The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-08-27
NORFOLK vIRGINIAN: THURSDAY. AUGUST %. 1896
The Double Standard.

address. / said:
The Republican party has not been
and Is not now opposed TO the use of
silver money, as It's record abundantly
SHOWS. 1t has done all that could be
done for its Increased use with safety
and honor by the United States, acting
apart from other governments. There
are those who think that it has already
gone beyond the limit OF financial pru-
dence. Surely we can go no further
and we must no. permit false lights to
lure us across the danger line.
Moro Than Any other Country.
We have much more silver in use than
any other country i'll the world except
India or China-S500, 900 900 more than
Great Britain; $780, 900 more than
france: $500 100000 more than Germany;
SS25, 900 900 less than India, and $685.
ooo.ooo less than China. The Republican
party has declared in favor OF an inter-
national agreement, and IL elected Presi-
dent it will be my duty employ all
proper means TO promote It. The free
coinage of silver in this country would
ueler, II not defeat, International bimet-
aliism, ana until an International agree
ment can be had every interest requires
Us TO maintain our present standard
independent free coinage of silver at a
ratio OF sixteen ounces of silver to one
ounce OF gold would insure the speedy
contraction of the volume of our cur
rency. 1t would drive a least five hun
dred millions of gold dollars. which we
now nave. permanently from the trade
Oh the country. and greatly decrease our
per capita circulation. 1t is not proposed
to Keep all of the silver money now i'm
circulation on parity with gold by
maintaining the pledge of the Govern
ment that all of it shall be equal TO
goiu. rms has been the unbroken
policy Of the Republican party since ISIS
FARMERS and Lnborcrs wouId SuNcr
No one suffers so much from cho,r
money as the farmers and lnborors
hcN are the first to feel its bad effects
anu tHe laSt To recover from them This
ms neeh the UNIFORM experience of all
countries and here. as elsewhere. the
oopl anu not the rich, are always the
grcatest sufferers from every attcmnt to
debase our money. 1t wo,ild fsII ri,L
alarming severity upon Investments al
reauV made; upon Insurance companios
ana their oicy-hoiders: uDon SAYINGS
oanks and their depositors; upon build-
ing and loan associations and their
families: upon the savings of tbrift.
uDon pensioners and their families ond
upoh wage-earnerS and the purchasine
power of their wages. %
Irrcdccmablc Paper Money.
Inc silver question is not the only
issue afectinG our money in the pend
ing contest. Not content with urging
the Tree coinage of silver. It's strongest
chanpionS demand that our paper
money shall be issued directly by the
government Of the United States. This
Is the Chicago Democratic declaration
Ihe st. Louis Peoples declaration &c
ihat our national money shall be is
sued by the general Government ONLY.
Wlthout the Intervention of banks of
ISSUE be iull legal tender for the pay
ment of all debts. public and private"
and be distributed direct to the people
ana through lawful disbursements of
the Government" Thus in addition to
the free coinage of the worlds silver
we are asked To enter upon an era of
In ~, limited irredeeInable paper currency.
The question which was fought ot,t
from 1865 to 1879 is thus to be reopened
with all Its uncertainties and cheap
money experiments of every conceivable
form foisted upon us. This indicates
a most startling reactionary policy,
strangely at variance with every re-
ouirement Of sound finance
Highly RcprehcnsibIc.
1t is cause for painful regret and
solicitude that an effort is being made
bv those high in the counsels Of the al
lied parties TO divide the people of this
country into classes and create distinc-
tions among us. which. in fact. do not
exist and are repugnant to our form Of
Government. These appeals to passion
and prejudice are beneath the spirit
and intelligence of a free people and
should be met with stern rebuke by
those they are sought to influence and
believe they will be.
Protection of supreme Importance
Another issue of supreme importance
is that of protection. The peril OF fee
silver Is menace 20 be feared. We are
experiencing the effect of partial
free trade. The one must be adverted;