The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-14

three cents worth of silver bullion as
one dollar in coin? Where is Democ-
racy in a proposition that allows the
silver of the world to- be coined at our
mints free of charge at a ratio far be-
yond its intrinsic or commercial value,
and cCmpels our citizens to accept this
false and dishonest coin at its face
value in extinguishment of their debts
and In payment for their labor? The
advocates of this platform hazard
everything on the single proposition
that the enactment of a law for the free
coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to
without the aid or assistance of other
nations will bring gold and silver to a
parity. We consider our silver dollar
today as good as gold, because 1t has
back of 1t the credit and faith of the
nation pledged to maintain it's parity
with gold. Under free coinage this
credit and faith will be withdrawn from
the new coin. The government will
have no interest in, or responsibility
for 1t. These men propose, however,
that the power of congress shall be
exercised to compel our citizens to ac-
cept in payment of their debts a dollar
that Is intrinsically worth but fifty
three cents, without being able to COM
pei corresponding relief to the Ameri-
can debtors when foreign creditors de-
mand of them payment in gold. No
law should compel them to be dishonest
But more sacred to every citizen
than the honor and business interests
of individuals is the
HONOR OF THE NATION.
1.-THE United States is a debtor by
virtue of the bonds it has issued. If for
these bonds gold was paid, justice,
morals and national honor all cry out
for redemption, principal and interest,
in the same coin. But it is claimed
that on the face of these bonds the
government is given the legal right
to redeem them in coin. and, there
fore, may redeem them in silver coin.
A question Of morals should always
rise superior to legal question. For
the 50,000,000 Of government bonds
now outstanding we have received
gold coin, and unless the intelligence
of this nation be blunted and it's pa
triotic impulses paralyzed, the obliga-
tions will be redeemed in similar coin.
'I have heard it said that no at
tempt will be made to AFFECT existing
obligations, If the work Of the Chicago
convention be ratified at the polls
The answer is two-fold. The PROPOSE
tion not to repudiate these obligations
was overwhelmingly defeated by the
convention after Mr.. Bryan had con-
cluded the speech which resulted in
his nomination. Under free coinage
gold would be exported or boarded
and silver would become the money of
the country. With silver or fiat paper
money as our only means of revenue,
how can these millions Of United
States bonds be redeemed in gold?
with a legitimate proposition to
increase the number of United States
supreme court judges. or to abolish
within constitutional lines life tenure
in office, I may have no controversy;
nor do I object to proper criticism Of
judges or public officials. But when an
- -
the number Of these judges with the
avowed purpose of securing decision
on any question in a predetermined
way, patriotic and intelligent men may
well hold up their hands in horror.
''In view Of this indictment of the
work of the Chicago convention, can
not support its candidates, except upon
the plea of party regularity. The
claim that Democrats should support
the ticket for the sake Of regularity
would have more weight If 1t were
urged on behalf Of candidate whose
Democracy was unsullied.
Il admit the impossibility' of drawing
a platform that in all things will be
satisfactory to all Democrats. But
never before have we been asked to
make compromise between national
honor and national degradation The
Democrats who responded to President
Lincoln's call to take up arms for the
not cease to be Democrats because
they proved themselves patriots.
cit is not pleasant to break old as
sociations. 1 wish I could bring myself
to believe that the Chicago convention
was right and that national blessings
might flow from the ratification of it's
work; but my conscience, my judg-
ment and the experience of other nations
convince me of it's error. / believe most
firmly that the success of this ticket
would mean paralysis of business, that
the employer of labor would be unable
to secure the credit necessary to con-
duct his business, and that the avenues
Of industry would be closed Production
cannot find profitable market in the
impoverishment of the people. Panic,
DISASTER AND RUIN
will follow, and ere the plaudits of the
victorious multitude have died away,
they will realize the poverty and de-
gradation of the nation and will turn
with the anger of a once deluded but
disillusioned people upon false proph-
cts and idols whose advice they fol-
lowed. The free coinage of silver may
be advocated from patriotic motives,
but 1t Is arrant demagogism to array
for selfish and n-Democratic purposes
class against class, the poor against
the rich, employers against employees.
FOR the nrSI time WITHIN my memory,
we have a candidate of a so-called
Democratic convention appealing, not
to the patriotism and Democracy of
our people, not to their conscience and
intelligence, but to their prejudices and
dislikes.
"If the state have the honor to rep
resent stands in September where it
stood in June, I will gladly continue
as its representative upon this commit
tee. But If the organized Democracy
of the state reverses its position, stands
where it should not stand, pulls down
the banner of Democracy and hoists
the flag of Populism, will not continue
to represent 1t. If the Buffalo conven-
ton indorses the platform of the Chi
cago convention, or its nominees, my
resignation will Immediately be for
warded to the national committee