Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-31

the committee auJnOriLeu W prepare ~
at the Nom Partisan Silver convention
held IN Topeka July l6:
To the Republicans of Kansas:
At meeting of the Republican del
egates to the free silver conven ton
held in the city of Topeka on July ID,
1906, the undersigned we're appointed
n committee on their behalf to publish
to the Re publicans of Kansas the rea-
son why they stand by free silver and
against the gold plank of the st. Louis
platform. In performing that duty
we fully recognize that prejudice is
strong, that party tradition is strong
and that party discipline does not
willingly relax its hold upon those
who have once submitted to it's dicta-
ton. And we also realize that the
campaign of vituperation already be-
gun by the advocates of the gold
standard is to be kept up in the hope
of deterring voters who favor the free
coinage of both silver and gold from
voting their sentiments. But relying
upon the intelligent and independent
Judgment and courage of our people
we submit the following:
Money the One Issue.
The Republican party. by driving
forth the Republican Senators from
the mountain states, made it highly
impro ba BILE that they can again con-
troll the United States Senate within
the next four years, if not impossible
to do so. This makes it practically
impossible to secure the passage of a
protective tariff bill within the next
four years. In declaring for the gold
standard they acted with full knowl-
edge of the consequences, and they
delhi erately chose gold and the Will
son bill rather than both gold and
silver and protective tariff. The
great body of voters concede that the
St. Louis platform offers but this one
issue. 1t is the dominant thought in
the minds of all people and is the one
topic of discussion among all voters
Free Coinage Is Republican Doctrine.
The present platform is a complete
change of position. The Republican
platform of 1855 says:
1.-The Republican party is in favor
Of both gold and silver as money, and
condemns the Democratic party in its
efforts to demonetze silver"
That this meant and was intended
to mean that both gold and silver was
to be coined upon equal terms and
neither was to be favored before the
law, is shown by the actions of the
publicans of Kansas. In the State
platform of 1890 we read:
The practical operation of the
oliver question now in force, recently
passed by Republican majority in
both houses of congress, is rapidly in
creasing the value of silver, is a good
step in the right directions; but we,
the Republicans of Kansas, demand
the free coinage Of silver"
Upon this platform we elected the
state ticket. Major j. X. Hudson was
chairman of the committee that re-
ported the resolution, and a conven-
tion of over 500 delegates unanimously
ADOPTED it.
Again, to emphasize the position of
the Republican party, the Kansas
state senate, then being almost unani-
mously Republican, on January 30,
1891, by vote of "a to ., passed the
following resolution:
Whereas, The recent action of the
Senate of the United States in prompt
ly passing the free coinage of silver
bill, is a move in the right direction
of the restoration of prices and prop
ertv to the agricultural industry;
therefore be it
Resolved, That the Senate of the
State of Kansas urge upon the national
House of Representatives the prompt
concurrence in the passage of the SEN
ate silver BILL that the body, repre-
senting the Republicans of Kansas, re-
spectfuIly but earnestly requests our
delegation in Congress to insist, in the
interest of the country and the vel
fare of the Republican party in the
West, upon the passage of the bill and
its approval by the Republican eXecu-
tive as being in line with Republican
pledges.
To show that the foregoing was the
deliberate opinion of the Republican
party, we quote the following from
the Topeka Daily Capital of June II,
1888:
Our fathers declared that 37l."5
grains of pure silver should be dol
lar. That has not been changed, but
now, unless the Republican party de-
clares in favor of the free coinage of
silver and gold, there is danger that
silver may still further be deprecated
and prices of products still further
lowered"
And the same paper on tn 4th day
of January, 1891, says:
1.-The Capital wishes to send short
message to Congress 1t will be brief,
but important to the West. 1t is this:
Stop your windy speeches about the
election bills; pass the Plumb measure
for the free coinage of silver and give
the country one or two hundred mill
ions of paper currency.
1T is not as long as the Presidents
message, but it will do the country
and the Republican party more good,
if acted upon, than dozen mes
sages like the last one. The West and
South are growing very tired of seeing
the money influences of the East stop
the promised financial legislation"
But that there should be no doubt
that the Republican party favored
placing gold and silver upon an equal
ity before the law, in 1892 the national
platform declared:
1.-The American people, from tradi-
tion and interest, favor bimetallism,
and the Republican party demands the
use of both gold and silver as stand
ri money!