The San Francisco call., 1896-06-24

then turned his attention to some of those
influential party leaders whose advice had
been followed, with the result that the
Democratic party was neutral on almost
every subject, aad every great issue had
to be straddIed for fear of losing votes. In
order to win the party must take a decided
stand on the great questions. The people
must be shown with distinctness what they
are to expect for their votes.
"If we once do this" the speaker con-
tinued, land once show the people that
we are in earnest, no power in this land
can prevent our shaping the policy and
guiding the destinies of the republic; for
there are more men who believe in Demo-
cratic doctrines to-day than ever before in
the history of this country. The harvest
is ours if we will only show that we are
honest husbandmen-"
Reserving discussion of the monetary
question for later stage of his address,
The Governor next devoted his attention to
the tariff question. He said the subject
was an old one and one with which the
people could no longer be deceived. The
probabilities were that neither party
would make any radical change in the
present tariff. A high tariff. he claimed
always contributed to build up the few at
the expense of the many. 1t protects the
proprietor, but not the laborer, for while it
checks the Importation of goods it cannot
prevent the importation of cheap labor
from all over the earth. The degradation
and poverty of the European la aborer, he
said, were in exact proportion to the height
OF the tariff or import duties. The speaker
went into the history OF the question to
some extent to support his views and
pointed to the Mckinley law as COM
piete Illustration ''ot the supreme folly of
an exceedingly high tariff"
The money question was next referred
to. Between 1873 and 1880 this country
and all of the nations of Europe by law
destroyed one-balf of the redemption
money of the world and reduced by fully
one-half the annual addition to the stock
of money of the world. Silver when used
at all was put on the basis of paper money.
The effect of this was to double the work
which gold had to do and by doubling its
Importance its purchasing power was
doubled. 1t made 200 cent dollars; so
that on the average it took twice as much
of commodities and of property to get
$l00 as it formerly did. AS the debts, in
terest taxes and other fixed charges were
not reduced, it took nearly everything
which the farmer and the producing
classes generally could scrape together to
meet the fixed charges. They had no
money left to purchase the comforts of
life. Their purchasing power was gone.
This destroyed the trade OF the merchant
nd tn Sb MT
down; there being no markets for what
the laborer made he had to go idle, so that
the producer, the merchant and the laborer
were all in distress.
"The conditions" he continued, ''are
getting worse and worse every day and
there can be no great prosperity in Europe
and this country until the wrong that pro-
duced this distress has been righted. AS
it was done by the arbitrary act of the
Government, so it must be undone by the
Government. As the Democratic party
represents the great toiling and producing
masses it must take the lead in the undo
ing of the wrong. The Democratic party
must speak with no uncertain sound on
this subject. Hedging renders & party
impotent, reduces it to mere otfice-get.
ting machine and makes it contem pti BILE.
Our country has gone through a period of
political straddling on all questions. He
was considered the best politician who
could fool the most people; but sil things
come to an end and this practice has
reached its limit. The people are in earn
est and demand plain talk. We must state
our position clearly and live up to it. We
are at once confronted with the question
of ratio. Theoret tically bimetallism does
not depend on any particular ratio
and if this question could be considered
by Congress on It's merits alone and free
from outside pressure it is pro bable the
subject of ratio would not be discussed by
the public at all.
But the pimetallic system was destroyed
by corrupt outside influence, and Wall
street has repeatedly shown its ability 70
shape legislation at Washington. The
meniw no make vast fortunes out of existing
conditions will do all they can to prevent
a change. The men who year ago made
about 10, 900, 900 of dollars out of the Gov
ernment in small bond transaction, car
ried out through secret contract with the
President and the Secretary of the Treas
ury, will do all IN their power to prevent a
pOIICys InCSG iutH Will lIY 10
capture the Chicago convention, and fail
ing in that will move heaven and earth to
control the new administration in case we
succeed. Bitter experience has taught
our people that their interests are always
in danger at Washington and that if we
succeed in this campaign the victory may
be thrown away there, consequently it is
felt to be necessary to leave no room for
quibbling."
The speaker characterized the late Re-
publican convention as the most brazen
effort on the part of organized greed ever
attempted to control the destinies of the
country. II adopted platform, he as
serted, in the interests of England; its
principles stand for paralysis, poverty and
distress, and it put in nomination for
President a man who viii only be SER
want to carry out the mandates of his
managers.
The remainder of the Governors speech
dealt with State matters. All of the de-
partments at the capital were in admirable
condition. But he condemned the pres
ent revenue system as monster of injus-
tice The Republican LEGISLATURE came in