The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-19
GAGE TALKS MORE GOLD
He Weaves Financial Heresies
for Cleveland Brokers.
THE FIGHT Is NOT FINISHED
He at Last Recognizes That the Great
Question Is Still to Be Settled-He
Calls Hanna,s Gold the Voice
of the People

Cleveland, March 1S.-Secratary of
the Treasury Gage delivered an ad-
dress this evening before the chamber
of commerce on the financial question.
This was in acceptance of an invita-
tion extended several weeks ago by the
chamber The secretary was met by
the officers of the chamber upon his
arrival in the city and escorted TO the
hotel. At o'clock they had dinner
together, and then they proceeded TO
the chamber, which was BADLY crowd
ed. No one but members were ad-
mitted. After the address the secre-
tary was entertained at the Union
club.
Secretary Gage said in part: Most
of US had cherished the hope that the
financial issues which have 50 long
vexed the country had been settled lsy
the political decree of 1896. Most of us
had believed that the peoples voice
having once been decisively uttered.
those who represented that voice
would be left free to peaceaoly adjust
the financial policy of the government
in a manner consistent with the war
rant they had received. Events and
conditions, easily recognizable now, go
to show that such is not the fact One
branch of the national legislature. COM
paratively unaffected in its personnel
by the election of 1896, is evidently not
sympathetic to the reasonable and log
icai result. OF various political faiths,
the majority of members in that body
have the power to obstruct, perhaps
united, to defeat the last expression of
the popular will.
More than this, the evidences are
strong that the minority will force a
motion to reconsider in 1900 the peo-
pies verdict of 1896. Already the Lead
ers are bringing their skirmishers into
line for the congressional contests of
next autumn. In a recent appeal. sep
arately issued. yet by indubitable
signs jointly conceived. the coalition
formulated the catch words for the
new campaign. In reading these three
addresses to the people as have read
them. earefully-and as a psychologf-
cal study they are interesting am
constantly reminded of the character
| of Iago in the tragedy of Othello.
After alIuding to the three addresses.
| as being barren of fact. surcnarged
| with injurious and slanderous allega-
| tion. unsupported by evidence. he
sums up what ne understands TO be the
natural deductions from their state
ments. and said:
Among a people rude. ignorant and
superstitious. the boy man carries an
| important influence. He is thoroughly
believed, but we have right to believe
that he cannot be introduced into the
! life of a free and intelligent people in
| the closing of the nineteenth century,
even by sponsors so respectable as the
/ three chairmen of the new political
! LEAGUE.
1T is a noticeable fact that the pres
/ ent leaders to whom l have referred
/ offer. in their present address. no cura-
/ tive recommendations. By fair impli-
/ cation. their advice is: Break down,
t destroy. We will name the remedies
/ later. But we know in advance what
/ their alleged remedies are; they are
substantially found in the Chicago
/ platform of 1896. and prominent among
/ these is the free coinage of silver at
/ the ratio of IS to l. The ruinous char
/ acter of the remedy has been again
/ and again fully exposed-the shock and
/ ruin TO our commercial and industrial
/ life. which the inauguration of this
remedy would bring us
/ The speaker then argued that gold
/ having been the standard of money for
/ years. change from it would unsettle
/ values and result in commercial chaos.
1 Mr.. Gage then asserted that interna-
/ tional himetallism would not have the
| faults to be found in free coinage OF
1 silver by this country alone and said
/ the republican party is pledged to bring
/ about the former as soon as possible.
/ meantime preserving the present gold
/ standard