People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-07-02

and abe option by the debtor as to the coin
In which he shall discharge his debt. This
matter Is important. Gentlemen here and
elsewhere constantly misapply this word.
do not propose to permit it any longer to
the extent to which my little influence
may go. here and now challenge any
gentleman upon this floor or anywhere
else-and this Is not mere rhetorical de-
fance, but isintended to bring this con-
fusion to an end-to produce definition
OF bimetallism by any publioist or eoono.
mist OF authority or any statesman OF
standing made prior to 1895 which Is not
In substantial accord with the definition |
have given. Let no gentleman who may
DO me the honor to reply to this speech
neglect this point Let him ba either for
the single gold standard or for bimetal.
ism, and II for bimetallism let him dis.
cuss the means Of reaching the end and
frankly concede that the present system
cannot be permitted to last.
GOldbugs Satisfied.
1t has been, sir only since the great
parties Of the United States have been CIV.
cry one OF them unequiyocally pledged to
bimetallism, and that fact connicted with
the desires of certain people that they have
sought to make new definition OF BIZ.
metallism, and under that new definition
to hold the pledgers 10 the letter Of their
ancient pledge without It's spirit Why
cannot men who do believe In the gold
standard be honest and say so9 do not
impute now, when l use the word "hon.
est, any moral obliquity to any gentle
man. should perhaps rather phrase it In
this way: Why shall not a man have the
open and manly courage Of his convictions
and stand up and be oountedf Why let
him not say as the New York Evening
Post saidS That great representative Of
English opposition to the Monroe doctrine,
protection and bimetallism and every 9th.
or form OF Americanism said not long ago:
There are some people "a diminishing
number, however, who hesitate to avow
themselves In favor of the single gold
standard, although they are opposed to
any change from the present system.
There are Others (also diminishing num-
ber) who think that becausea certain lin.
tied number Of silver dollars are In circu-
lation we have bimetallism, or the double
standard, in this country. This Is to-
tally false conception, as false as 1t would
be to assume that we have q paper stand
ard because limited number Of green
backs are aaoat. The goldbugs' have
no change Of standard In contemplation.
They are satisfied with the present posture
OF affairs so far as that goes. The 'ex-
pulsiOn of everything but gold as real
money took place In 1873 and continues
undated"
Let every man who believes with The
Post initiate Its frankness and say so. Let
him say so along with the distinguished
gentleman from Massachusetts, mfr.
Walker, chairman Of the committee on
banking and currency, who declared in his
speech yesterday-I do not pretend TO
quote him exactly, but I remember per-
fectly the substance Of the statement
that II all che nations Of the world were
to come together and agree ipS ratio
for the free coinage Of gold and silver ID
could not be maintained beyond very
brief space a time In faoeN Che inevitable
laws Of trade.
Perhaps he believes 1t, sir. II he says
so, l have no doubt he does strange and
innradihla a a n ,nav oaa,y In 49, ,,n,r TOO
ulties But, ss, II be does believe 1t, then
undertake 10 say he cannot remain In
the Republican party uniess when the
Republican party next proclaims its doo-
trine In national convention, II shall
change its platform.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, l am moo using the
words Of excess and incaution. I say that
the Republican platform uses unmistaka-
BILE language. Il may not have said what
the convention meant II anybody wants
to assume the burden OF proving that the
Republican party, In national convention
assembled, solemnly declared what 1t did
not mean, he Is welcome 10 do It; but, for
my own part, l have never yet found ID
necessary 70 charge the grand old Repub-
ican party OF these United States with
deliberate Misrepresentation. And that
party in convention assembled proclaimed
in the last authoritative national utter
anoe that we have from that organization.
The American people, from tradition
and interest, favor bsmetallism, and the
Republican party demands she use Of both
gold and silver as standard money"
care not what restrictions, limitations
or qualifications were added 10 that SEN
tence to complete the plank. They never
could get away from that initial pro-
nouncement pledging the party to the res
toration Of the full money functions of
silver SO as to clothe 1t with every dignity
bestowed on gold. Tradition" refers TO
some ancient system, not the present
standard money" Is not token money.
l am not now discussing the means Of
reaching 1t, but defy any man on the top
OF this earth to say that the Republican
party Is not by its platform pledged 10
achieve bimetallism In some way, and I
affirm that you must change that platform
before man who believes in single gold
standard can consistently stand upon 1t.
II am wrong on this point, let some sub
sequent participant In this debate set me
right
Single Gold Standard Is wrons.
Now Mr.. Chairman, II bImetalhsts are
opposed to the single gold standard, what
Is the reason Of their oppositioni It must
be because in some respects the single gold
standard Is wrong, because in some way
1t Is an evil, because In some way It injuri-
ously affects the people Of the United
States or the people Of the world. b.
metallists contend that such Is the fact
They contend that the single gold stand
ard Is and has been since Its adoption BY
the leading commercial nations an appre-
chatting standard whose unit has rapidly
Increased in general purchasing power
and must continue so to increase; that
this appreciation Is evidenced by q pro-
| gressiye fall In pYioes throughout the oold