The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-04

same as it is today, the best dollar Of the
civilized globe.
sat in the train the other night, and by
my side was an old German who told me
OF the four years he fought for the nag,
and how he now owed another great
duty to his country-to maintain the honor
Of Its financial integrity. which meant the
welfare of every American man and wo-
man and child. But while we were talk
ing face leaned over from the, seat be-
hind md the man said: "Pards. l was
Johnny l was In the rebel army.
fought against your flag" And l said:
What are you going to do about 1t now!
He said: 81 have got a chance now to
fight for my country. Gentlemen. don't
talk cheap money to me. paid $3.50 for
pair of boots once"
| am not here today to attempt to in1u-
ence your judgment unfairly by any dis
paragement of men and measures. and yet,
was brought up as boy to believe that
the judgment Of the Zen who had succeed
ed IN life was better to follow than The
Judgment Of the man who has failed. |
was brought up to believe that the promise
of the man who had always kept his word
was better than that Of the man who had
always broken It. l was brought up to he
l!eve that the promise Of those men who
! knew had in every great emergency OF
the nation stood for Its honor and Its
glory and its dignity was better for me
to follow than the judgment of those men
who had never represented any Of the
measures Of any of the things that had re-
suited for the honor and the glory and
the welfare OF the American people.
Today that Mexican brings his silver dol
lar In, he takes 1t to our mint and he takes
out SO cents worth of our wheat or Of our
manufactured goods. Tomorrow under
free coinage he brings II to the mint.
He cuts off five and a half gfains of II and
puts 1t in his pocket to make another dol
lar with and without expense. Under
that law this government hands him back
his silver dollar. with law attached
which authorizes him to demand from you
In exchange 100 cents worth Of the product
Of your toll. He brings so cents worth Ct
silver into the country, he takes out
dollar Of American labor In exchange. Ny
coupt,ymen. there is no financial leger-
demain abo"t this. That man takes out
twice rs much as he brought into the
country, and somebody pays him for do
ing Il.
Four years ago heard William ]. Bry-
an say to a great. audience In my state:
"Givc us free trade and the American
workingman's wages will go up but
they went down. He said: "Give us free
trade and business will boom," but 1t bust
ed. The same man today comes before
you with a new promise. They have dis
carded the Issue Of four years ago. and
they say now: "Give us free silver and
the wages of men will increase: give us
free silver and new avenues Of employ
ment will open up; give US free silver and
the business of the country will boom"
My countrymen, as a business proposition
on which depends your welfare and mine.
In view Of the value of their predictions OF
four years ago. don't you think 1t would
be advisable to ask for q little collateral
security In aid OF that promise?
In the city Of Chicago the other after.
noon a man begged Of me a penny to buy
bread He told me that four years ago he
worked In thc~lllinois Steel works at $3.50
a day. On the same day In the city OF Dos
Moines, Ia, a farmer took back a wagon
load Of potatoes. He could not find any
body to buy them. What Is the trouble?
Is it free silver? The opening Of our fnints
the putting Of the credit of this country
in the worlds supply of silver. the at
tempt to make something out of nothing.
the old story of 50 cents on the dollar
Is that the trouble? Four years ago that
beggar in Chicago was the customer Of
the notato man in Iowa. Four years ago
he had money In his pocket. He bought
breadstuffs and filled his stomach to Its
full Today he has got nothing inside but
wrinkles. Empty stomachs are not good
markets for American products.