Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-09-04
TRUTH NOT THEIRS.
GOLD STANDARDITE PREVAIL
CATIONS RUNNING WILD.
Not Being Able to Convince Voters .
Concerted Effort Is Being Made to
q Mix Up the Populistic 10 to Pro
r position.

Advocates of the single gold standard
do not discuss the free-coinage-of-silver
proposition fairly. They start out with
the present low price of silver bullion
as the proper and natural relative
value Of that metal as compared with
gold and argue from this that silver
money is not sound or stable, and that
it would be dishonest to have free and
unlimited coinage. They do not at
tempt to explain the various acts Of un-
friendly legislation by which silver has
been discredited and made to take a
position in the money system Of the
country 1t never occupied prior to 1878.
Congress then sent it into the world
branded with the mark Of Cain, and
has allowed no opportunity to pass
since without giving it a kick. Let the
gold barons tell the people why 1t has
been necessary to taboo the peoples
money on every occasion, IL it could not
hold it's own in an even race with gold.
The American-British gold party by
prating about the 5O-cent dollar cannot
fool the people. They know that the
bullion in silver dollar Is worth only
81 cents, and they also know that labor
and farm products have kept even
pace with its decline. They have all
the light on the subject that they need.
What they demand to know Is what has
brought about this condition. They
have very strong idea that the gold
barons of Wall and Lombard streets
are now, and have been all the time,
at the bottom of the trouble. That
the legislation against silver was con-
iceived in iniquity for the sole purpose
of playing into the hands Of these same
money sharks. The fact that the re-
publican party has been in power al
most continuously since 1860 and is
responsible for the laws passed during
that time, and the further fact that the
platform Of that party recently adopted
at st. Louis was dictated by these same
gold barons and Is wholly in their in
terest has led the independent, thinking
portion of the American people to be-
lieve that that grand old party has
sold itself, body and soul, to the money
power. And the people want to hear
from 1t on these questions. They will
not be led from the issue by any cry
OF anarchism, socialism or reputation.
If republicans are so capable Of making
good laws and love the dear people SO
well these same people will be pleased
to have them explain why the country
Is in its present condition, and what
measure of relief they propose. They
want these questions fairly met and
discussed. No dodge or straddle will
do. No doubt Maj. Mckinley would
much rather the gold plank had been
left out of his platform. 1t Is there,
however, and he must accept 1t and
stand upon it. If the single gold stand
ard is such a good thing why doesn't
Mckinley say so, and not talk so much
about the tariff-an issue the people
don't care to hear about now? Does any
one believe that IL the little Napoleon
felt clear and strong on the money
question he would not put it to the
front in every speech he makes? When
he does APPROACH 1t he deals in such
general platitudes that no one can tell
just what his views are. It is not fair
to the voters to have candidate for
president with no convictions on the
main issue before them. 1t looks like
an attempt to fool them. Public senti.
ment has made the issue, and repub.
licans will be compelled to meet and
discuss it fairly.