Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-07-30
we can present the history of our

UdClOn.
More than that, we can tell them
this-that they will search the pages
of history in vain to find single in
stance in which the common people
of any land have ever declared
themselves in favor of gold STAN
dard. They can find where the
, holders of fixed investments have.
Mr.. Carlisle said in 1878 that this
was q struggle between the idle
holders of idle capital and the strug-
Cling masses who produce the wealth
and pay the taxes of the country
and, my friends, it is simply ques-
ton that we shall decide upon which
side shall the Democratic party fight
upon the side of idle holders of
idle capital or upon the side of the
struggling masses? That is the
question that the party must answer
first, and then it must be answered
by each individual hereafter.
The sympathies of the Demo-
cratic party, as described by the
platform, are on the side of the
struggling masses, who have ever
been the foundation of the Demo-
cratic party. There are two ideas
of government. There are those
who believe that if you just legislate
to make the well-to-do prosperous
their prosperity will leak through
on those below. The Democratic
idea has been that if you legislate to
make the masses prosperous their
prosperity will find its way up and
through every class and rest upon
it.
You come to us and tell us that
the great cities are in favor of the
gold standard. tell you that the
great cities rest upon these broad
and fertile prairies. Burn down
your cities and leave our farms, and
your cities will spring up again as if
by magic; but destroy our farms,
and the grass will grow in the streets
of every city in this country. My
friends, we shall declare that this
nation is able to legislate for its own
people on every question without
waiting for the aid or consent of
any other nation on earth, Upon
that issue we expect to carry every
single state in this union.
l shall not SANDER the fair state of
Massachusetts nor the state of New
York by saying that when it's citi-
Zens are confronted by the PROPOSE
tion, Is this nation able to attend to
its own business ?-I will not sIander
either one by saying that tho people
OF those states will declare our help
less impotency as nation to attend
to our own business.
4 10 hn
Our ancestors, when but 5000, 900,
had the courage to declare their DO
litical independence of every other
nation upon earth. Shall we, their
descendants, when we have grown
to 10000, 900, declare that we are less
independent than our forefathers |
No, my friends, it will never be the
Judgment of this people.
therefore,, we care not upon what
lines the battle is fought. II they
say bimetalism is good, but we can
not have it till some nation helps III,
we reply that, instead of having a |
gold standard because England has,
we shall restore bimetalism and then |
let England have bimetalism because
the United States has. If they dare
to come out and in the open and de- |
fend the gold standard as a good |
thing, we shall fight them to the
uttermost, having behind us the pro-
ducing masses of this nation and the |
world. Having behind us the COM
mercial interests and the laboring
Interests, and all the toiling masses,
we shall answer thoir demands for
gold standard by saying to them
You shall not press down upon the
brow of labor this crown Of thorns.
You shall not cruelty mankind upon
a cross of gold.