The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-06-27

presented TO the whole committee ana
by 1t rejected. The loyalty Of my opinion
and the consideration OF the great in
terest which is felt In this country compel
me. in the face of usual difficulties, to
present this for your consideration, not
with that bounding hope or with that
courage that 1 presented this in the other
bodies with a greater measure Of success
than 1 can hope for here.
Question of importance.
The local and supreme importance OF
this question is alone my excuse now for
the few words I shall say to you. In con-
nection with this subject, in a public
capacity 1 nave uealt w.tn 1t Tor 70 yeais
but / want to say to you here and now
that my advocacy of the proposition is
not in the slightest degree influenced or
controlled by that fact applause and
cries of "good.'O / contend for 1t be-
cause l believe there can not be a sound
financial system in any country nor in the
world that does not recognize this prin-
cipe. / contended for it in 1873 when 1t
was ruthlessly stricken from our statutes
and since, when there has been con-
tinued depreciation of all the products
of human labor and human energy 1 con-
tend for IT because in this year of 1896
the American people are in greater dis
tress than they ever were in their history.
! contend for it because this is, in my
judgment, great incubus that has struck
/
in this favored land of ours. l contend
for it because l believe the progress of
my country is dependent on it. l contend
for it because 1 believe the civilization or
the world is to be determined by the
rightful or wrongful solution of this IL
nancial question. l am tolerant of those
who differ with me. / act from my judg
ment. enlightened as best l have been
able to be by study and by years Of
thought. In my judgment the American
people in the whole linz of their history
have never been called upon to settle
question of as great Importance as this.
Any great contest in which my party par
tlcipated was not more important to the
people than this question Of finance is.
l have said enough TO show you that
/ think this not a question of policy, but
a question of principle. 1t is not mere
nothing, but one on which hangs the hap
piness, prosperity, morality and independ-
ence of American labor and American
producers. (Applause) Confronted for
the first time in it's history this party of
ours, confronted 1 say for the first time
with the danger of a financial system
that, in my judgment, would destroy all
the great interests of this land, we are
called upon to give this provision in our
platform of adherence. Mr.. President, |
do not desire to say unkind things, and
l will touch only for a moment upon why
I object to this provision in the platform.
a BimetnIlic Party.
The republican party has never been
party of single standard. (Applause) 1t
was a bimetallic party in its origin and in
all it's history. In 1888 it declared for BIZ
metallism. In 1892 it declared for bimetal-
lism; in 1886 it declared for the single gold
standard. In 1883 we carried the state
that l here represent for the republican
nominee; we carry it on bimetalic
platform; we carry it with a majority
| that was equal, considering our vote, to
that of any state in the Union. GIANT
applause) 1t has been republican state
from the hour of its admission. 1t has
, kept in the straight road.
An International Agreement.
| Mr.. President, l promised you l would
not discuss the silver question, and
| viii not except to say that this platform
is such a distant departure from every
| thing heretofore held by the party that
/ il challenges our republicansm to ac-
cept it, The platform contains some plat
| itude about international conferences. IL
provides that we viii maintain a gold
| standard in this country until the prin-
cipal nations of the world snail agree
that we may do otherwise. This Is the
| first great gathering of republicans since
| this party was organized that has de-
| clared the inability of the American peO-
pie to control their own affairs. (All the
! silver delegates rose in body at this
/ point ana nOWleu their approval VI tic
/ sentiments). Do you believe the Amerl-
can people are too weak to actually main
tain financial system commensurate
with the greatness of the country by their
own fruition? Gentlemen, you would
have a bimetallic agreement with all the
great commercial nations of the world
and it can not be obtained. SO this Is
declaration that the gold standard is tC
be put upon this country and kept there
for all time Do you believe Great Brit
ain, that great commercial nation OF the
world. our powerful conn eutOr in com
merce and trade will ever agree to opeT
/ her minis to the free coinage OF silver
or consent that we shall open ours, as
| long as she has the advantage of lower
! prices or declining values that have
brought this country, by the adoption o.
the sold standard in 1873, to partial de
monetization We are the great debto
/. : nation of the world. Great Britain l.
our creditor; we pay her every year mil
lions and hundreds of millions Of dollars
as income in her investments in THU
country on her loans. The gold stand
ard In my judgment lowers prices an
decreases values, and she buys Of L.
, millions and millions more than she sells
r She buys upon the gold standard at
, lower and depreciating standard. How
long do you think it would be before sh
- will agree to assist in raising values Il
this country? 1t is a solemn declaration
that the republican party intends TO main
b. tain lower prices and stagnate bushes
{ for all time to come. Cheers from III
silver states)
Z \ Protective Tariff.
l There is a beneficial provision in thi
platform about the tariff l subscribe [
e that 1 believe in a protective tariff.
, have advocated it for 40 years, but it
my solemn conviction that a protectiv
r tariff can not be maintained upon a gol
standard. applause and cheers from IN
D silver people,. The tariff protection prir
! ciple is for the raising of the price of hu
man toll 1t is for 81 lg to the produce