The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-11-05
ALTGELD ON SILVER.
Ex-Governor Speaks to Illinois
Newspaper Men.
Vigorous Appeal for the Whttr
MetsI-Goid standard Movement
Condo mned-Money Power
Arraigned.

At convention of Illinois newspaper
men at Chicago. Friday. October %, ex-
GOV. Altgeld spoke in response to spe-
cial invitation upon the silver question.
lie said:
II have been keeping out OF politics.
have been under the weather for some time
and have my hands full. In common with
the majority OF the people. trying TO keep
the sheriff out OF the yard and the wolf from
the door. for the times keep getting hard
er. and the people are finding harder
scratching every day. But while am not
active in politics ! am anxious to do all
| can for the welfare of my country and 10
secure the presence of good men at the
founts of government. My heart is al
ways with the work OF lifting up the toiling
masses
II am anxious to see politics prevail which
will bring healthful prosperity. promote
the permanent happiness OF the people
and perpetuate republican institutions. Men
are wanted at the helm OF government who
will stand firmly for these essentials to the
welfare OF the nation.
Country and City Editors.
you are one OF two classes OF newspaper
men. The country editor Is "A division sep
arated from the city editor You are men
who can write articles about men and
measures and then go out on the street
Your comments are careful and reliable
and you have the confidence OF your read
ers to an extent unapproached by the ed
itors of the cities.
THE great city daiIles are run by cor
porations. Working on them are two
casses-one composed of the reporters and
writer's. who do the work OF the papers.
who see the actual conditions. understand
them clearly. and generally on the
side OF the people. The other class is the
management. which defines the policy.
gives instructions as to how news Is to be
presented and comments written. The man
agement Is looked upon with suspicion by
the pcople-it Is an irresponsible manage
fDent. sometimes corrupt. almost always
heartless and is intangible. 1t cannot be
reached by criticism or rebuke.
THE democratic editors who are of the
first OF these classes stood nearly as a
unit by the democratic platform of 1896.
The stand you have taken Is being vindi-
Gated to-day by the conscience and adj
vanced thought of the American people.
The democratic principles set forth In the
Chicago platform are more thoroughly in
dorsed throughout the country to-day than
a year ago. few months ago the great
state of Pennsylvania, always regarded
by democrats as a hopeless state. firmly
held by corporations and trusts. witnessed
a state democratic convention that in
dorsed the Chicago platform. 1t refused
a
who was lukewarm on that platform. and
II took the extraordinary step OF remov-
ing Mr.. Harrity from the committee. He
was not hostile, but the convention wanted
a man who was positive and not mega
tive.
"A few months ago the democrats OF
Massachusetts, at their convention adopt
ed the platform OF 1896. They also were
not satisfied with men who were simply
regular but they insisted on having men
who were dead earnest in their silver views.
and they ousted every man from the state
committee who was regarded as weak In
support OF bimetallism One of the VIC
Tins was Congressman Fitzgerald. The
work of selecting committeeman was as
signed to George Fred Williams. and he
chose sincere men.
Thinkers with Him.
THE conscience OF the time. the inde-
pendent thinking OF the time, are all on
our side. The progressive. advanced think
err is more emphatically on our side than
ever. Arrayed against us are the inf1u-
entail. wealthy newspapers. the pictorial
periodicals. and every influence that money
can buy. The club ioungers are against
us. but the men who honestly toll at every
day affairs are coming our way.
Men who corrupt legislatures are against
us. Down east there are some prominent
democrats opposed TO us-among them the
former governor OF great state. These
are the men who are ccrrupting the 1egis-
latures Of the states. The people are rls-
ing against them. The episode at Spring
field last winter. and the profound sensa-
ton II created are earnest of this fact
There Is Frightening of the prospects
for an international agreement on the
money question. III is true the commission
ers who were sent by the United States ad-
ministration TO Europe TO negotiate for a
bimetallic agreement were handicapped by
second Instructions from President Nc
Kinley. But the commissioners found
France eager. ready and willing to help
the cause Of silver and welcome an inter
national bimetallic agreement. They found
England eager to help silver. The agrees
sive leaders OF the English cabinet are BIZ
metallists The English government will
recommend the increased use OF silver
money In amounts from $40 to S25 The
Bank OF England Is willing TO have its
reserve in silver. The Indian government
Is anxious to throw open its minis TO the
coinage OF silver
india, France and the United States
could use all the silver that one great pro-
ducing country could supply. They are ripe
TO begin the coinage OF silver. The closing
OF the mints In India has brought about a
condition of affairs that language can
not describe. Industries are paralyzed. and
the poverty OF the people beggars all de-
scription. III has been brought forcibly to
condition calls for the opening of the mints.
silver In England.
silver Is entering British politics The
question OF bimetallism Is shortly TO be
the most bitterly contested issue in British
politics. In Manchester they have already
had a great public meeting. which called
on the government TO use all possible ef-
forts TO bring about bimetallsm. The bank
ing interests and the money power will
oppose II. But the miners and the factory
meL and the workers are being forced the
other way. Labor organizations are begin
ming to take an interest In the silver ques-
ton. and they have drawn in the manu-
facturers. In few years England will
come out squarely and aggressively for
silver
I'm Germany the agricultural interests
are making an aggressive fight for bimetal-
ism. Other countries are following its ex-
ample. Before long-before ten years have
passed-the whole civilized world will be
In the throes Of great struggle for silver.
1.-THE gold standard movement in the
United States has been a corrupting move
ment. IL sneaked into power originally
Last year II spent $40. 900 in debauchins
the American people. electing Mckinley
and maintaining the yellow metal Much
of this money was raised In Europe. and
the remainder was extorted from Amer.
lean bankers and merchants But ths
money power passed high water mnrk