The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-02
BRYAN AND JOHN SHERMAN.
From the Altoona Tribune.

| From the Altoona Tribune.
In his Madison Square speech Bryan de-
clares that the present business depreS-
| sion Is due to falling prices brought about
| by legislation hostile to silver. He and
his followers have hit upon the act of 1873
as the most unfriendly law and denounce
| it as "crme." Mr.. Sherman, in his
pointed review of the silver legislation at
Columbus last week, makes the Inference,
with quiet humor, that as this bill was in
| his charge, he must be 1.-THE chief Grim
| inal." The voter who honestly desires TO
be right on the free coinage question
should give these public addresses of the
| boy orator. and the "chief criminal" an
| unpreiudiced comparison. He will speed
! ~ see that Bryan's views are not backed
by adequate experience in public affairs
nor by sufficient facts, but are clearly the
| means by which he hopes to become presi-
| dent. He talks glibly of the good of the
masses" but his desire for political ag-
grandiZement can be plainly detected His
words have not the ring of sincerity or
conscientious purpose. He speaks with
the complaisant belief that his mere say
so settles the question. But what has he
done, what has he been and what Is he
today that his dictum should be all-power-
full? He is plainly shown to lack the pru-
dence of a statesman by the recklessness
with which he seeks to array the people
against the 'money changing classes
the very men who, by reason of life long
dealing with money affairs. must have the
safest judgment of a financial policy.
Turning to Mr.. Sherman's address the
voter will see his dignifed confidencerin
calling himself the "chief criminal" Back
of all he says is the soidity of years of
public experience. He states no theories.
he makes no mere assertions but reciteS
history and gives facts which form bull
wark against which the visionary doc
trines of the silverites beat as harmless
as the puffs of a summer wind He has
nothing 10 gain, no political ambition to
serve; his sole object is to preserve the
financial integrity of the nation against
a foe. He does not tell the people in dam
gerous phrases that they are ground down
| by the gold men, but, by incontroverti-
BILE figures, shows that no crime whatever
was committed against them by the act
of 1879 For example, he demonstrates
that the sound money statesmen have
been the truest friends of silver, for more
than iifty-four times as many silver dol
lars have been coined since the "crme of
1879 than in the entire period between
that year and 1872. when the first coinage
act was passed. In addition he states that
the very men who denounce believers in
the coinage of gold and silver as "rob-
berg and "Eoldites, urged the passage
Of the act of 1873 In 1890 this same "cr,n-
inal" against silver fathercd a bill which
authorized the purchase of $1,000, 900
ounces of the white metal annually, and
he quotes treasury records to show that
under that Law over iGS, 600 fine ounces
of silver We're bought by the government.
1t surely committed no crime against sill
yer in buying more than it could use.
There is in the Philadelphia mint today
Sli9.l3i,J ,J3S worth of uncoined silver bull
lion. Mr.. Sherman's facts and figures can
be verified: but how can the truth of Bry-
ans assertions be absolutely tested?
\ \ 4
Each of these men Is a representative
Bryan stands for an experiment which
has behind it only his own political ambl-
ton, the dishonesty of certain debtors,
and the greed of western mine owners
Back of Sherman are the ablest states
men and finGnciers who. irrespective Of
party. are united in the opinion that this
experiment would work untold disaster.
especially to the masses" for WHOM,
Bryan and his popocrats profess so much
solicitude. From an unbiased examina-
tion Of the two addresses the voter may