The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-06-18

tries; they impartially protected the farmer |
and m anufacturer, both north and south. No
only that but they also raised sufficient reve |
nue. to gradually reduce the public debt, and
without imposing grievous burden upon the |
people. During the administration Of Hairi. |
son $256,O0O00 of obligations were paid, whi e |
Cleveland, during the last three years, has |
added to our interest bearing debt S262 OOO .UJ |
Against such Democratic fnanciering the Re.
publican party enters its emphatic protest.
Having attempted to reverse the tariff
policy of the United States with such lamenta.
BILE results, the Democratic party now pro.
poses to reverse the carrency policy. II turns
to the currency as the parent of our ills. It's
effort TO shift the responsibility will deceive
no ole Its attack upon the tariff its record
OF ineffciency and insincerity are a part of
unfortunate history OF the republic. The
present currency system is the fruit OF Re.
publ an wisdom. 1t has been adequate to all
our past necessities and II uncorrupted will
meet our future requirements. Our greatest
Prosperity was attained when Republican cur
rency laws were in full operation. When tho
Republican party was in power our currency
was good; 1t was mode as good as the best on
the globe. We made sound money; and we
also made an honest -otective tariff to go with
It, Sound money and an honest protective
tariff go hand in hand together, not one be-
fore the other.
The very foundation OF sound currency
system Is a solvent treasury. IL the people
question the soundnes3 of the currency.
Recognizing this fundamental fact the Re.ub-
hcan party always provided ample revenue
for the treasury. When in the last half cen.
tury Of our history did the Democratic party
advocate u financial policy that was in the best
interests of the American peoplef Look at its
antebelum currency record. Consider its hos.
tility to the currency rendered necessary by
the exgency of war: and later. its effort to in.
fate the currency in time of peace by the
| issue of greenbacks. Witness its opposition to
| lhe efforts of the Republican party to resume
specie payments. But four short years ago 1t
| declared for return to the old discredIted
bank currency.
| The Republican party has not been unfriend.
| ly to the proper of silver. 1t has always
| favored and favOrs TODAY the use " silver
| parU VI our circulating medium But 1t favors
that use under such provisions and safeguards
rs shall notimperil our present national stand.
ard The policy of the Republican party Is to
retain both gold and silver as a part of our cir.
| culating medium, while the policy of free
coinage Of silver leads to certain silver mono
| metallism. 1t Is an immutable law that two
moneys Of unequal value will not circulate to-
gether, and that the poorer always drives out
the better.
The Republican party, desiring fairly to Sc.
| cure larger use of silver pledged itself in
favor Of an international monetary conference
| at Brussels, at which the subject Of an inter
national coinage agreement was ably and
| proftably discussed. The Democratic party
| was also committed to international bimetal.
lism, but when it came into power the work
which had been 30 auspiciously begun by the
Republican party was abandoned. II was so
absorbed In It's efforts to break down the Nc.
| Kinley law and empty the treasury that II had
| no time to promote international bimetallism'
Those who profess to believe that this gov
ernment can, Independently Of the other great
commercial powers open its mints to the free
and Independent coinage OF silver at a ratio OF
10 to when the commercial ratio in all the
great markets Is 80 to l, and at the same time
not drive every dollar of gold out Of circula.
tion, but deceive themselves. Great, and
splendid and powerful AZ our )vernment Is,
II cannot accomplish the impossible. 1t cannot
create value. 1t has not the alchemists subtle
art Of transmitting unlimited silver into gold
nor can it by omniptent fiat make 80 cents
worth 1O0 cents. AS well undertake by a reso
lu ion of congress to suspend the law Of gravi
sation as attemt to compel an unlimited mum
ber of 50-cent dollars to circulate with lOO-cent
dollars at a parity with each other. An at
tempt to compel unlimited dollars of such un
equal value to circulate at parity Is bad in
morals and is vicious in policy
Sound thinkers upon the great question OF
currency know from the beginning of the ex
pertinent how miserable and certain it would
fail. The commerce of the country would b,
l again thrown upon the of uncertainty ant
us for years to come Upon opening our mint
to the independent free coinage of silver for
eign credits would be withdrawn and domes
tic credits would be greatly curtailed Mor'
than this, there would be a certain and suddeI
contraction Of our currency by the expulsion
of $500, 100000 of gold, and our paper and slve
, currency would instantly and greatly depre
r ciate in purchasing power. But one resul
r would follow this. Enterprise would be fur
a ther embarra ssed, business Decentralization
y would be increased, and still further and 81
; rious injury would be inflicted upon the labor
= ers, the farmers the merchants, and all thos
C whose welfare depends upon wholesom
n commerce,
e A change from the present standard to tn
3 low silver standard would cut down the re
d compense OF labor, reduce the value Of the say
r, ings in savings banks and building and loa
d associations, salaries and incomes woul
3, shrink, pensions would be cut in two, tn
$ benehciaries of life insurance would suffer; \
short, the injury would be so universal an
l. far-reaching that a radical change can be COZ
l. templated only with the gravest appreher
o sion.
l. A sound currency is one of the essential In
IS struments In developing our commerce, 1t
l, the purpose OF the Republican party not onl
y to develop our domestic trade, but to exten
II our commerce into the uttermost parts of tn
5; earth We should not begin our contest 70
)f commercial supremacy by destroying our Gu
IN rency standard All the leading powers wit
N which we must compete suspended the fro
N coinage Of silver whom the increased produ
C. tion of silver forced the commercial rat
N above the coinage ratio of silver to gold Sha
n we ignore their ripened experience2 Shall "
ID attempt what they have found utterly impo
+ sibler Shall it be said that our standard Is b
" low theirs2
70 You cannot build prosperity upon a debase
or fiuctuating currency; as well undertake
IN build upon the changing sands OF the sea.
NNNah aNNRN haf 10 d.
to alike in the hands of the employe and emplo
IT, er; the laborer and capitalist. Upon faith
d, its WORTH its stability, we go forward pla
OF ming for the future The capitalist erects h
he factories, acquires his materials, employs h
Mt artisans, mechanics and laborers, He is con
IN dent that his margin will not be swept awl
Ill by fluctuations in currency. The labor
a knows that the money earned by his toll is
ly honest as his labor and that it is of unique
Id toned purchasing power He likewise know
that 1t requires as much labor to earn n POI
p dollar as 1t does a good one and he also know
he that IL poor money is abroad 1t surely fin
its way into his pocket.
RI We protest against lowering our standard
1T commercial honor We stand against the Der
he ocratic attempt to degrade our currency to d
le low level Of Mexico China, India and Japa
w. The present high STANDARD Of our currenc
VS. our labor and our flag will be sacredly pI
he tected and preserved by the Republican part
gn There are many and important question:
sls quiring the enlightened and patriotic jud
an ment of the Republican party. A pan.Ame
ng can commercial alliance was conceived
ils James q. Blaine, and the highest motives
te' self-interest require us to accomplish what
OF had so well begun. The Monroe doctrine mu
ad be firmly upheld; and the powers Of the ear
TO made to respe this great but unwritten la
There can be no further territorial aggra
he dizement by foreign governments ON the we
IN ern continent Our devotion to the pensic