Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-09-25
AT MADISON SQUARE.
RATIFICATION or NATIONAL DEMO-
CRATIC CANDIDATES..

NEW YoHK, Sept as--"This IL one Of
tho peculiar meetings Of peculiar oatn-
paign, said man entering the big au-
ditorium In the Madison Square Garden
last night, and he spoke truth, for while
the Democratic state committee was busy
two blocks away Strengthening out tan
gle In an endeavor 10 aid the Bryan oan-
paign, men who had grown gray In the
service OF the same party argued against
Mr Bryan and his polioies Had the man
ayers Of this meeting set out 10 make
every incident Of Il At variance with the
notification OF Bryan is could not have
been more successful The thermometer
marked Il cool In distinction 70 the fever
heat at the Bryan meeting; the audience
that filled every nook and corner OF an
edihoe that. partitloned OF as 10 was, 40
commodities fully 1900 ,peopie, remained
IN their seats until the end ~ the session,
and the platform was filed with represen-
tative men Of the old Democratic party,
faces familiar TO all.
The presence upon the stage of men like
Roswell P. Flower, ". D. Bynun, Charles
8. Fairohild, e. r. Anderson and Robert
Greer Monroe, In addition 70 the speakers,
gave dignity 70 the affair that was car
Fied out In the audienoe, the crowd being
of q better class than usually gathers ct
suoh events. At first IL was Quiet, but the
brief remarks OF Chairman Flower seemed
10 awaken them, for In . moment they
were shouting their approval Of the STATE
fnent, 1--WE are not 90 cent Democrats" 4"
The other pointed but brief remarks Of
the ex-governor were also vooiferOusiy hp-
plauded, and by the time Mr.. Bynum be-
gan his remarks they were very appreoia-
tive and hearty In their reception.
When General Palmer was introduced,
ne was received with almost vooiferous Ap-
plause. He said In part;
Palmer's Speech.
That part of the platform which refers
TO the money question attracts the largest
measure Of popular attention, and Il Is to
that clause the Chicago platform ana the
corresponding clauses Of the platform
adotped by the Indianapolis convention
that propose to direct attention briefly
The Chicago platform declares and REQ
ognizes that the money question is para
mount to all others at this time. We in
vite attention TO the fact that the federal
constitution named silver and gold to-
gether as the money metals Of the United
States and that the first coinage laws
passed by congress under the constitution
made the silver dollar the monetary unit
and admitted gold to free coinage upon
the original basis by the silver dollar unit.
This language oommends the convention,
it's candidates and their supporters 10 the
distinct, definite measure Of the coinage
Of the silver dollar Of 419H grains of stand
ard silver with unlimited legal tender
qualities.
One of these declarations must be false
in principle and is necessarily dangerous
a. - Il -.
And 1t is for the Democratic party to de.
termine In the approaching election which
Of these two is to be accepted as true ex-
position Of the party faith. On former
occasion 1 said that in this pledge to the
free coinage of silver the Chicago oonven-
tion invoked not only the Judgment, but
the Imagination Of the American people
The free coinage Of silver as interpreted
by Mr.. Bryan means the advance in the
commercial value Of all the silver bullion
and ooin and indeed all the commercial
silver to an equality In commercial value
In gold.
The promise is that the American dol
lar, which 1t may be said conveniently Is
worth b8 cents as compared with the dol
lar Of gold, shall by the adoption Of this
measure by the United States be advanced
In equality. and In commercial value
to an equality with the dollar Of 96 $40
grains of standard gold, and a similar
promise Is made with reference to all the
silver coinage of the civilized world.
Mr.. Bryan and the more intelligent Of
bis supporters reject the shallow definition
Of bimetallism which demands no more
than the admission OF both gold and silver
to the mints at ratio Of 16 10 /, but he
asserts that the free coinage Of silver at
that ratio to gold will produce real binaet-
allism, q double and equal standard Of
value, clothing the coins Of both gold and
silver with equal power In the market and
In the payment Of debt. Let us consider
the import Of this startling proposition
for one moment.
First.-It assumes that the unlimited
coinage Of silver on private account ON the
ratio OF 10 OF silver to Of gold with full
legal tender quality by the United States
alone will give to the 494, 900, 900 Of silver
dollars already coined an equal CONNER
cial debt paying and purchasing power 10
the dollar containing % $40 grains Of
standard gold, which at present the gold
dollars are supposed TO possess, supported
by the national pledge TO maintain the
parity in value of these silver dollars with
gold ooln.
Second. 1t assumes that the same
cause free coinage Of silver, will maintain
the equally acceptable value Of all dollars
that may hereafter be ooined on private
account by the United States
Third.-It assumes that the free coinage
Of silver by the United States alone would
at once advance the value Of the CONNER
oial silver Of the world TO that Of gold. II
would In the same manner Affect The
value Of all the silver coinage Of all OWL
ized nations 1t seems astonishing that In
the light OF all human experience suoh q
proposition should not only be entertained
by sane men, hut that upon its acceptance
and belief q great party should demand
public confidence.
The Real Question
The commercial law which controls
this subject Is familiar TO the country.
Under It's operation slight differences IN
the comparative value Of silver and gold
led to the expectation Of the American
coined dollar 20 suoh an extent that few
or none Of them were In domestic oiRoula-
ton. II the unlimited coinage OF silver
dollars by the United States should cause
even a small advance In silver either In
the form OF bullion or coin, impoFtatsorl
would follow until prices were equAli1ed
and imports OF silver would become With
out profit. The real question then Il, Can
the American people, BY law, RuthoEiza
the unlimited coinage Of silver dOliars on
private account on the ratio Of le Of silVol
TO of gold with full legal tender quality
for all debts and dues public and private
and make the silver coinage Of the world Of
equal aooeptability and value and Of equal
power In the markets and In the payment
Of debts with all the gold coined In ths
world
This statement Of the question "a made
IN an unusual form, but neither It's truth
nor its exAotneas viii be Questioned -