him OF the sweat OF his
brow.
II is perfectly clear that the purpose of
the Populist Is Co put up The prices OF
coin commodities. Mr.. Bryan's language
Is that he Is going 90 improve the con-
ditions OF thc people Of this country
NOwif ne got possession Of the govern
meut tompfroW. ne could not create ono