The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-25

publicans voted for the original Bland bill
in 1878. which was free-coinage measure,
but he failed to mention the fact that at
that time silver was worth enough to make
the dollar of equal intrinsic value with the
gold dollar. He let out the secret when he
said that President Hayes vetoed the bill
because silver had deprecated slightly
and he was afraid it would fall much lower
and make the silver dollar worth less than
speech did he come out squarely for the
free coinage of silver. He simply said he
acquiesced in the elton of the majority of
his party, and that. although he would not
have done as the party did. he was willing
10 accept the action of the majority. In
Speaking OF the speech he made IN Eng
hsh's Opera House May q, 1896, he said:
In view. OF the great financial strin-
gency, l did not regard with favor a sud
den plunge into the free coinage of silver
by this government alone, but my chief
objection to the proposition was that the
money power firmly intrenched behind
thirty years OF class Legislation, and Ut
terly regardless of human suffering would
exercise their power for the further op
preston of the masses, and that the
crushing weight of another bankers panic
would add still more to the woes of the
debtor class and those least able to pro-
tect themselves.
which 1 thought might mitigate in some
degree existing evils. I would have re-
stored The policy Of that great finanelsr.
first term, met the treasury raiders with
the declaration that he would pay their
demands according to the letter of the con-
tract, in gold and silver, the legal-tender
coin of the country-increasing the amount
of the silver as the demands increased:
| would have retired all greenbacks and
national bank notes of less denomination
than $40 and increased the silver circula-
and certificates l would have then fixed
time, say Jan. ], 1898, when the govern
ment would open all her minis for the free
coinage of silver at the ratio of 16 to l.
with or without aid of other governments
but in the interim invoking. the assistance
of all other debtor nations.
Here are a few of the things he actually
said in that opera house speech: The
question upon which there is a division of
sentiment in the Democratic ranks is this:
Should the government coin, without
charge or limit, all the silver that may be
brought to the minis from any source at
the ratio of 16 to 1, independent of the ac-
ton of any other government? Or, in other
worth of silver bullion be permitted to have
the same coined into a piece of money
labeled "a dollar and made a legal tender,
and should the workingmef1 of America be
compelled to receive this debased and de-
preciated money in payment Of their
wages %
He then spoke of the many depositors in
savings banks and building associations
and gaveNhe statistics to show the amount
worth 100 cents each. Shall they be COM
PEELED to receive in return dollars worth
less than 100 cents?"
In closing his opera house speech he
said: Who will say that in the teachings
of the fathers there can be found a single
word in favor of such a course? I chaI-
Jefferson, Jackson or Tilden in
favor of a deprecated currency. They were
in favor of silver money. but one of
them ever entertained the idea for q. mo-
ment that any silver dollar should contain
less than 100 cents worth of silver, or that
it would ever have an intrinsic value less
than that of any other dollar.
Capt w. r. Myers was saved the humi'ia-
ton of confessing his past error on the
mourners' bench. The others took so long
in telling how it happened that they were
on one side of the fence last May and are
now on the other that when it came time
for Captain Myers to have his little say he
found an easy loophole by telling the peo-
pie that he had listened to speaking many
times and knew when he had heard enough
and was therefore qualified to judge when
others had enough. He thought they had
enough for one night and refused to hold
them longer. OF the 1000 people in the hall
at the beginning of the meeting about 800
had left by this time Sidney r. Moon was
also on the programme. but Captain Myers |
that he would not speak. The
sopnd-money Democrats over at the Cy-
clorama building had about as large a |
crowd as the silver wing at Tomlfnson Hall. |