Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1896-02-18
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 1896.
JOHN DAY SMITH ON THE
MONEY QUESTION.

"OAN1 " OIIAo AoA\'
Another old republican war
horse kicks the traces. He
breaches one of the best popullst
sermons ever heard in Minnea-
polls, and doesn't mince words
either. Read, and begin to think
:. you old hard shell republicans.
Penny Press: In approach
ing the discussion of the ques-
ton of true bi-metallism, am
glad that ! am not called upon to
denounce or defend the particu-
lar tenets of any political party.
Both of the great political parties
of the land are hopelessly divided
upon this question, It is not a
political problem. The people Of
the country have compelled, by
business disasters and wide
spread distress and suffering, to
fix their attention upon the sub.
ject of the monetary condition.
They are studying this question
every man for himself. tits a
characteristic of our people that
when they become interested in
these subjects of national con-
Germ, they study them very close
~. They have knowledge enough
and sagacity enough to compre-
bend the functions Of govern
ment and the basic principles
upon which the government
rests. It will be conceded: [
think, that the people Of United
States were never before so ex
clusiyely concerned in the fnan-
cial questions of the day as they
are now. There have been politi
cal philosophical statements
enough made of these questions
10 befog the common every day
man in his approach to a solution
OF the present difficulty. Indeed,
If a man presumes to discuss the
financial question from any other
point than that of Il gold mono
metallism, he is characterized as
an ignoramus and ridiculed as q
crank by the newspape. press,
owned and Influenced by Eastern
capitalists. There has been a
studied attempt upon the part Of
the Republican and Democratic
parties of construct a political
platform, upon which to stand,
which may mean one thing in the
East and another in the West.
If an honest Interpretation were
given to the platforms adopted
by either the Republican or De-
mocratic parties during the past
eight years, they would be pro
nounced in favor of practical BIZ
metallism. It wonld be anus
ing if it were not painful, in view
of the position taken by major
ity of the Republicans in con-
gross to-day on the question of
silver coinage, to read from the
national Republican platform Of
1883. Mark this sentences: The
Republican party is in favor of
the use of both gold and silver as
money, and condemns the policy
Of the democratic administrator
in it's effort to demonetize silver.
In 1892, the national republican
platform adopted in this city de-
clared that the American people,
from tradition and interest, favor
bi-metallism, and the Republican
party demands the use of both
Rold and silver as standard
money, with such restrictions and
under such provisions to be de-
termined by legislation as will
secure the maintenance of q par
ity ofvalues Of the two metals,
SO that the purchasing and debt.
paying power Of q dollar, whether
Gf gold; silver or paper. shall be
at all times equal. ! 8
The spealfer then gave al ex-
hanstii1te, y position Of the finan.
HlBI lagis1dtif,o3d e1atted, IL this
e lt sintt 1871, 81. rnther,
is ' 17y9 The fnrts given b,y,I
h i afa fAi ii Il i tt IL I'LL TINT have
m lt the tbh fb5aiIers between
kbid a.ld Silver mem that now has
III 4 D oli