Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-02-21
Chairman Of the National Com
mittee Issues An Address.
THE DOWNFALL OF SILVER
Two Old Parties to CO.
operate.


ing address to the people:
AS chairman of the national commit
tee appointed-by the silver conference
lately assembled in Washington city |
to organize the silver forces in the |
United States, in the battle which is to |
take place for the possession of the gov
eminent this year, it is thought proper |
that I should make some statement to |
the people in reference to 1T.
AS the necessity of money as a me-
dunn of exchange became revealed to
the minds of men, the two metals final |
ly accepted as the most suitable for
money were silver and gold. This was
natural because they were the two most
precious metals adapted to the purpose
and were sufficiently limited in guam
tity.
AS mining has developed the fact that
these two metals existed in the earth in
almost certain proportions, the natural
ratio of value was assumed. This ratio
has continued as arranged by man I'M
der natural order as he found it. They
were accepted by mankind as part of
the grand plan upon which the world /
was to move, and were approved by
the philosophy and common sense of
all ages.
REJECTION OF SILVER,
From this condition or regular order
and contehtment, contributing to the
gradual elevation of all classes of so
ciety, the extension of civilization and
general betterment of the human race,
this country and the world has been
ruthlessly torn 1t has been done by
the rejection of one of the precious
metals in the interest of greed, and by
this act the money changers have been
enthroned and the narrowing of the
scope of monetization begun. AS mon
etization has narrowed money has be-
come scarcer in proportion, and as
money became scarcer the prices fell
in proportion, and falling prices have
been the bane of the world.
From contraction of the currency
we are now in the throes of one of those
desperate stages of human experience
| "a period of heartache, canker and
| sleeplesSness, as the foundation of
| prices has crumbled. Obligations rest
| ing upon supposed firm foundation of
price in ready money have crumbled
! into dirt as the foundation of the price
| has crumbled. The country is con-
| fronted by a grave emergency. Fur
| Their theorizing is futile.
MUST BE SETTLED PEACEFULLY.
The agitation of the money question
must be settled by peaceful methods
that will give practical results. Long
| patience and dispassionate reflection
have convinced me that an Independent
American financial system is absolute
ly necessary to restoration of national
| prosperity and the establishment of
commercial conditions in this country
that will give the common people an
equal show with capital and concen-
| trated wealth.
How can it be effected? Can it be
done through either the republican or
democratic party as now constituted?
No, both organizations are under the
blighting influence of the eastern mon
ey power. What, then, is to be done
as patriots, as Americans who are for
America against the world? What is
our first and controlling duty in this
crisis? Shall we longer heed false
promises of party platform declara.
tions? Shall we longer submit to ar
academic discussion of what bimetal
lism means? Shall it be another cam
paign of struggling and equivocation
or shall the issue be squarely on free
coinage of silver and gold and a presi
dent elected who represents the people
on this question?
THE FIRST STEP.
The first step essential preliminar.
to the correction of political abuses, tn
re-establishment of national prosperit.
and the maintenance of our nationa
credit, is the election of a presiden
whose Andrew Jackson courage an,
inaexible integrity will defy the infiu
ence that prostitutes presidents an
| cabinets and makes the administrator
, of the government subject of humilia
| ton and reproach. Strong in characte
, | and intention as may be the standar
/ bearer of the republican or democrati
1 party in the coming campaign, it Wi
! | hardly be possible for him to rise abov
| the influences that secured his nomina
| ton or the environments that must SUI
: | round him in the event of his election
| One hope of the people, am convinced
| is in the election of a president pledged
| Internationally and unreservedly, t
. 4 free and unlimited coinage of silver an
| gold, the same as from the foundatio
; of our government until 1873, and ais
r Internationally pledged in favor of ma
tional currency without the interventio
| of the banks of issue and against tn
: | issuance of interest bearing bonds |
time of peace for any purpose what
D ever.
HIS OWN SACRIFICE.
II appeal not only to the republican
: in my own state. who can appreciat
r the sacrifice make in renouncing part
! 1 obligations on this question in advanC
of party action in the premises but t
the people throughout the countr,
: without regard to party, to co-operai
in this non-partisan patriotic America
movement to sustain the industrial an
financial independence of the Unite
States in the pending irrepressible cor
1 fiict.
4 This influences me to accept the chail
l manship of the national silver part.
/ shall give to this movement the bes
services and thought. and successf,
] or otherwise. shall realize the satisfat
l ton of having done my duty to m
| people and my country. as 1 see an
1 understand 1t.
4 APPEALS TO BOTH PARTIES. 1
"In my own state confidently appel
: ! to the rank and file of both parties (
support my efforts. North Carolina