The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-15
We need their trade. They are silver users,


we are silver producers.
The stronger nations OF Western Europe
being in the same genial climate, on the same
plane of civilization and with a nearer equal
lily In the perfection OF the industrial arts, are
naturally our commercial rivals rather than
our customers. Our protective tariff system,
with its Blaine reciprocity feature, was framed
IN recognition of this principle; but the estab-
ilshed gold standard, operating TO depress our
silver market on the one hand and to induce
an influx OF free-trade labor on the other, neu-
tralized the major benefits it was intended TO
confer. We have invited and nurtured psnics
by establishing as our sole money standard
the scarcer metal. By this method gold has
been constantly rising in price as measured by
everything else produced. Both legitimate
enterprises and speculative industry have
ceased. Money boarded is the fastest and
easiest method of accumulating property
under the present system of falling prices, and,
knowing this, money-holders have ceased
operations, while labor is idle and producers
are facing penury by being forced to sell below
the cost of production.
But our enemies are "friends of silver" of
course. We have heard that for a quarter Of
q century. But how sincere and what is the
nature of this friendship? "And Joab said to
Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? and
Joab took Amssa by the beard with the right
hand to kiss him, but Amasa took no heed to
the sword that was in Joab's hand. So he
smote him Herewith in the fifth rib and he
died. And Amasa wallowed in blood in the
midst of the highway" Stick 16-to-1 ratio
under en- international bimetallist's nose and
he invariably smells fire. Pinch the anatomy
of an 81 am gooo friend of silver as you"
anywhere, listen and hear goldbug squeal.
Every man not in line for Is to / candidate
this fall, no difference how loud his profession
of friendship for silver, is either camp fol-
lower of Mark Hanna or bushwhacker in the
Mckinley cause. There will be no division in
the gold standard vote. Principle, vicious and
monstrous as it Is, Will place each vote above
party expediency. Bimetallists must turn
their backs upon party and their faces to the
subject. Remember, country first, party after
wards.
Heirs of glorious past, they must exercise
their manhood in acts of benefaction for the
future. Drop the things on which we disa-
gree, unite on things we hold in common. Re-
forms, like human beings, are seldom born
twins. The restoration of silver now, other re-
forms afterwards. Reise the blockade, spread
the sails of commerce, open the minis, send
the Nations blood flowing through the veins
OF trade, and when the song of spindles and
the music of hammers mingle with the hum
of eontentment and plenty, patriots may find
pastime in party adherence and party strife,
but not now.
John J. Hamilton, editor of the Des
Moines Daily News, was elected to act as
permanent chairman. His address was
submitted to the conference leaders last
night, and found to be against the ratio of
16 to !. A committee was appointed to
wait on Hamilton in regard to the matter.
The platform reported by the committee
on resolutions was lengthy. After laying
down the principles of silver, Bryan and
Sewall for President and Vice President
were Endorsed and the State delegates in
structed to vote for them at st. Louis.
The first resolution sets out the i'm port
ance of the financial question. The Sec
ond denounces the gold standard and de-
mands free coinage at 10 to 1. The third
denounces the national banking system,
and the fourth denounces the issue of
bonds during times of peace. The last
resolution. indorsing Bryan, is as follows:
RESOLVED, That, regarding. as we do, the Hon.
William j. Bryan, in his person, avowed prin-
ctples and political career, as embodying as
perfectly and completely as any other living
man the principle of free coinage and the
allied financial principles essential to restore
TO and maintain this country in its career of
development and prosperity, we do hereby in
struet the delegates from Iowa to the st. Louis
bimetallic Convention to vote as unit for, and
TO use every effort possible 70 secure, the nomi-
nation OF Hon. William J. Bryan for President
and his associate, Arthur Sewall, for Vice
President, whom we regard as pre-eminent in
his locality and as the representative of the
that ticket the cordial and unanimous support
OF the bimetallists of Iowa.