Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-07-24

learning something and that he felt
that he knew more than he did TWO
years before. The only way hecOuld
bring himself t. appear before the
people was to advocate that which
he believed in, and If his increased
knowledge and improved judgment
dictated a course he must
follow it. He thus gave
all n chance to justify him-those
who knew he had changed could
attribute it to his subserviency to
controlling conscience-and that
conscience was now guiding one
who had learned much and who
now knew better how to apply his
knowledge than before. Those who
could be convinced that he had not
changed could then grandly admire
the consistency of an upright and
steadfast public servant.
When he finally took up the
discussion of the financial issue he
talked considerable length ON n
conspiracy" in which all the gold
papers, and the former leaders of the
Republican and Democratic parties
were employed as the tools of the
money lenders of the world to ruin
the American people and the nation
of the United States. His remarks
on this question became almost
surprising, coming from a man OF
intelligence. The fact that his
motives had been questioned lie
regarded as most vicious and
wicked thing. He made no reserva-
ton in attacking the purposes Of the
newspapers that opposed tho free
coinage OF silver at 16 to /, and he
could not too plainly state the 1t
corrupt and base motives-yet the
newspaper that questioned his
honesty in changing from 'ienounc-
ing free silver coinage at 16 tn l as
"bordering on financial lunacy" to
his present unstinted praise OF that
proposition. was a "blor on Ameri-
can journalism" His rAnting about
the general depravity and venality
OF the men prominent In opposing
free silver coinage was enough to
lose him the respect of the thought
full listener. His position was that
of a dem agOgue, and much Of his
speech was devoted to exciting preju-
dice and illwill toward the advo-
Gates IF the principles OF the Repub-
lcan party. He said little that
tended to convince any class of
voters that the free coinage of silver
would aid them. He endeavOrcd to
show how the man who was in debt
could easier pay a given number Of
dollars If the dollars were OF Jess
value than now, and II they repre-
scented less products. Every green
hacker, Populist and repudiationist
who ever appealed to the dishonesty
OF a debtor has used the same argu-
ment. It certainly would b. an
effectual way Of getting even with a
creditor to pay him in money that
represented less than the present
standard, bit it would he no more
dishonest and great deal more com.
Portable to pay the debt in u "dollar"
representing a few cents than one
representing 100 cents.
He discussed the meaning Of
"bimetalism." Eminent authorities
differ as to it's meaning, but it is a
truth that any man will admit that
whatever party has declared iol
"bimetalism" it is certain that the
Republican party has not pretended
to ever favor the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at 16 to l by the
United States alone. The history Of
the Republican party since the ques-
ton become prominent is clearly
that it proposed to keep as large as
possible volume of silver money in
at u parity with gold,
but that it did not propose to have
free coinage Of silver at Il ratio that
would make it impossible to keep
gold in circulation.
The speaker cited the fact that the
American producer placed his pro-
ducts in the foreign market in COM
petition with products from India.
While he built free silver argument
on that fact, it would appear that
the only hope O! the American
farmer had of driving the farmer OF
India out of the market, was to
reduce his condition to that OF his
Possibly free silver will
help that; If it will, the American
farmer doesn't want it.
Congressman Towne's final appeal
was to patriotism. The United
States. just to demonstrate its
greatness, should abandon the
money standard Of European ma
tions. II England, France. Germany.
Italv. NORWAY and Sweden used the