Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-22

"The chairman said that no preslden-
tial candidate had ever before spoken in
this state. Aside from the fact that I
have been making quite complete tour
of the country, | have an additional rea-
son for speaking in Delaware. When the
roll was called and the nominating
speeches for the presidency had been
made the first vote which l received was
cast by one of the delegates from Della
ware, Mr.. Salisbury, who lives in this
city; therefore it gives me great deal on
pleasure to meet the people who sent hlm
to Chicago. (Applause.)
Now / want to talk to you while
about our financial condition. If things
are good. then there is no reason why we
should make any change in the leglsia-
ton; if our present condition is satisfac-
tory, then we ought to leave 1t alone ana
not make a change. No one can aoVo-
cate any kind of remedial legislation ex-
cept on the theory that there is something
that needs remedying.
-.Our opponents confess the condition
and when | tell you that you cannot
remedy the present condition except Dy
financial legislation our opponents say
that the trouble is in the tariff question
and that If we could just have more tarlff
the times would get good again. want
10 read you an extract from speech
made on last Saturday by the republican
candidate for president at Canton. lie
said: Under the republican protective
policy we enjoyed for more than thirty
years the most marvellous prosperity that
has ever been given to any nation OF the
world. We not only had Individual pros
perity but we had national prosperity.
Now there is statement made within
a week by the presidential candidate on
the republican ticket pointing pack Iof
thirty years from 1860 to 1890 and telling
the people that during that period we
enjoyed the most marvellous prosperity
of any nation in the world and that we
had both individual prosperity and ma
tional prosperity. / want to show you
by this same witness on the very testl-
mony given six years ago that after
thirty years of this kind of policy the
farmers of this country were not pros
porous. If you will take the report filed
with the Mckinley bill on the 18th OF
April, 1890, you will find the words which
l wish to quote: That there is wide
spread depression in this industry today
cannot be doubted Speaking of ag-
riculture.) That is what the presidential
candidate said when he deliberately
wrote the report and filed it with his
proposed legislation. THAT there is wide
spread depression in this industry can
not be doubted (Applause)
Again in that same report he said:
One of the chief complaints now preva-
lent among our farmers is that they can
get no price for their crops at all COM
mensulate with the crop and capital in
vested in their production. That Is what
he said after thirty years of the kind of
policy which the candidate of the repub-
lican party says will bring you prosper
ity.
lieved that the people, already suffering
from low prices, can or will be satisfied
with legislation which will result in lower
prices No country ever suffered when
prices were fairly remunerative in every
field of labor After thirty years of that
kind Of policy ne tells you that the people
are suffering from low prices, and that
no country ever suffered when prices were
fairly remuneratiye in every field of la
Dor.
''Now let me read you again what he
says in this same report: This great in
dustry -(speakng of agriculture) is fore
most in magnitude and Importance In our
country. Its success and prosperity are
vital to the nation. No prosperity is pos
sible TO other industries If agriculture
languishes.' That is what he said in 1890;
that there was depression in agriculture
after thirty years of his tariff, and If there
was no prosperity in agriculture there
could be no prosperity among the other
Industries of the country.
LET me read you just one other ex-
tract: The depression in agriculture is
mot confined to the United States. The
reports of the agricultural department
indicate that this distress is general; that
Great Britain, France and Germany are
suffering in a larger degree than the
"
is telling you that there is depression in
agriculture and giving the names of three
prominent agricultural nations of the old
world, and telling us that that agricul-
tural depression is even more marked
over there than 1t Is here. l want you to
remember that when you read in the pa
per that he said that for thirty years we
had such marvellous prosperity in this
country. (Great applause)
Now, my friends, I have quoted you
4 kIAk
In agriculture in Germany. want to
read you what Prince Bismarck says
about the condition of affairs in Ger
many Our opponents are in the habit or
telling us that all the civilized nations
are not in favor of the gold standard.
THE Germans who live in this country
point with just pride to the greatness
of the German Prince Bismarck. Let me
read you what he has said within rev
weeks in regard to bimetallism, and then
see whether he testifes that the gold
standard has been a good thing for Ger
MANY. In letter written to Governor
Culberson of Texas, and dated August
last Prince Bismarck said: Your es-
termed favor of July 1 has been duly
received. / have always had predilec-
tion for bimetallism, but l would not
while in office claim my views OF the
matter to be infallibly true when ADVISED
against the views of experts. L hold 10
this very hour that 1t would be advisable
TO bring about between tne nations
chiefly engaged in the worlds commerce
a mutual agreement in favor OF the
establishment of bimetallism.'
:. IF the gold standard had been bless
ing to Germany why would he not say
that It was better to keep the gold stand
ard instead of getting rid of the gold
standard and substituting the double
standard by international agreement?
Considered from a commercial and indus
trial standpoint the United states are
freer by far in their movement than any
nation in Europe, and hence If the people
of the United States should find it COM
patble with their interests to take inde-
nendent action in the direction of bimet-
allism cannot but believe that such ac-
ton would exert most salutary inf1u-
ence updA the consummation OF interna-
tioual agreement and the coming into
this league of every European nation?
Mr. Bryan continued his discussion of
the financial question at some length and
was frequently applauded.
After his speech the candidate was
taken to the Pennsylvania station, and
left for Wilmington at 3:47 p. m.
A. Wilmington.