Middletown transcript., 1897-04-03
4 GREAT SPEECH.
Judge Aldredge, at Atlanta, Be
fore Convention Of Amer
ican Bankers.

Wit and Humor, With Sound Logic Kept
the Convention In an Uproar-Cass Stated
So Plainly That All Can Understand 1t.
Five Principal Free Coinage Arguments
Answered In Turn-Chinch Bugs and
BoIIworms Versus 10 to Cranks-What
Makes Interest Low9-Important Prices
That Have Risen Since 1878.
Perhaps the sound money speech in greatest
demand In all parts Of the country, and the de-
mand for which is most constantly growing, is
that Of Judge George N. Aldredse Of Dallas,
Tex, delivered Oct. 16 1895, at the convention
of the American Bankers association at At
Ianta, as We are certain that all Of our read
ers win relish this wit and humor which upset
the dignity OF the bankers. They will also find
It very instructive reading. We reprint " In
full below:
The proposition that this government should
coin silver for the world, in unlimited amount
at double its market value, is so repugnant to
the common sense of mankind that 1t ought TO
be unnecessary to discuss 1t, and would be but
for the fact that portion Of our people have
been misled by appeals to their prejudice and
by the specipus reasoning OF sophists. II our
government were asked to declare that two
quarts equaled gallon or to revise the multt-
plication table and enact that 10 times 10
equaled 200, all men would see the folly, but
when asked to believe that SO worth of silver,
by being touched by the government stamp,
instantly becomes worth $40, many people
honestly believe this miracle may be accom-
plished, and many others affect to believe 1t
for practical purposes.
In all ages Of the world there have been de-
lusiors In reference to money, and in spite Of
uniform disastrous results many are ever
ready to listen to the teachings Of any charla-
tan who claims that he has discovered short.
er route to wealth. They refuse TO apply to
money that hard common sense which they
exercise In dealing with the everyday affairs
of life. The ignorant have always had super
stition about silver. Among the negroes of the
south nothing would kill o witch but silver
bullet.
That our ancestors 100 years ago fixed a unit
of value in gold or silver and fixed q ratio be-
tween them is immaterial to us. Their exam
pie in 80 doing is not more binding ON rs than
their methods of business, their means Of
transportation, or che implements with which
they sowcd and Feaped. II would be sad
commentary upon our intelligence IL we had
learned nothing in 100 years. We do know
that In fixing q ratio they attributed no magic
ly to ascertain the market value Of the two
metals in tho leading nations Of the world and
conforned, as they thought. strictly to this
market ratio. By pursuing the method adopt
ed by them we would now fix the ratio at
about 81 to /. The consistent man is not the
ono who stands in one place always. regardless
of the changing conditions around him. hut 1t
Is no who, with Intelligence anil circumspec-
ton, adayts himself to the changed condition
Of affairs
Gold Yaysus Silver Standard Countries.
For nearly 90 years erery enlightened nation
in the world has been on gold standard basis.
They are all representative governments, and
their laws arc mado by their people and for
their people. The government which first es-
tabhshed the gcll standard Is more obcdient
to the will of its people than ours is When IN
important administration measure is defeated
by the representatives of the English people,
the government is Immediately placed in the
hands Of the opposition. Tho gold standard
nations are those that havo reclaimed the
world from tarbsrisin and havo given 1t all its
learning and invention, where schools and
churches abound. where the dignity OF man Is
maintained and labor properly rewarded, and
they control tho commerce Of tho world.
These nations, after testing gold and silver
for hundreds Of yaars, voluntarily adopted the
gold standard 30 nation today has the silver
standard from choice. It is only because they
are weak and bolpless TO remedy the evil that
any of them remain on o silver basis. But to-
day the United States, tho foremost nation in
all the earth In solvency and resources. IN In
telligence and energy, is seriously invited to
abandon the standard Of civilization and COM
meFas Raa to consort with half civilized, half
clad people. who are weak and ignorant, who
have little or no commerce, Fhere bull fights
abound and schools do not wheFa EHmsn labor
is kn sharp competition with she meek and
to full suit and where the bulk Of the people
know ne mere about q standard Of value than
mule sboub the ashriar hypothesis. Surely
we would do well to take look at the COM
pany before we sit down to the feass
Free Coinage Arguments.
I The trsltatipg ~ that this country, after
having adjusted Its enpEuous business for 20
years TO 8 gold standard shall sud6epIy yead-
inst ali business and all values to what is
termed double standard Of gold and silver.
The arguments advanced In behalf OF such
change ares