The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-02-08
Mr.. BRYAN ON THE ISSUE.
He Makes a Mastery Reply to His
Critics.

terday published the following signed urt,-
Gle by Hon. William j. Bryan:
In answer to your inquiry, I submit
some or the reasons which lead me to be-
lieve that the money question pre-.
sents an issue which is still nara
mount In Importance In the plat
form. adopted at Chicago the Democratic
party :. said: 'Recognizirg that the
money question is paramount to all 9th
ers at this time, we invite attention to
the fact that the Federal Constitution
named silver aud gold together as the
Money metals of the United States, and
that the first coinage law passed by Con-
gress under the constitution made the
silver dollar the monetary unit and ad-
mtteo gold to free coinage at ratio
based upon.tae silver dollar unit
After thus elevating the question to
the place of supreme Importance the plat
form proceeded to point out the effect Of
an approaching dollar, and declared the
unaltcrahle opposition of the party to the
gold standard, characterized it as both
un-Amercan and anti.American. The
platform specifically demanded:
First, the free and unlimited coinage
of both silver and gold ut the present
ratio of lG to /.
Second. that the standard silver dol
lar be made IA full legal tender, equally
with gold, for all debts, public and pri.
vate.
"Third, the enactment of such legisla-
ton as will prevent for the future the de-
monetization of any kind of legal tender
money by private contract
Fourth, that the United Stntes shall
not surrender it's right to redeem it's CD
lgatiCns in either gold or silver
Fifth, that the Government shall not
issue interest beaing bonds in time of
peace.
"Sixth, thar the government shall not
surrender to national banks the right to
issue paper N oney.
while the declaration against ma
tlonal bauk notes "a not Il part of the sill
yer plank, the division line between those
who favor independent bmetaliism and
those who oppose il is "lmost ideatical
with the line which separates the advo.
Gates of Government paper from the sup
porters of national hanks of Issue. and
the two questions will he settled TO.
gether. Nothing has happened since the
election To lessen the real or relative i'm
lance Of the money ~ estion. If the
gold standard was bad in 1896, il is still
bad; If our present financial system was
az un-An erican one in 1896, il has not be-
come naturalized since that time.
'ln 1S0c independent bimetallism was
pointed out rs the only remedy for the
gold standard, and the failure of our
monetary commission to secure interna.
tlonal bimetallism strengthens our con-
tention. The Senate has recently put
itself upon record in favor of that plank
of our platform which declares that the
silver dollar shall have Il debt. paving
power equal to the gold dollar, and that
the Government shat not surrender its
right to redeem coin obligations In either
gold or silver. and the House has declar
ed against the proposition. The effort of
the Secretary of the Treasury to secure
authority to issue more bonds and his de-
mand for the retirement OF the green
backs are in direct opposition 10 the posi-
ton above stated. Thus it will be seen
that events, not free silver agitatora, are
Keeping the money question before the
country.
The evil effects Of the gold standard
are So apparent that the Republican
party refuses to become sponsor for the
system; it is so indefensible that even
Secretary Gage, in his recent speech Mt
Philadelphia, took occasion to say that
the President is iii favor of international
bimetallism and has the support of al
his Cabine in his effort To secure the CO.
operation of other nations in getting rid
OF the gold standard.
But while the Republican party.
through the Chief Executive, still holds
out the hope of international bimetalism.
none of the party leaders say word in
defense of the double standard. indepen-
dent or International. Why not? Be
cause international bimetallism can only
be defended on the theory that the existing
gold standard is unsatisfactory, and the
Republican leaders know that ,he ReDuh-
lican party has no real intention OF aban-
donng the present gold standard, anal
they cannot, therefore, afford to say any.
thing which would make the people dis.
satisfied with it. Neither do they, as II
rule, say anything in favor of the gold
standard, because to DO so vonld ut once
raise the question: Why, then, is inter
national bimetallSm desirable? Occu.
sionaly II speaker will he founl who
will take both sides of the question. rs
did Mr. Gngs at Philadelphia a fter
trying TO show that the gold standard
had been great blessing TO the laboring
man, he declared it to he the intention of
the Republicans to substitute another
system. The question ut once arises, if
the gold standard has heen IL blessing TO
the laborinS man, why does not the Repuh-
lican party advocate its retention rather
than its abandonment? International BIZ
metalisn, will have exactly the same
effect rs independent bimetallisn in rails
ing prices. If a fall in prices is an adj
vantage, then rise in prices cannot be
desirable; and if, on the other hand,
rise in prices, whether obtained through
independent bimetal;ism or through an
international agreement, is good, then the
fall in prices caused by the gold standard
must he admitted to have worked an iu-
jury. The fall in prices, extended over