The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-08
talnty as can be predicated of any future

| tainty as can be predicated Of any future
| event.
! Moreover, the transition from one stand
ard to the other thus brought about could
not be accomplished gradually The bust
| ness OF the country will hold fast to the
| gold standard until confidence breaks; then
a crash, and the silver standard.
This then, is the real meaning of your
| proposition. 1t Is, that we shall immedi-
| ately. by a single act of legislation sweep
away the gold standard in the United States
and substitute for it silver standard.
The vast and intricate machinery OF busi-
| ness is in smooth and successful operation
| throughout our great country. 1t presents
| the most wonderful exhibition of huma n
| activity ever seen in the world Nowhere
| else on the globe are so many people so
| BUSY producing so many things. eXchans-
| ing so many things consuming so many
| Things, enjoying so many comforts. The eX-
tent and complexity of the system by when
they accomplish these results. and the deli
cacy OF its adjustment are beyond my
powers OF description 1t is as though the
whole face OF the country were covered
with network of Recommendations on
millions of wheels and shafts and pinions;
wheels within wheels of all imaginable sizes
and speeds, ali connected together, each OPP
Grating by its own source of power, and yet
Interesting with one another from ocean
TO ocean, and all running in harmony. The
key of the harmony is the common measure
of value AS the instruments of an or
chestra, however variously played, are all
tuned to one pitch, so all the wheels of TINS
intricate system are adjusted TO the stand
ard dollar; and by that adjustment are ad-
justed TO one another.
Your proposition is to throw a crowbar
among these wheels You propose to abolish
the principle of their adjustment; and TO do
it by act sudden as an earthquake.
II IS vain to speculate upon the conse-
quenceS. Nothing like 1t was ever done, or
tried, or proposed before. All we know is,
that there would be a great shock, a crash,
wild fluctuations OF value widespread ruin,
and slow and painful recovery on some
new adjustment.
l am not now arguing the question. 1
am endeavoring, simply. to state 1t. I am
o.
ing words the free and unlimited coinage
of both gold and silver" really mean the
standard and transition to the silver
standard and silver money alone as stand
ard money, you and your associates ought to
say so, and make your appeal to the cOun-
try on that issue truly stated.
A LACK OF CANDOR.
It is no reflection upon our countrymen
to say that to many of them these ques-
tons are difficult of comprehension They
must take much on faith; they must trust
their leaders. The obligation to deal with
such men with candor that shall conceal
nothing in ambiguous phraseolosy is as
sacred d religious duty. Your party has
failed in the discharge OF that obligation.
Beginning with a demand for the coinage
of silver and gold on equal terms at 10 to l,
as though the full and equal enjoyment OF
both metals could be obtained in that way,
1t based all its discussion of the question
during the campaign of 1896 on the same
a double standard, while proposing meas
ures which could result only in the estab-
lislment of a single standard. 1t called its
creed bimetallism, instead of silver mono
metallism, as it really was and is. The
most keen-sighted and independent mem
bers of your party saw the errors of these
assumptions and refused to countenanoe
them. But millions of their associates did
not see them, and voted for Mr. Bryan with
no understanding whatever OF the possible
consequences of the act.
You have asked for a rehearing. 1t IS
well that you have. Our country is en-
tering upon new epoch in It's history. We
seem to be on the eve of a great eXpan-
sion of industrial activity, trade and COM
merce. 1t is Indispensable to the realiZa
ton of the opportunities before us that We
snail SETTLE decisively and without delay
by vote and by law what our monetary
standard is to he and make Its maintenance
sure beyond the shadow of a doubt That
is the fundamental element of the money
question; all else is detail You and your
party are for the silver standard. l and
mine for the gold standard. We have
been years in coming to this square issue,
but the logic of events has shown us our
take them without faltering and put the
question before the people with all possible
argues the wrong side of the question with
zeal and sincerity does the world a service
second only TO the service rendered by him
who argues the right side. One of us will
have in the present campaign a rare OPP
portuity to render that service. That l
cOncede that opportunity to you signifies
nothing except my belief that the action
of your party in opening the way to re-
trial of the money question will result in
enabling the people to settle il this time
wisely and definitely and finally.
/ have Intentionally confined myself in
this letter to mere statement of what l
conceive to be the real question at issue.
with my reasons for that view CT it, The
business of the country has been based in
fact the gold standard ever since the
resumption of specie payments in 1879, as
it was for twenty-five years before the be-
ginning of the civil war. The law is not
as clear as it ought to be on the subject.
but under its provisions as they stand gold
is also the legal standard. You propose
by the Introduction of free silver coinage
to abolish that standard and substitute one
of silver. You are the moving party. You
propose a change. The burden is heavy on
you to show the necessity of such change
and the certain advantages to follow it,
Thus it is, as L see it, that the campaign
of 1898 opens.