The herald., 1896-07-21

terprise has ceased; values are con-
stantly declining; labor is unemployed;
discomfort and distress prevail to an ex-
tent never before known in the history
of this country and no reason can be
found for such an unhappy condition
save in the vicious monetary system.
Those who profess to deplore the pres
ent financial condition and oppose the
free coinage of silver are divided in
opinion as to the cause of the present
condition. Some declare that it is be-
cause we have too much tariff; others
that we have not enough; while the
fact exists that every gold standard
country in the world, whether it has a
high or low tariff, is now and has been
during recent years, in the throes OF a
financial panic, and every silver coun-
try, compared with its former financial
condition, is enjoying an industrial de-
velopment and degree of prosperity
hitherto unknown in its history. While
thus differing in opinion they unite in
asserting that the gold standard must
be maintained until foreign countries
shall signify their willingness that the
American shall exercise the rights of
freemen and create a financial system
of their own If we overlook the humili-
alton and degradation We must feel on
account of such a declaration of imam
cial dependency, we may we'll inquire
when the consent of the leading COM
mercial nations will be obtainable.
No one who has read the proceedings
Of the international monetary confer
1anr held
who has examined the impracticable
propositions presented at these confer
ences, can for a moment believe that
any International bimetallic agreement
can ever be made with the consent of
all "the leading commercial nations OF
the world" When will Great Britain
controlled as she is and ever will be
by the creditor classes, who collect vast
sums of money for interest due her and
her citizens, who buys of us annually
many more millions than she sells to us,
and whose interest is to make the pound
sterling purchase as much of our pro-
ducts as possible, consent that we shall
be financially Independent, as we are
supposed to be politically independent?
When did the creditor class of Great
Britain ever give up, or in any way
yield an advantage such as they now
possess through the maintenance of the
gold standard? There is no hope for
international bimetallism until the
United States shall establish bimetal-
lism for itself. and when that is done
international bimetallism may be Sc
cured without the consent of Great Brit
ain. The United States on all other
subjects of legislation acts indepenG-
entity of any other nation on earth. BY
what process of reasoning is its right,
authority or ability to legislate upon
this. the most important subject with
which ii has to deal, questioned or de-
MED? With nation equal in wealth
and power to one-fourth of the world
It is cowardly to say that we must ask
the permission of Great Britain to estab-
lish and maintain a financial policy OF
our own. Believing. as we do, that
return to the monetary system especial
ly recognized in the constitution and
completely provided for by law from
1892 till 1873 affords the only ground of
hope for the betterment of the distress
ed condition of all classes except to
those who live by the increment that
money loaned gives to those who loan
it. we appeal to all classes to rally to
the support of the only candidates whose
success indicates any hope of relief.
Let the merchant and business man
whose dwindling and lessened profits
have, despite his care and economy,
brought him face to face with pros
pective bankruptcy and ruin, the pro-
fessional man whose best efforts scarce
ly afford him compensation for his labor
alone the farmer, the continually fall
ing prices of whose products have left
him no returns for capital invested and
work performed and last, but not least,
let the grand army of laboring men, So
called, the artisan the mechanic and
the miner and every one who depends
upon his daily labor for his daily bread
look about him and observe the great
number of those who Vainly seek for
chance to Work-upon the great army
of enforced idlers, and one and all re-
solve to try not an experiment Gor BIZ
metallism is not an eXperimenD, but
rather a return to policy that through
out the Vicissitudes of our nations in
fancy, through the iuternecine struggle
of its manhood, kept us a great, free and
prosperous nation, in which labor was
not only respected and employed, but
was so compensated that want and dis
tress such as now weigh elpOn us was
unknown. Let the lesson of history, too
recent and too plain to be gainsaid or
or denied, be needed. and let there be no
fear that a system that 50 wonderfully
protected labor, developed business en-
terprse and secured to the nation a con-
tented and prosperous people in the
past, will do aught but bring to a re-
turn of like prosperity, the predictions
of disaster of our opponents to the con-
trary Notwithstanding
In Mr.. Bryan the Chicago convention
placed at the head Of its ticket a gentle
man of exceptional ability and of high
character. No man of his age was bet
ter known throughout the United states
than he A member of congress for four
years, he commanded the admiration
and respect Of all his associates in that
body as q scholarly statesman and
profound thinker No man had ever as
sailed his character or in any way ques-
toned his integrity or moral worth. His
character is a fit example for the young
men of this country. lie has shown in
all his public utterances that he loves
his country and his countrymen, and