Evening star., 1896-10-26
Mr.. BRYAN AND SILVER
Republican Congressional Committee Digging
Into His Record in the House.
Extracts From His Speeches Given
Out Claiming to Show
Inconsistencies.

The republican Congressional committee
has been looking into the congressional rec
ord of Mr.. William J. Bryan recently and
digging out occasional extracts for cam
paign use. The following was promulgated
by the committee today:
MIR. Bryan admitted in 1893 that what he
calls bimetallism In reality is the use of
one metal as money atia time. In his speech
of August 13, 1893, in the House, he said so
plainly.
The ratio Of 16 to 1 over-valued gold and
orr silver went abroad. Thus during all
the period prior to 1873 this country en-
jcyed bmetanism. and although at one
time we used one metal and at another
time another, no statesman arose to de-
mand single standard.
Now Mr.. Bryan claims when asked how
he proposes to prevent the $600.O00.OOO Of
gold from going abroad because of it's un-
dervaluation by silver. that the two metals
can be kept together in circulation despite
the example to which he refers. In the
same speech, psge 13. of his bound edition
of speeches reprinted from the Record, ne
admits that those who hold an international
agreement to be necessary may be sound
bimeta1listS well as those who hold, as
he does now, that this country may adopt
free silver policy without regard to other
nations. He vindfcated the present repub-
lican platform in these words:
1--WE now have three kinds Of bimetal-
only by International agreement, those who
favor independent action at changed
ratio and those who favor Independent ac-
ton at the present ratio.
Plea for the Mine Owners.
"Mr. Bryan, in the same speech, page 16,
made An eloquent plea in behalf of the
silver mine owners, but, either through ig-
norance or malice prepense, perverted the
facts Of history to bolster up their cause.
But is the silver miner, after ALL he asked,
so selfish as to be worthy Of censure?
Does he ask for some new legislation or for
some innovation inaugurated In his behalf?
No. He pleads only for the restoration of
the money of the fathers, He asks to have
given back to him a right which he enjoyed
from 1892 to 1873. During all those years
he could deposit his silver bullion at the
mints and receive full legal tender coins
at the rate of $1.29 for each ounce of silver,
and during part of the time his product
could be converted into money at even
higher price
In this appeal for the silver syndicate,
which is now furnishing the funds for the
popocratic campaign. the candidate omitted
to mention that President Jefferson in 1906
directed the suspension Of the coinage of
the silver dollars, and that none were
coined for thirty years. The only bullion
purchased in that time was for subsidiary
coinage. In still another part of this
speech Mr.. Bryan again contradicts his
present attitude on the question, What reg
ulates the price of silver? In his tour of
the country since he was nominated for
President he says silver owes its downfall
to the crime of '73.' In his speech of 1893
ne said: THE fact Is that the price Of gold
and silver does not depend upon the cost of
production, but upon the law of supply and
demand. Between 1900 and 1S40 an ounce
OF gold or silver would exchange for more
OF other things than it would from 1S49 to
1878, yet during the latter period the pro-
duction OF both gold and silver greatly in
creased -
This Is proof of another argument made
oy the sound money men. For thirty years
OF tine nrst period mo- silver dollars were
coined, while from 18f8 to 1873 the minis
we're open to freer coinage of silver. vet
Mr.. Bryan admits tthat with free coinage
tne exchange value off silver was lower
snan aaai unaer the singleostandard. Now, he
declares that with free coinage silver will
at once go to parity with gold"