Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-08
DANIELS SPEECH
Brought Down the Convention With His
First Words.


First Words.
The chair then stated that the motion
offered by the gentleman from Alabama,
substituting Hon. J. W.. Daniel Of Vir-
ginia for temporary chairman, was
adopted and there was a great mani
festation of applause The chairman add
ed that unless otherwise instructed he
would regard this as practical rejection
of the majority report, and would not put
the question of its adoption to the con-
vention There being no dissent the cnalr
appointed Senator Jones of Arkansas
Hon r. p Heating of Nevada and Sena-
tor White of California a committee to
escort Senator Daniel to the chair.
The greatest demonstration of the day
up to this time occurred when Senator
Daniel came forward Delegates stood in
their chairs and yelled with might and
main, waving canes, handkerchiefs and
flags The band aided the enthusiasm by
starting up patriotic air and the dele
gates stamped, ciapped and cheered with
a righteousness that threatened to
drown the efforts of the musicians.
Senator Daniel brought down the con-
vention on taking the chairmans gavel
by saying that no convention had ever
been presided over with more dignity and
ability and fairness than had been shown
by Mr.. Harrity, and he only hoped that
he might be able to discharge the duties
that ability.
The senator expressed profound graft
tude for the honor conferred upon him,
and his regret that his name should have
been brought in even the most courteous
competition with his distinguished friend,
Senator Hill, who would readily recog-
nize the fact, however, that there was
No Personality
in the matter. 1t was solely due TO the
principle which the great majority of
democrats stood for, he (Mr. Daniel
standing with them. As the majority of
the convention was not personal in its
aims, neither was it sectional. 1t began
with the sunrise in Maine and spread
into sunburst in Louisiana and Texas.
1t stretched in one unbroken line across
the continent from Virginia and Georgia
to California. 1t swept like prairie fire
over Iowa and Kansas, and it lighted up
the horizon in Nebraska.
When he saw that grand array and
thought of the British gold standard that
was recently unfurled over the ruins OF
republican promises at st. Louis, he
thought of the battle of New Orleans, of
which it had been said:
"There stood John Bull in martial pomp;
But there was old Kentucky" (Cheers).
There was no north, south, east or west
in the uprising of the people for Ameri-
can emancipation from the conspiracy or
European kings, led by Great Britain,
which sought to destroy one-haf of the
money of the world and to make Amerl-
can manufacturers, merchants, Farmers
and mechanics hewers OF wood ana
drawers of water He appealed to demo-
Gratis to acquiesce in the will of the great
majority of their fellow democrats, and to
go with them, as they had oftentimes
gone with those to whom he appealed.
do not forget that in the last national
convention of 1892 you proclaimed your
selves to be in favor of the use of both
gold and silver as the standard money of
the country, and the coinage of both gold
and silver
Without Discrimination
against either metal or charge for mint
age, and that the only question left open
was the ratio between the metals. Do
not forget that just four years ago, in
that same convention, the New York
delegation stood here solid and immov-
able for a candidate committed to the
free and unlimited coinage of gold and sill
yer at the ratio of 16 to l, and that If we
are for it still it is in some measure from
your teachings.
THAT we owe you much is readily and
gratefully acknowledged, but are not our
debts mutual to each other, and not one
sided?
"As this majority of democrats Is not
sectional, neither is 1t for any privileged
class or for class legislation. The active
business men of this country, It's manu-
facturers, it's merchants, it's farmers, its
sons of toll in counting room, factory,
field and mine know that "a contraction of
the currency sweeps away with the silent
and relentless force of gravitation the
annual profits of their enterprise and In
vestment-and they know, too. that the
gold standard means contraction and the
organiza ton of disaster. (Applause)
'What hope is there for the country,
what hope for democracy, unless the
views of the majoNty here are adopted?
The republican party has now renounced
the creed of it's platform and of our
statutes. 1t has presented to the coun-
try the issue of higher taxes, more bonds
and less money, and has proclaimed for
The British Gold Standard.
1--WE can only expect, should they sue
coed, new spasms of panic and a long
protracted period of depression. Do not
ask us, then, to join them on any of these
propositions.
"If we should go upon the gold stand
ard 1t Is evident that we must change
the existing bimetallic standard of pay
ment of all public debts, taxes and APP
preparations, save those specifically pay
able in gold only. And as we have $780,
100000 900 of public and private debts 1t
would take more than three times all
the gold in the country to pay one years
interest in that medium.
I'VE should be compelled hereafter to
contract the currency by paying the
$500, 100000 of greenbacks and Sherman
notes in gold, which would nearly ex-
haust the entire American stock In and
out of the treasury, and the same policy
would require that the 1914. 100000 of sill
yer certificates should be paid in gold, as
foreshadowed by the present director
of the mint in his recommendation.
''This means the increase of the pub
lie debt by $500, 900 of interest-bearing
gold bonds with the prospect of $344, 000,-
600 to follow. The disastrous conse-
uuences of such a policy are appalling
to contemplate, and the alternative sug-
gested is the free coinage of silver as
well as gold and the complete restora-
ton of our
American System of Bimetallism.
..Bring us we pray, no more make
shifts and straddles. Vex the country
with no more prophecies of smooth
things to come from the British republic
can gold propaganda.
1--WE maintain that this great nation,
with natural base, as Gladstone said,
of the greatest continuous empire ever
established by man. With far more .crri-
tory and more productive energy than