The Southern herald., 1898-02-25

the practiee? The very object oi
legal-tender statutes is 10 permit
the debtor to elect the kind OF law
ful money with which TO pay inns
is the law andths custom through
out the land when applied to indi-
vidual transactions; and Why sir'
should not this Government carry
ont this law in its own financial
dealings7 The Secretary Ot the
Treasury has the option to pay IN
either gold or silver.
Every leading nation to-day Is
exercising the option to pay in any
kind Of legal money, hut our Gov
ernment, as it is administered, Is
at the mercy Of the money dealers
Il has been we'll said thai "ln-
Consistency is one Of the cardinal
doctries Of the Republican party"
AZ evidence Of this, we will quote
from their platforms and give the
past utterances Of their leaders on
the question involved;
The Republican party is IN favor
Of the use of bDth gold and silver as
money. and condemns the policy Of
the Democratic Administration IN
its efforts 10 demone,ize silver.
1892.
/ [Adopted by convention presid'
ed over by William Mckinley as
its chairman.
The American people, from ira
dition and interest, favor bimetal'
lism, and the Republican party de-
mands the use of both gold anc
silver as standard money.
Hon. William Mckinley said il
a speech in Congress on May I
: 1890: When merchandise is th'
, cheapest, men are the poorest, anC
: the most distressing experiences IL
'
the history Of our country-aye, il
all human histury-have been wher
everything was the lowest ant
chppest, measured by gold TO
everything then was the highes
, and the dearest measured BY labor
Again he said, in speech deliver
ed in Congress June IA, 1890:
j am for the largest use OF silver il
. the currency Of the country.
would not dishonor it. l woulr
give it credit and honor with gold
D | would make no discrimination
" | would utilize both metals as mon
: ey and discredit neither. l war
: the double standard.
s There are more than s25, 900, ,00
+ Of bonds Of the United State
d which are overdue, and on the Il
: day OF February, 1904, 100000
rs 600 uf the bonds is Hed by NJ
u Cleveland will be due, and in Jul,
II 1907, the greater part Of the publ
debt will fall due.
d Now, Mr. Speaker, the Presidel
V declares in recent speech to II
l. New York bankers and manufa
turers that
r. Whatever may be the langua,
10 Of the contract, the United Stat
s. will discharge all Of its obligation
le in the currency recognized as Il
rs best throughout the civilized wor
n at the time of payment.
es Secretary of the Treasury, in h
al recent report, says the word "coir
TO as used in the bonds is an ambig
se Gus word, and it is impossible
"i construe it to mean anything Ell
D" except gold" or its equivalent.
H. In view Of these facts, is it n
In timely, even imperative, Il at Co
gress should give expression as
al the administration of the law IN
"a many Of our people believe is abr
ne ed and in which the vital inleres
he of our constituents are involve
nj The public credit Of the Unit
he States depends only on a sing
IN factor-the ability Of the people
IN pay Federal taxes. The only met
an cd by which we could procure go
nj TO pay the bonded debt which
'a' proposed by this Administrati
&c would be by the sale ofolhpr bon
'n' for that purpose. "rhen we wou
en- make an endless chain Of bon
w. and bondage entailed upon OF
a" selves and our posterity, peri
tuity Of debt and servitude."
The blowing up If The Maine
- the greatest calamity that has
- - fallen our country for years pa
"' Two hundred and fifty odd hon
:" stricken with sorrow-mourninp
as their dead, and the financial n,