The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-08
IELLEn . VUIUE
Lifted In His First Campaign
Speech
At Morrison, ILL, Before 5000
People.
HIS SECRET HISTORY
Of How the Conspiracy Of 1873
Was Carried Out.
Blaine, Nor Conkling and Many
Other Statesmen
Did Not Know Silver Had Been
DemOnetized.

Morrison, Ill, Sept. S-Senator Henry
NJ Teller made his first speech of the
campaign in this place today. The
/ crowd that assembled was estimated
from 1000 to 5000. This is the former
home of Senator Teller.
He came to Morrison from New York
/ in 1858 and formed a law partnership
with Mr.. H. H Jackson, which contin-
ued to April, 1851, when he went to Col
orado- His mother lives here with four
sisters and a brother. He leaves here
/ tomorrow morning for Chicago. He
will then go to Grand Rapids. Mich.
| where he is announced to speak SEN
/ ator Teller was greeted with warm
! cheers upon his appearance. He said
in part:
Il have been a student of financial
questions ever since I have been in
public life and that is almost within a
few weeks of twenty years. I think
the history of the country will sustain
me in stating that the most important
question that the people of any country
are called upon to investigate and pass
upon, is, what shall be the monetary
system of that country
L believe the question the Americans
are called upon now to settle is of more
Importance to them than any other
question that has ever been submitted
TO them for their action. I do not be-
heve there was so much at stake, and
so much woe could have come to the
American people if we had been di-
vided and two republics have been es-
tabhshed on this continent instead of
one as now
If we fail to discharge the duties
incumbent upon a republic and should
go down in disaster there would be no
further effort made among men for the
sustaining of humanity There would
be, in my judgment, with our destruc-
ton be the end of free government
throughout the world. It is a question
not to be determined by personal at
tacks upon those who advocate; not by
slurs; not by SANDER; not by abuse"
we must settle down in this cam
paign to argument and reason.
Why in the name of heaven should
l come here TO talk to you now unless
have an interest in your welfare and
the welfare Of the American people.
Sonebody-son1e newspaper-may tell
you that am an agent of the great
silver producing corporations. Some
of you have been my neighbors. many
of you knew me more than a genera
ton ago. You knew me in my youth
and in my early professional life
believe in the years that lived in your
community esta bEshed something. of
a character for decency and truth.
I have endeavored in all my life.
public and private, to deserve the COM
mendation of my fellow citizens be-
cause I was honest and truthful. and
outspoken in my opinions concerning
public matters; and let me say 7 have
no more interest in this question than
you have. CCheers.)
I never mined an ounce of silver in
my life; I own no silver property (Re-
newed cheering.) Almost all nv for
tune, be il little or great is involved
and invested in gold mining in my
state. CCheers.) have been con-
nected with gold mining for thirty-fve |
years, and if had any personal inter-
est it would be in the appreciation of |
gold. believe I need spend no time |
discussing the question that the finan- |
cial condition of this country is not /
good There are more idle men and |
houseless and homeless men than ever
before In this country's history Is not !
that fact, is 1t not true that this con- /
dition existing here exists in every /
country under the sun that has at |
tempted to maintain a gold standard |
It is our opponents who propose a sys- |
tenn of finance that had only the sup |
port up to 1871 of the nations, only |
two-One the great creditor nation of |
the world, Great Britain, and the other
poverty stricken Portugal; that Great |
Britain did not fear the effects of gold |
standard on her commerce and trade |
that all the rest of the world save Por-
tugal, were either using the silver !
standard or the double standard.
We find that they are improving
and making progress while we are I
standing still
'I want to challenge the statement
that has been made and that is being
prosperity in 1883 and that we had it in /
1889 or that we had 1t in 1890 and 1892 |
In 1873 the American silver dollar was
stricken out OF the list of American
coins. The fact existed that it was done
and the evil which followed, in my
judgment, is too apparent to be denied
I know one thing in reference to the
demonstration of silver dollars I
know that no newspaper editor previ-
Gus to 1873 had ever written an article
in defense of the single gold standard.
know that no American newspaper
had ever advocated the dem OnetiZatiOn
of silver, and know that no neWspa-
per had made a suggestion that the sill
yer dollar was not good enough.
I know and you know that it was
a good dollar then and worth more than
this transaction. I know of a man in
public life who was absolutely ignorant
silver When it came to be discussed
and talked about he challenged the |
statement that it demOnetized silver
james G. Blaine (Applause), when |
this characterization act passed, said
in the American senate: did not !
know that it denonetized the silver dol
lar Then I heard him put the ques-
ton to one of the most distinguished
senators, now also dead, Mr.. Beck of
Kentucky: Mr. Beck, did you know
that the bill demonetized the silver dol