The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-30

Tue lnclemtncy Of he weather. which
oaussd grs1k many peop3e to remain In
doors. and IL additional discomfort ex-
psrisnced BY the mArchsra In getting vet.
kept . nulhber Of people away from
Ranks's hall where Henry J. G1ertssn.
prominent Scandinavian lawyer from MIN
neapolis. and J. A Kerr, the eloquent
young WhAtcom county orator. were to
speak. A Il was an attentive audience
comfortably filled the chairs and eounti-
fully app.auded the speaker. who was
compelled to nsten hia speech In order
to catch the 10 o'clock train. Mr.. Kerr
was unavoidabiy absent. bur his place WAS
taken by John e. Humphries. who made
one Of hts acknowledging talks that has 50
tangled the Popocratio wind-jammers
who have opposed him In Joint debate. Tho
applause given both speakers was evil
dence that their words had weight.
After complimenting the people for the
magnificent parade In which labor. capital
and brains were the component partA Nj.
Gjertsen said:
Mr.. Gjertsen's Address.
Ladies and Gentlemen: firmly be-
iievs Il to be the desire Of every intelii-
gent American citizen. irrespective OF
party. TO exercise his elective franchise
In the interests OF his country, and politi-
cal meetings are held not for the purpose
OF amusing or entertaining the audience,
but to enable the voter to gain Informs
ton in order that he may the better equip
himself for the discharge Of the duties
of citixenship. shall therefore not
attempt to amuss or entertain you.
but endeavor briefly to discuss the
important issues of the day In the
same spirit that I would talk to my
neighbor or to my friend. ! am not .
candidate for any once and have no
tAv~ Ia L. - - a.. 49,
ton than you have: but hold that every
American citizen should feel the grave re-
spcnsibility resting upon him In the exer-
else OF his elective franchise. Not only ID
he then determining grave issues OF state
In manner that may benefit or harm
himself. his family. his neighbors; but
upon his Judgment may depend the flu
ture prosperity OF this splendid and mag
nifcent country.
The Great Issue.
'The great issue before the American
people today Is the financial question In
all Its bearings and wish to say that I
come not to discuss this question "a an
advocate Of q single gold standard:
neither do wish to be understood as
am bi-metallist. and believe In the coin
age OF both gold and silver. But in this
connection I desire to emphasize that IL
We are to make any change in our fnan-
ciai system which Is likely to result In
placing this country upon the single silver
basis, then I am unalterably opposed to
1t. A change which would place us upon
the single silver basis would compel the
country to 60 through q financial upheav-
81 and a crisis necessarily following such
change, without resulting In any bene-
MT. Statistics show that there are about
four billions OF gold and an equal amount
or silver In the world. The only consist
ent argument in favor OF bi-metallism Is
based upon the claim that there Is not
enough OF either metal singiy to supply
the demand for primary money. and hence
We ought to employ both gold and silver:
in other words. there is a shortage OF goid
and we ought to use silver TO help out the
yellow metal. No claim is made that gold
Is not good enough. The point urged Is as
to its scarcity. There being no more sil-
yer than gold in tbs world. we could add
nothing to the volume OF primary money
by leaving the gold standard and adopt
ing the single silver standard.
Must Wipe Out Free Trade.
II believe In bf-metallism, but we can
never successfully establish bi-metallism
In this country by adopting free trade
and free coinage at the same time. Such
course viii inevitably place the country
upon silver basis. We must first wipe
out the free trade heresy. which English
text books and statesmen have impressed
ance OF trade with the nations OF the
world II against US. II lies In the power
OF our foreign creditors to demand gold
In payment OF our obligations abroad and
* nothing else would drive gold out OF
the country this certainly would. and re-
suit IN the establishment Of silver mono
mefallism. l agree with the claims OF
the most ardent oddities that to place this
country upon q single silver basis would
result IN disaster to the whole country
from which II would take a long time TO
recover. To adopt practical bi-metallism
IN this country II II absolutely necessary
ana prerequisite that we first establish bv
the enactment OF proper tariff laws 4 bal
ance or trade with foreign countries In
our favor. Then the gold will now into
our Golfers, and we may then be IA a no.
sition to shape financial policy without
considering our relations with other ma
items.
Tho presidential nominee upon the
Popocratic ticket recently declared that
this country would never gain CONNER
cial Independence until II attended TO ,ts
own bushes. To this doctrine fully sub
scribe. but say to you that the way for
US to attend to our own business Il 10
stop employing foreign labor and foreign
capital 10 attend to II. When this country
comes 20 the realization that IL II more
profitable to keep the American Workman
and American capital busy in produce
Ing ana manufacturing the commodities
needed for our consumption than to ems
ploy foreign labor and foreign cap.tsI ~.
will have arrived ut q point when ,he
financial question viii be easy Of so,u-
ton.
1T matters not what financial system
you may have At home. II the industrial
policy or this country 10 dictated by in
terests which are foreign 70 IL we vii,
never enjoy prosperity equal to the sp,en-
did possibilities OF this great country.
believe that II is more essential NJ thi.
time TO the country's prosperity TO omen
the mills and factories. the mines ana fur.
nsees. and give the American workman \
chance 10 exchange his labor for the nee
essariss OF life. than 20 open the m.nts IA
the free coinage OF silver. Whatever nav
be the possibilities OF free coinage a. 4.
clear TO my mind that even though ALI IN.
SILVER OF the world were brought "a ,h.
f1.nts OF Uncle Sam and coined ar Iyn,ted
States silver dollars, Il would IA a..
American workman and producer no rooS
until he had adjusted the economin lsws
on the country in way to enable In bor "a
become probably employed: and 20 lone
as We continue our present tariff polirv
the army OF the unemployed viii not AZ.
crease Although bi-mefallist I firmly
believe that the continuation OF our pres.
ent fres trade policy In conjunction w,,h
free silver VIII result In further ruin ara
disaster to this country. We have err.-
rtsncsd hard times during the last shr..
k1rr -