Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1898-11-04
G.n.r.l cl.rh... sp..eh.


was not a vacant seat and standing
room was at a premium. The meet.
ing Was called to order by George 5.
Brown who introduced General X
NJ. Clarke as the first speaker.
Mr.. Clarke was received with APP
plause and began by saying that he
was in no condition to make speech.
That for the last two days he had
been stupeted with the cold and Was
suffering from its effects. He would,
Lo wever, give some rcasons why the
people Of Nevada should vote the
Democratic ticket on the Sth OF No-
vember. There we're two great
parties IN the Nation, one Demo-
cratic and the other Republican.
There were many ~splinters from those
great trunks none Of which were
national or permanent. They cannot
accomplish the purposes for which
we seek. The two great parties diff
fer widely in their fundamental prin
ciples. The Democratic party from
its foundation has been the party OF
the people. the party Of the great
common masses OF the country. The
other was the party OF corporations,
syndicates and classes. The Demo
cratic party believed in the equal
rights Of all men before the law. The
Republican party leyislated for the
classes and established Industries at
the expense CT the great masses Of
the people. The Democratic party
believed that every citizen was en-
titled 70 the equal protection Of his
natural rights.
He then took up the silver question
and said that he was a bimetsllist and
was in favor OF the double standard
for the payments Of all debts public
and rrivate. That both metals
should be true and good money to
answer the necessities of trade and
commerce The Republicans were in
favor OF making gold the only money
Tor the payment OF debts. One party,
not strong, favored silver a the only
money. Between the two stood the
great Democratic party Of the Nation
conrending in favor OF the use of both
gold ard silver as money. The Dem
ocratIc party OF Nevada standing on
the Chicago platform favored the use
OF both silver and gold as money
metals at the ratio OF 16 to I. The
people OF Nevada had a double in
terest In the solution OF the money
question because ve produce both
metals. The adoption Of the double
standard will stimulate industry and
derelope the u Of the State.
The bimetallists are in favor OF OPEN
ing the mints to the free and unlimit-
ed coinage OF both metals. How to
bring this about WIS the great ques-
ton.
The speaker next took up the de-
conetization Of silver in 1873. He
said that in 1867 a monetary confer
composed of representatives
from the leading nations Of the world
met In Paris to adopt a standard OF
value. The United States had a rep
resentative there. Gold was adopted
the standard and our Commissioner
In the report. His report was
made to George S. Boutwell, who was
then Secretary Of the Treasury under
Grant. John Jay Knox
who was then Treasurer OF the United
approved this report, drafted
a bill TO carry it into effect and sent
1t TO President Grant. Grant ap-
proved the bill and sent it to the Sem
ate. Under this bill gold was to be
the only legal tender for all debts
public and private over 60. The bill
was introduced in 1870 and passed in
1873. Ii was reported favorably by
John Sherman, chairman OF the Sen
ate Finance Committee. John Sher.
man for come reason never explained
voted against that bill and Senator
Stewart voted for il at all of its
stages. The bill WAS printed thirteen
times and both OF our Senators voted
for II because OF the special contract
act OF California which provided that
all debts should be paid in the kind
Of money named in the contract. |
The money OF tie Pacific Coast al
that time uas gold and their excuse /!
Tor their votes was the depreciation
OF 2reenhacks "A compared with gold.
Silver at that time was lI3J instead OF
l9 its coinage value at the minis.
There vas never a graver mistake
than tbs demonstration Of silver. VIM !
NJ. Ste-ar: not only advocated that
Act but voted Tor il and Sss more re-
sponsible for lie passage than John
Sherman whom the people OF Nevada
de.est - much. In 1873 the Demo.
Gratis Of the House with great
u%nsnimiiy passed the Band free ooin.
age bill. The bill parsed The Senate
and VA ye,osi by President baye.
ii waE aiserwsrd passed as the Bland.
Allison Act. Bosh 81 The Nevada
Senators voted Tor thai bili. ], was
not ii bill Tor The decentralization G;
silver. II permitted everyone % de.
moneiize it. The Sherman purchasing
law was passed in 1880. II degraded
silver from Il roy al money metal " a
commodity. John 2. Jones wrote
that bill. reported II 10 the Senate and
favored II in conference. Jones and
Stewart voted for that bill and boat. |
cl TINT Il Mna helter than ihn L.