The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-01
SOUND MONEY VERSUS SILVER
(continued from First Page.l


land tried it in vain and the very country
the gentleman cites ] have shown by his
tory failed and abandoned the effort"
Mr.. Smith then argued that the great in
crease in the production OF silver, the es-
| tablishing of railroads to the mines and
the improvements of machinery for mining
! had caused the fall in the price Of silver.
| he declared also that since 1873, fourteen
nations had demonetiZed silver and it was
| impossible to restore the conditions that
obtained in that year. The silver men tell
us to restore the conditions of 1878. 1t can
not be done. They say let's try it, VIII
you voluntarily do thing that is I'M
Turning to Mr.. Crisp, he said: Don't
lead your people, sir. into the folly that
your craftsmanship should tell you will
be ruinous to their best interests. We
have seen fourteen countries staggering
under load which they could not carry,
and now you say for only one of them TO
try IL and see. There would be nothing left
financially to see after we tried il. No coun-
try could and certainly not ours restore
the parity of silver at 16 to l. 1t IS not IN
the democratic platform, and while God
gives me voice I am going to urge that
1t shall not be put there Great applause)
THE standard in this country to-day is
gold-23.2 grains of gold. For the sake
of the people it is necessary to keep both
silver and gold dollars equally good. When
the proposition was made to put gold in
these bonds it was because the secretary
knew we could not maintain the credit of
this country without allowing the credi-
tor to choose in which money he should be
paid"
The secretary then argued that should
change be made to a silver standard, the
laboring man would be the one TO suffer;
that while the commodities which he must
buy would double in price. II would be
long time before his wages would double.
Il would rather put my arm in the flames
one of them In HIS efforts to make an hon
est living"
"Mr. Crisp has asked me to say what
remedy propose for the existing evil
find that cannot complete
naming to me, and will give
night in Atlanta. ! put him on notice in
general terms that it will be along the
line of the Presidents message, and Mr..
Carlisle's suggestion in 1894. l agree with
Mr.. Carlisle that the double standard is
a physical and metaphysical impossible
ity. We are on gold standard, but this
is a bi-metallic country. II congress Will
pass the necessary legislation and allow
us to pay off and cancel the greenback
and silver notes we can do so without is
suing another bond. Though some Of our
friends are disposed to criticise the ad-
ministration, taking the two administra-
tons together, President Cleveland has
reduced the Indebtedness of the country
800 100000, and we have cut off annually
$25, 100000 of fraudulent pensions. If we
had served only one term and we could
nominate him again, we could elect him,
and before the end of his term you would
bless him (Applause)."
He then referred to the fact that under
the democratic administration four men
had been put in the cabinet as a recogni-
ton to the south, two supreme court
judges, Fitzhugh Lee in Virginia, Nat
Ransom of North Carolina and Wade
Hampton of South Carolina were now
holding important positions under the ad-
ministration. love the democratic party
for its principles and for what it has done,
and l appeal to you to save it from the
disgrace into which this mistaken states
manship would plunge it," Great ap-
plause)
Mr.. Crisp's rejoinder:
Mr.. Crisp said he had listened with Won
der and establishment at the argument of
the secretary. First he asked himself does
he believe what he says or is he trying to
deceive these people. After fairly consid-
ering the matter he had reached the con-
clusion that Mr.. Smith had honestly de-
ceived himself. Some arguments he
made are most remarkable. He says that
il must have been populists who applaud
ed some of my arguments II / followed
his example | would retort that they were
surely republicans who had appla uded his
U4aughter). Republica nism has always
stood for the single gold standard; de-
mocracy for bi-metallism. II Is not neces-
sary to reply to the suggestion that we put
ourselves on a footing with China, any
man who thinks the law can make him a
Chinaman 1t is not worth while 20 argue
with. What we want is to give you a
standard money; we want to drive out this
dry rot; business is languishing. / ask you
II the condition Mr.. Smith predicts for sill
yer coinage is not upon US now" Gap
plause).