The times., 1897-04-14
lEMOCRACrs GREAT DAY
Continued from First Page.

1nOrEdl. Dut holifdS JeiltlsOh eHC tiiA
mortal. not Thomas Jefferson who dled,
and dying, sanctioned the soil of Monu-
callo. but Thomas jefferson who still lives,
and living, lends hope and inspiration TO
all who advocate equality before the law.
Though the recipient of more honors
than usually fall TO the lot of one human
being, he bestowe upon mankind far more
than mankind couldpussibly have bestowed
upon him, and the ever increasing honor
done his name by his followers, proves
anew the truth of the Bible doctrine that
it is more blessed t. give than to receive
He conprehended more completely than
anvone has before or since, the principles
which underiie our form of government,
and he had such thorough knowledge of
human nature that he understood the
points OF weakness, as well as the points
,,f strength. IN democracy. He knew the
value of ambition as a stimulus to those
engaged in the public service, and he also
recognized the necessity FOR those restraints
which frequent elections throw about the
official.
his teachings being fundamental. are
never outerown, and we have simply To
annly them to new conditions as they
arise When he began his first inaugural
and exact Justice to all men, Of whatever
state or persuasion, religious or roliti-
cal, - he laid down a rule. the observance
orwhich will gethemachineryo Of govern
rnent Of every irnperfection and cure every
noIitical evil. whether it finds its source
in the legislative, in the executive, or in the
Judiciary.
The Democratic party is strong just in
proportion as it proves true TO the teach
Ings of its great founder. 1t is the mis-
sioa of the Democratic party To crystalike
iuto Legislation the principles which he
taught.
The party applies Democratic principles
to the issues which arise from time to
time For many years the tariff question
was the paramount issue, and the party
took a more advanced position each year
mill 1892 when it declared itself IN
favor of policy which meant suhstan-
TALLY a tariff for revenue only. But the
President elected at that time, instead of
proceeding to carry out that portion OF
the PLATFORM forced upon public atten-
tion an issue which had, up to that time,
been considered secondary Mr.. Cleveland,
more than any other one person in this
nation. is responsible for the prominent
position which the money question now
occupies 1t was his determination to
complete the decentralization of silver and
make the gold standard perpetual that
aroused the masses OF the Unit Cd states
to active resistance.
Unconditional repeal, the veto of the
Seigniorage hill; the attempt to retire the
KreenhacEs with an issue of gold bonds,
nd, finally. the RothSchild's contract-an
these together forced the money question
mt1the forefront of the conflict, and made
n luss;hle sur the Democratic party to
take the pGsitioa which it did in the cam
paigl OF 1895 The struggle for supremacy
Between th,. gold STANDARD and bimetal-
Hsrn was recognized as contest between
the money power and the common people.
Ia seeking to restore bimetalliSm, the
Democratic party was applying the prin-
CjaleS OF jefferson to the money question.
hecause bimetallisn viii give us financial
rvStera more Just than the gold standard
fa it's operatiol as be. wccn man and man.
The explicit declaration in favor of Z rec
mad unlimited coinage at IS 10 without
waiting for the aid o conSeHtof any nation,
was made necessary by the attempt OF
certain public nacn to evade preceding
platfornS. At one time a declaration
in favor OF free coinage was considered
sufficient. but wien some quibhled about
the amount to be coined. ii was necessary
20 add the word unlimited. When,
later. some departed from the present
ratio. Ill became necessary 10 specifically
name the ratio OF lG to l, and when some
favored waiting for an international agree
ment. il became necessary to emphasize
the demand forindependent action Events
have developed the money question and
determined the position Of the party on
that subject The party struggle winch
eliminated in the Chicago copvention, OF
necessity alieIiated q portion of the party
The party was placed in the position where
it was compelled to indorse the financial
policy of the President, or adhere TO the
doctrines and traditions Of the party.
Many of the leaders Of the party took
sides with the President They had re-
ceived honors at the hands Of the party
and had been effective IN doing much
OF the party work, but when the right
hand offended, the party wisely decided
that it was better to cut off that hand
and cast it away than that the whole
party should perish The position taken
by the Democratic party in 1896 VIII
not be surrendered. If you doubt the
permanency OF the Chicago platform as
a party creed, go among the rank and
file of the party and measure the zeal and
enthusiasm which that platform has
aroused. ana you viii realize the impossi-
bility of taking a backward step
True. the present administration is seek
ing TO turn public attention TO the tariff
question: but if our reasoning is well
founded an increase OF taxes cannot re-
store prOspeTity.to the producers OF wealth.
In fact, we contend that neither high
taxation nor low taxation can bring pros
perity to the people, so long as an appre-
ciating dollar continues TO give the money
owner an advantage over the rest or the
people The money question must be the
paramount issue of the next campaign, as
il was of the last. If the pingley bill
brings general and permanent prosperity
the Democratic party viii not be in a po-
sition to win contest by opposing il
II, on the other hand, the Dingley bill
proves a disappointment 10 those who
advocate it. our position of 1896 will lie
strengthened, and public attention Will
be riveted upon the fact that the cause
of financial depression is to be found in
our monetary system.
In giving special Importance TO this great
issue, the party does not mean to assert
that bimetallisin il a panacea for all pc
Iitical and social ills, but we mean that
the party Will not seriously undertake any
other reform until the money of the Con
stitution is restored.
This dinner is given under the auspices OF
the National Association of Democratic
Clubs. / cannot too strongly commend the
work which the association is attempting
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