The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-19
BELMONT on POPULIsM.
Br,nn a Believer i'm Fiat silver and
Fiat Greenbacks.

Major John Bryne, president of the
league, called the meeting TO order, ad-
dressing his hearers as Democrats who
love their country above party and ex-
horting them TO save that party from re-
pudiation. anarchy and socialism, and then
presented Hon. Perry Belmont, who made
a short speech by way of overture 10 Mr..
Cockrans effort. Mr.. Belmont said
"Fellow-c have all come here
to listen to the speaker or the evening.
This is a time for very plain speaking. We
want no victory under a false flag. The
Democratic standard was supplanted at
Chicago by the rag of Populism. which we
firmly refuse 10 follow TO the discredit OF
the Nation. The banner of the Democracy
protecting under its broad folds all the as
plrations of liberty-loving humanity. rep
resenting popular constitutional self-gov-
eminent we now raise here tonight, bat
tie worn by more than hundred years OF
honorable political warfare.
I'VE who contend against the Chicago
nominations and platform stand strictly
within the lines and principles of our
party. The convention renounced the Ma
tional Democracy. We are Democrats and
we represent Democrats who propose 10
remain firm, refusing 10 surrender the hon.
ored name of our party TO the Populsts
Populism Is an aggravated form OF furious
Republicanism greenback federalism
gone mad. n Republican untainted by such
doctrine is infinitely to be preferred 10 a
Democrat who foreswears his allegiance to
Democratic principles and countenances
the betrayal OF his party to the Populists.
THE opening of the mints to the inde-
pendent coinage of fiat silver dollars is but
an intermediate stage to the employment
of the government printing presses for the
issue of fiat paper money, which is the ul-
innate aim OF the fusion party. The ma
tional convention of the Popuist party
held in Omaha, Neb., in 1892 declared for
fiat paper money TO be issued 10 the peo-
pie they said. at tax OF ? per cent.
Two years later Mr. Bryan advocated in
Congress the issue of paper money direct
by the government at a market rate of in
terest.' He said that harDors might be
improved and rivers be opened in this way
He introduced and advocated bill TO con-
struct the Nicaraguan canal by issuing
greenbacks. The constitutional power to
raise revenue by taxation Is superfiuous If
the printing bureau can SO easily produce
all we need.
MIR. Bryan's record in the House is
equal 10 Senator PETERS delyerance in
the Senate last June, when he said: What
sort of sense * there in requiring a re-
issues It's own paper? Why characterize
such utterances? They are unpardon BILE
when proclaimed by those who aspire 10
responsibilities of power.
AT the conference at Washington of the
fiat silver organization. last January. the
Populist claim was recognized that If free
coinage should not yield enough fiat silver
silver party thereby abandoned the hard
money contention. put forth by Mr. Bland
years ago. that the quantity OF gold and
silver coined under free coinage should be
the test OF the volume of government cur
rency and that Congress should have no
other control over the issue of full legal
tender money. That was the real reason