Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1896-05-20

money like the lew unprOgreSslYe countries
of the world, and surrender to our great COM
mercial rivals the best metal and the best
mechanism for trade and commerce. If Con-
gress tomorrow had the power and should
enact a law compelling all the railroads of the
country Immediately to change from broad
guage TO narrow guage, it would not more dis
organize the transportation business Of the
country and more cripple its efficiency there
after, as compared with other nations, than
for US to pass at once from a gold to silver
standard.
Let it not be forgotten, also, as matter OF
history, that for nearly % years before the war
we had a gold standard, and no metal money
but gold of legal tender in sums of over five
dollars. This was the effect of slightly under
valuing silver so that none came to the mint
for coinage. SO now for a like period gold has
been the legal standard, but in addition to the
halves. quarters, dimes, etc, We had in those
DAYS. the Government has on its own account
coined and put into circulation so times as
many silver dollars as were coined from the
beginning of the Government down to 1873
under free coinage, and keeps them all as good
as gold dollars And yet the people are told
that silver has been demonetized and that free
silver will give US a bimetallic currency.
So much for the effect judged by the light
Of all past experience, of free silver by the in
dependent action of this country at l6 to l. l
do not believe many well-informed men think
that there is real danger of our country going
to that basis. The very threat and agitation
Of it however have brought upon US three
years of depression and stagnant enterprise,
and the country to-day is held back from start
ing on a new and unparalleled career of deyel-
opment in which West Virginia and the South
would largely share, only because it cannot do
so until this vital question is laid decisiyely to
rest.
But if free silver is not a real danger to the
country, it's a present menance to the Demo
cratic party, for if by any misfortune the party
should spouse this cause, its future is doomed.
From being great national party the adyo-
cate of individual freedom, local self-govern-
ment. moderate and Just taxation, and other
great and inspiring national policies 1t be-
comes a small and powerless sectional party,
embarked on what a vast majority Of the
American people believe to be a crusade
against the financial credit, the prosperity and
the progress ofthe Union. 1t will voluntarily
surrender not only the northeast, dissolying
party connection with the Democrats Of New
York. New jersey and Connecticut who have
three times turned the scale in the election OF
Democratic presidents, with the Democratic
constituencies in New England and the Mid
die States who have furnished so many votes,
since the war, to save the South from prosorip-
tive legislation, and with those of the middle
West, but doubtless part of the border States
of the South cannot see how it is possible
for any calm man to think that a party COM
mitted to free silver at 16 TO l can carry any
part of the country except a section of the
South and some of the small Rocky Mountain
States. The great States of Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan, three of which
we carried in 1892 and secured votes from the
other two, as also Iowa and Minnesota, would
vote by tens, or even hundreds, of thousands
against. Especially am l concerned as to the
effect upon the South of its advocacy of this
issue. It's relative importance in the Union is
decreasing. 1t can maintain potential inhu-
ence and even leadership by supporting sound,
beneGcent national policies. 1t will sink into
unimportance if it arrays itself against that
sound system of finance which the majority OF
the American people and a sold North are de-
termined to maintain.
Heretofore sectionalism and subseryiency to
class interests in the Republican party have
made a solid South and divided North
Shall the errors of the Democrats of the South
make henceforward a solid North and divid-
| ell South In their loyal snd splendid support
of tariff reform the Democrats Of the South
have had the support Of millions Of the best
and most patriotic citizens Of the Northeast
and Northwest. By that inspiring union we
have triumphed again and again, and leader
ship has generously been accorded to southern
men irrespective Of their positions in the civil
war; 4 Confederate soldier has been raised to
the Speakers chair in an election in which
Northern Democrats supplied more votes than
/ their Southern associates. Under Southern
| leadership two general tariff bills have been
carried through the House, the Sherman silver
law has been repealed. and the odious election
laws have been blotted from the statute books
Shall we part company with those brethren
who have in victory and i'm long years of de-
feat stood so manfully and heroically with us
against all sectional legislation l look with
gloOmiest apprehension to the disintegration
of the great historic party whose traditions are
the safeguards of seli-gOyernment, whose mis-
sion is TO maintain, not to destroy, the pros
perity and progress of all the country and
whose union is our only bulwark against force
bills against consolidation of power. against
colossal public expenditures, against high tax
alton and tariff mOnopolies. We broke by
| long and supreme efforts some of the letters
which bound us in the power Of these last and
10 would now be the strangest and most mel
ancholy revolution in the history of party
warfare should we diSarm ourselves for further
resistance, and helplessly submit to be bound
with heavier chains.
The financial question is to-day the great
single acute issue. Il viii be settled and set
tied definitely on sound principles by the
American people but chief issue as it may be
for q time, il will soon pass away, as the green
back and like temporary issues passed eway,
and the great question of raising 600 millions
annually by Just and equal system of taxa
ton free from private greed and extOrtiOn,
with distribution of burdens that will not
make labor subseryient to capital or foster class
interests i'm the country. or Obstruct freedom
of commerce or take away the chief heritage
of American youth, the opportunity of rising
i'm life on its merits this is the momentous,
this is the abiding issue. To fight for this issue
is the historic mission of the Democratic party
Our enemies challenge US TO this con test where
So . j