The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-05-15
RIGHT OF
TO Be Abridged by Bryan and His Popo
Demo Party.

Demo Party.
The Cordage Trade journal of Oc-
tober 1 discusses a part of the Chicago
platform which has not thus far re-
ceived the attention which it merits
that part which proposes to take away
the right of private contract. The Jour.
nal says that mo industry of any size
a exist without the use of contracts,
agreements for the purchase, sale, de.
livery of and payment for goods. It is
hardly necessary to point out what this
means in the cordage business"
It then explains how rope manufac.
turers make contracts with brokers,
and brokers with foreign growers OF
MANILA, or sisal, for their raw mate
rails. Having made these contracts
they are in a position to make contracts
with large jobbers and rope dealers.
Continuing, the Journal says:
Contracts are necessary to the sue
cessful transaction of business upon
n scale above that of the very small
retail trade, where goods and money
pass between buyer and seller simulta-
neously. Mr.. Bryan would, if presi-
dent, give his approval to laws which
would prohibit business men from
specifying what they shall sell goods
for or what they shall pay for goods,
thus seriously restricting the right of
contract. His first nomination-in Chi
cago-was based upon his acceptance of
a platform which contained the follow
ing plank:
I've demand hat the standard silver
dollar shall be a full legal tender, equally
good with gold, for all debts, public and
private, and we favor UGH legislation as
will prevent for the future the demoneti-
cation of any kind of legal tender money
by private contract
His populistic nomination in st.
Louis carried with it this plank:
1--WE demand such legislation as will
prevent the demonstration of the lawful
money of the United States by private
contract
POSSIBLY the United States supreme
court will uphold such le~gislation-it
sustained the validity of the legal ten
der act-and-what? Mr.. Bryan does
not tell the people whom he addresses
tri-daily. When he gets near the SUBJ
ject it is only to say something like
this:
when anyone tries to give you an OBJ
ject lesson with a Mexican dollar, tell him
that the Mexican dollar is not legal tender
in this country and that our silver dollar is,
and under free coinage will continue to be,
and no one will be allowed to contract
against it.'-W. ]. Bryan in Newark, Sep
TENDER 2S.'
This not only shows the purpose of
the man, but also gives an intelligent
mar a very clear conception of Mr..
Bryan's skill as a lcgician. If he knew
anything at all about commemorative
lifeblood of which he so glibly talks of
interfering with-he would know that
the execution of his plan would cause
tivity, which would be followed by a
resumption upon Il restricted and an
tique basis. Methods which the COM
mercial world discarded generations
ago would have to te brought into use
for carrying en- business under the con-
ditions which the adoption of Mr.. Bry-
ans two absurd propositions would i'm
pose.
Where would The hemp come from
for next years binder twinc to tie the
farmers wheat? The United States,
where silver dollars r:orth less than 100
cents would LIE legal tender, could not
furnish the material. Al prices now
quo:c;l are for gold. No matter how
much farmers wanted Irvine. when il
- 10 lCn~er possible to make Il cor
tr:ct to Jay gold CIR its equivalent fer
IN. he would have 10 30 without
i u7iiI .orae cumbersome method Of
Iirtering was devised TO get around
tIfr law. Of course. in TING TIE hemp
would re secured aid the Fc-T-.T l.; SUI
I'D. bur The new Wy of Co:rr bus
49,. would lie moro c~ostir- u the cn:f
5i.r consumer Pays ell costs Ecrcst,:"
:rcT!I have to submit TO h!"n@r
fo. l.lder twin2. as fer cysry-
ing ,.se i,rc buy Ard yct 3ir-Tryan
claims ID !: tnr particular friend Gag
r~;au.tur;s;s.
at * - - hoped tl:: -" trtiaess
CT - country VII ea-af=r.: co.,
s:G2r Nh; the ProTcs.G .. crs, -cacs
tka right to ea.er.;rto 1 ccEtr;c5
20 Pay and kind of money weld RESULT
in and then vote fer : canGa'Ite for
president who will preserve the freedom
Of commerce."