The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-06-15
HONEST ggLLARS
= 49, ]. BRYAN.

Possibly our people are mol lA'
telligent enough to know what Is
good for them. Possibly twenty
three years of experience are moi
sufficient 10 enable Ms to determins
whether thegold standard was good
or bad.
Possibly we don't know what Is
best forus. IF you insist that our
people cannot be trusted in patri-
otism or intelligence, I viii get some
evidence from across the ocean. be-
cause, certainly. We ought to7satis-
fy any advocate of the gold stand
AID if we can bring evidence from
Europe.
Take France. France has had
the gold standard for more than
twenty-three years, and yet when
our commission went to Europe If
visited France and France at once
Joined and sent a representative to
ask with ours that England would
make some concessions to bimet-
allism.
Will ycu ask and explain to
yourselves why France would join
in a request for bimetallism if
France had found the gold stand
ard blessing? Isn't the action of
France conclusive proof that twen-
ty years experience has not con-
yinced France that the gold stand
ard is a good thing for nation2
But some people say the Ger
mans are in favor of the gold stan
dard. [ have very often heard peo-
pie talk about the Germans being
solidly in favor of sound money
The Germans are in favor of sound
money, and those who are studying
the question know that we are pre-
senting in bimetallism a sounder
money than can be presented by
those who believe in the gold stan
dard Let me call your attention
to what has been done in Germany.
In the spring of 1895 the popu-
lar branch of the German assembly
passed a resolution declaring in fa-
vor of international bimetallism.-
Why did those people. represent
ing the masses of the German peo-
pie. declare in favor of international
bimetallism if the gold standard
had been blessing? They had
the gold standard for more than
twenty years: and yet IA spite Of
the fact that they had tried the
gold standard. the popular branch
of the assembly expressed itself in
favor of bimetallism.
But the Berlin chamber of com
merce met Immediately and passed
a resolution declaring that the
gold standard was all right. What
does it mean? 1t means that in
Germany it is just as it is here:
that the masses of the people are
crying out against the gold stand
ard, but the fnanciers ike the
gold standard
Our commission went to Eng
land, and what did it find there?
It found a sentiment in favor of
bimetallism. It found that the la
Dor organizations were sending pc
titions to the English government,
asking the government to make
concessions to bimetallism.
1t found that the Manufacturers
of the great manufacturing centers
were sending petitions to the Eng
lish government, asking that the
English government make conces-
sions to bimetallism.
The commission found that the
agriculturists were petitioning the
government to make concessions
to bimetallism.
Within year a report has been
fled and has been read largely in
this country by this ume-a report
signed by ten out of fourteen
members of an agricultural COM
mission, appointed by gold stand
ard government. in gold standard
England, to inquire into the con-
ditions of agriculture; and that
commission, in that pioneer gold
standard country, by more than
two-thirds vote. reports in favor of
international bimetallism as relief
to the farmers of England. even
If you want to know what the
gold standard has done for the far
mers of Ireland, read that admira-
bic pamphlet written by Archbish-
op Walsh, in which he portrays
the wrong done to the Irish people
L