The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-22
ALLISON, OF IOWA, TALKS
DISTINGUISHED SENATOR ADDRESS
ES AN INDIANAPOLIS AUDIENCE.
Fine Exposition of Sound-Money View
Says Iowa Is for Mckinley by
a Big Majority.

NNS ~ IiC iicl- lis SPGdhlH -
not filled with flights of oratory nor with
specimens of rounded rhetorical periods,
but it is of that conlrnon-sense order that
with a thinking audience holds hearers.
Senator Allison's name is a household word
throughout the country, and, in q measure,
on account of his connection with the law
of 1878 providing for the coinage of the
present standard silver dollar, known gen.
orally as the Bland-Allison act. 1t was
his ~well-known ability at that time to
handle financial questions that placed him
in a position to be one of the two leading
men who had principal charge OF what was
then the most important financial legisla-
ton of the day. This fact makes what he
has to say now on the same question of
particular Importance.
Throughout his argument there was not a
single assertion of fact that was not
backed up by convincing proof of it's truth.
When he stated that the silver men are in
very deep water and are making claims
that are exactly contradictory he proved it.
He showed that they have based their
whole argument for free silver on the as
sertion that this country has not enough
money to transact it's business, and also
that they claim that the prosperity of Mex
leo is an example for this country. In re-
gard to the first proposition he gave some
figures to disprove it. The population of
Mexico is about IL, 000, 900, and the circulation
Of coin about $50, 900, 000, a per capita circula-
ton of about $3.50. When this is compared
witt a per capita circulation of over so
in this country, Mr.. Allison argued, it is
plain that to follow the lead of Mexico to
obtain prosperity this country should re-
duce, instead Of increase, its circulation.
He also took up the question of the pos
sibility of an increase in the currency by
the free coinage of silver. His argument
was conclusive that even if an increase is
desirable, this is not the way to secure 1t.
With a per capita circulation of only $3.50
in coin, or nearly that figure, in Mexico,
there is a production of silver of about
40, 000,00 ounces annually, enough to coin
almost as much money each year as is now
in circulation there. The reports of the
coinage in that country show that a large
part ST this money is coined, but the ex-
po.l reports show that it Immediately
leaves the country to pay for merchandise,
so that under free coinage the circulation
is not increased. This led to the inference
and the argumen that it is not SO much
additional prosperity that will keep the
money in the counsry and not make it
necessary to send it out to buy the products
of factories in other countries.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL POINT.
The speaker touched up the Popocrats a
little on their constant allusion to the
money of the Constitution" He related
the history of the enactment of the first
law for the establishment of a mint in this
country and for the coinage of money, 60
ing minutely into the details of the work
of Alexander HamiltoG. "When that peer
less statesman had perfected his work and
had determined on what he thought was
the commercial ratio between gold and
silver,'t the speaker continued, The looked
upon the matter as one of too great i'm
portance for one man and referred all his
work to Thomas Jefferson, who was then
Secretary of State. He had not discovered,
nor did Thomas Jefferson discover, that
'16 to L was the ratio OF the constitution.
or that the Constitution even contained a
hint upon that subject. They did discover
that if they desired to have both gold and
silver in use as money in this country they
must value them at their commercial ratio,
and this they to do. With all the
thought given to this subject by those
eminent statesmen, it remained for the
Chicago convention to discover the con-
rection between 16 to L and the Constitu-
ton"
throughout the address Senator Allison
was logical and convincing. His arguments
We're telling and those present listened with
an interest that has seldom been manifest
ed in d political meeting. The audience was
so attentive that the words Of the speaker,
when spoken IN an orainary TONE were
took the coinage of this country from the
beginning and told the history plainly and
effectively.
SENATOR ALLISON INTRODUCED.
Senator Allison, after his Introduction
and greeting to the audience, spoke of the
promises made by the Democratic party
four years ago. He said in part:
"In many of the States, too many of
them. the voters were beguiled into the
belief that these promises would be re-
oIizo1 o,o1 tho nlrnnnr9t tic nartV secured n
majority of the electoral vote that year.
Mr.. Cleveland was inaugurated as Presi-
dent and with him a majority in the House
of Representatives and a majority in the
Senate opposed to the Republican party.
Thus for the first time since 1861 the legis-
lative and executive departments of our
were taken from the control
and direction of the Republican party. And
you in Indianapolis and in this great State
what has followed. Instead of increased
wages for toll, instead of enlarged markets
for the farmer, the reverse has taken
place. and we are in o condition of dis
tress, paralysis and stagnation in a ma
enced for many years. There is an old
maxim or statement upon a tombstone in
Italy, placed there at the direction of the
man who occupies the small space under
it, saying: I was well, / wanted to be
/ took medicine and here l lie ZAP
I plapI prof I menh b NO this Fdsi iilustra aRon th Ia ugh
teri And yet there is a moral connected
with it which ought to be this-that if we
we'll, u let wen SlIOuSH diOllS, dllu Il
we are sick not to employ a boy doctor
who cannot diagnose the case (applause)-
and who offers a quack remedy. Applause.)
80 now. after four years, we are called
upon again to exercise the supreme right
and duty of selecting a President for four
years and electing a House of Representa-
tives and a sufficient number of senator's
to create a majority on one side or the
other. That duty belongs to you and all
OF you in this State and In all the other
States as well. I do not know how it may
be in Indiana, or in the other Western
but ! can assure you that | do
know something about one of those West
ern States, and that is Iowa tcheers), and
we will be able, I am sure, on the 4th of
to enable you to read that Iowa
spoken for William Mckinley and Gar
A. Hobart (~applause) by a majority
unprecedented in that Republican State.
And I hope / may receive a like greeting
THE BRYAN
I'VE are told now by Mr.. Bryan and
those who follow him that the only remedy
for our distress. and the only road and
pathway to prosperity is by means of the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at the
ratio of Is to /; that that is a panacea for
our troubles. In other words, that If We
will but open our minis to the free COIN
agd of silver at the ratio of sixteen ounces
of silver to one of gold. we Will have alb
solute prosperity. They tell us that this
will come by giving us an enlarged volume
of money, which will enhance prices: that
If ought ~ come hpeaIsSp the Constitution |