The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-25
A ROTTEN PLATFORM.

The platform adopted by the silverites
is devoted exclusively to the silver issue
and does not even by implication admit
that there is any other issue or interest
in American politics worth talking about
In this respect it fairly represents the
sentiments of those who constitute that
faction and who see nothing in the polit-
ical heavens or earth worth living or
dying for except the free coinage of sill
yer at the impossible ratio Of 16 to 1.
The platform contains nothing new,
and but for its paragraphing and
"whereases" reads like few pages taken
at random from Coins Financial
School," There are the same thread
bare phrases about 1.-The constitutional
standard of gold and silver" "the time
honored money of the Constitution"
1.-The money of Washington. and Hanil-
ton, and jefferson. and Monroe, and
Jackson, and Lincoln" as If the Constitu-
ton really decreed a bimetallic stand
ever favored the coinage of gold and
silver at any ratio except that of their
commercial value. Senator Jones, the
author of the platform, has sometimes
shown skill in the use of language, but
he did not do himself justice in this case
Such thin and well-worn phrases as
those quoted cannot conceal the naked
ness of the cid 16 to fallacy.
Next to the demand for the free coin
age of silver at an Impossible ratio the
most conspicuous feature in the plat
form is the claim that the issue is be-
tween a single gold standard and a BIZ
metallic standard. That is not true, and
it would be an insult to the intelligence
of the silver leaders to believe they think
it true. The issue under present condi-
tons Is between a single gold standard
and a single silver standard. AS long as
the market values of gold and silver con-
tinue at their present relation or any
where near that relation the Tree coinage
Of silver at the ratio of 16 to ! means the
Punishment of gold from our money sys-
tenn and placing the country on a silver
basis. 1t would mean silver monometal-
lism as 1T exists in Mexico, and could
not possibly mean anything else. There
may be some silver men who honestly be-
lieve 1T would be possible TO maintain
the parity of gold and silver under the
free coinage of the latter at 16 to 1, but
the leaders of the movement are not so
credulous or ignorant. They know it
would mean silver monometallism. and
that is precisely what they are aiming at.
Another point in the platform which
the friends of sound money should make
note of is it's strong leaning to paper
| money imitation. 1t says: I'VE hold that
| the power to control and regulate a pa
per currency is inseparable from the
power to coin money, and hence that all
currency intended TO circulate as money
should be issued and it's volume con-
trolled by the general government only,
and should be legal tender" Other ex-
pressions are evidently intended to be
construed as favoring the retirement of
national bank notes and the substitution
of notes issued directly by Congress with
| unlimited power to increase the volume.
| With that kind of a paper currency,
| redeemable in silver only and liable to
| be increased at the within of any Con-
gress, the United States would soon be-
come a commercial outcast and finan-
| cial ruin.
| The platform is so worded as to chal-
lenge the approval Of fiat money men
and infiationists as we'll as silver mono
metallists, and the movement may have
| the good effect of differentiating unsound
money men of all classes and bringing
| them together under one banner. They
| can do less harm that way than any
other, and both of The old parties would
be in better shape to make a winning
| fight for sound money.