The Caucasian., 1898-02-17
W. ]. BRYAN'S
STRONG LETTER.
The PEOPLES Great Leader on the
Logic Of Events What Keeps
TIE MONEY QUESTION

Before tho Country-B. Impales the Ke-
pubiicans the orns of . Dilemma
IatsrnstisnAI HIN st.iIism Means . Re-
peal of the Dselar stion OF Indspspdsn
Mr.. Bryan has written the sub
Joined letter to the New York Jour
nal. He declares that events, not
silver agitators, are keeping the mon
ey vuestIon before the country. He
impales the enemies of Democracy
on the horns of dilemma. II, says
the leader, the gold standard be q
good thing, why do its advocates ia
vor its dethronemen by information
al bimetallism Again: IL inter
national bimetallism be honest, how
can Independent bimetallism be dis
honest 7
Here is the letter, which appeared
in Sundays issue OF the journal:
''In answer to your inquiry, l sub
init some of the reasons which lead
me to believe that the money ques.
tion presents an issue which is still
paramount in Importance. In the
platform adopted ut Chicago tho
bCmuCi6tiO potty o1iu. As0COB ulL
ing that the money question is para
mount to all others at this time, we
invite attention to the fact that the
Federal Constitution named silver
and gold together a. the money met
ais OF the United States, and that
the first coinage law passed by Con-
gress under the Constitution made
the silver dollar the monetary unite
and admitted gold to free coinage at
ratio based upon the silver dollar
unit"
After thus elevating the question
to the place OF supreme Importance,
the platform proceeded to point out
the effect OF an appreciating dollar,
and declared the unalterable oppo-
sition of the party to the gold stand
ard, characterizing it as both un-
American and anti-American. The
platform specifically demanded:
First-The free and unlimited coin
age of both silver and gold at the
present legal ratio of l6 to l..
Second-That the standard silver
dollar be made a full legal tender,
equally with gold, for all debts, pub
lie and private.
Third-The enactment of such leg
islaton as will prevent for the future
the decentralization OF any kind of le-
gal tender money by private con-
tract.
Fourth-That the United States
shall not surrender its rights to re-
deem its obligations in either gold or
silver.
Fifth-That the Government shall
not issue interest bearing bonds in
time of peace.
Sixth That the Government shall
not surrender to national banks the
right to issue paper money.
While the declaration against ma
tional bank notes is not part of the
silver plank, the division line be-
tween those who favor Independent
bimetallism and those who oppose il
is almost identical with the line
which separates the advocates OF
government paper from the support
ers of national banks of issue, and
the two questions will be settled to-
gether. Nothing has happened sine,
the election to lessen the real or rel
ative Importance of the money ques
tion. IL the gold standard was bai
in 1896, it is still bad; IL our presen
financial system was un-Americar
aud anti-American IN 1896, it ha
not become nNturalized since tha
time.
In 1896 independent bimetallisn
was pointed out as the only remed.
g. Ia al II nd e,
ure of our Monetary Commission t.
secure international b m 9 ii s q
strengthens our contention. Tn
Senate has recently put itself upo1
"A record in favor of that plank Of on
platform which declares that the si
NJ yer dollar shall have a debt-payin
N power equal to the gold dollar, an
that the government shall not sui
M render its right to redeem coin obi
cations in either gold or silver, an
the House has declared against tn
MI proposition. The effort of the Sc,
retary of the Treasury to secure a,
thority to issue more bonds and b
demand for the retirement of tt
greenbacks are in direct opposite
" to the positions above stated. Tn,
NJ it will be seen that events, not FRI
silver agitators, are keeping Il
money question before the countr
n The evil effects of the gold stan
n ard are so apparent that the Repu
II lican party refuses to become spo
N sor for the system; it is 50 indefen!
u BILE that even Secretary Gage, in b
recent speech at Philadelphia, to-
NJ occasion to say that the President
M in favor of International bimetallis
n and has the support of all his Cal
n net in his effort to secure the coo
Grafton of other nations in gettil
NJ rid Of the gold standard.
II But while the Republican part
vi through the Chief Executive, 81
u holds out the hope of Information
Il bimstallism, none of the party les
ers say word in defence Of the de-
4 ble standard, Independent or int
national. Why nots Because int
national bimetallism can only be
NJ Tended on the theory that the exi
ing gold standard is unsatisfacto
and the Republican party has no r
intention of abandoning the pres
gold standard, and they cam
M therefore, afford to say anyth
which would make the people diss
isfied with it. Neither do they, a
rule, say anything in favor OF
gold standard, because to do 50 wo
at once raise the question: w
then, is international bimetallism
sirablef Occasionally a speaker
be found who will take both side.
the question, as did Mr.. Gage at P
adelphia, After trying to show I
the gold standard had been q 81
blessing to the laboring man, he
clared it to be the intention Of
Republicans to substitute anot
system. The question at once ari