Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-05

4
payment Of scant wages in 5O-cent dol
lars. 1t means salaries and all fixed in
comes reduced to 16 to silver; 1t means
savings banks deposits and building as
sociations shares and every form OF cred
| it's
Gut the Level of Silver.
1t means the dissolution of the whole sys-
TEN of credit, which Is as the breath OF
life to the nostrils of business. 1t means
the introduction of an unstable, f1uctu-
ating currency that no business man and
no working man can foretell the value
of from day to day.
I'm brief there is but one class of men
|. who. could be benefited TheAsilver mine
owner could not be, for he would throw
away for temporary and irresponsible
outlet in this market all his hopes OF that
permanent and responsible outlet which
is only obtainable through the consent
of the leading citizens. The laborer would
not be benefited, for If he got silver
dollar for his so cent wheat his dollars
would be worth only so cents. There Is,
l say, but one class who would be BEN
Gifted, and that class was described by
Altgeld in his speech at Peoria when he
spoke openly of himself as man with
great deal of property covered by
a great deal of debt.
$50 much for what this questionable
majority, If not arrested by conservative
nation. Now let me ask, will it do for the
democratic party. 1t will defeat the dem
ocratic party. That Is the faith of the
business world The democratic party
can stand defeat in a worthy cause. Ii
necessary, 1t can stand extinction, for 1t
| has a glorious history that will live.
What 1t cannot stand Is the odium of
| silver monometallism and of paltering
with the honor of the nation and the
prosperity of the people.
But what does defeat on this issue
| mean? Who does not know? Who can
| fail to know that If the democratic party
| shall borrow this populistic issue from
| the populists and be defeated 1t will not
regain the respect and confidence of the
people for years and years to come; nor
after all those years until 1t has been
born again? The silver movement Will
pass as the greenback movement mas
passed and as have passed all that series
of historic attempts to make money out
of nothing. But 1t will leave the demo-
cratic party hopelessly discredited for
many years to come.
If the convention declares for free coin
age at 16 to 1 by this national conven-
| tion. that action will not be democratic
| action. 1t will be populstic action.
| democratic convention may turn popu'
| listic. and many democrats may turr
| popuiists, but 100000 democrats viii
| remain democrats. No wave Of popu.
| liSm can sweep tnem OIL their lcet, anu
| their feet are on the platform of the his
| torlc principles of the party.
| The people of Chicago knew, ne SAID
how the Illinois state convention would
| have been against free silver had 1t not
been for Altgeld's corrupt and shameless
| action.
The cheering and kissing which follow
ed this were kept up for several minutes
and every attempt of the speaker to con-
tinue was interrupted by prolonged
cheers. Some admirers of the governor In
| the rear of the theater attempted to ofsel
| the Kisses by calling for cheers for Ant
geld, and were answered by loud cries
| of put them out"
| Mr. MacVeagh closed with introducing
| to the meeting as man who. under
| other circumstances, might have beer
| the presidential nominee, the
Hon. William e. Russell.
Mr.. Russell was frequently applauded
| as he spoke, and when he asked whether
| the free silver programme was in accord
| with the faith and practice of Jefferson
| and Cleveland, he was answered will
| loud acclamations and plaudits In honor
| of President Cleveland. These were re-
| newed when he afterward spoke of the
| free silver movement as turning ol
| their backs upon an administration
which had upheld with courage and ideli
| ty the national credit and honor.
| When Mr.. Russell resumed his sea-
| amid much cheering Mr.. MacVeagh in
| troduced to the audience Senator Gray o.
| Delaware as one of those senator's whose
| abilities, character and opinion hat
helped to preserve and continue The bes