The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-09-30
HON, 5. NJ. RA[STON'S SPEECH
Hoosier Dcmocracys Standard Bearer Reviews
the lssues---Party Loyalty Means the Defeat
of Landis--Democracy and the War.
State and National Questions
a, the Ninth Convention July 90 issa

tray the unsc1rlSh patriotism. the Iove OF
man for man and the dauntlcss heroism
they have displayed in their effort to free
their oppressed fellow man. But while
we rejoice in the parts Democrats are tax
ing in this war. we do not wish 10 d tract
from the honor and glory due the presi-
dent and every man under him. down To
the humblest in the ranks of the army.
To them all we concede "A genuine patriot
ism and cheerfully acknowledge the debt
of gratitude we owe them.
Democracy's Record In Indiana.
There are other thi lgs, however. for
" hcE the Democratic party l. to be COM
mended aside from its position on the
Spanish war Whenever an Indiana
Democrat cousults the record Of hi party
In this state or in the nation he ands
cause for congratulation. With pride he
points to the common school system OF
Indiana and her magnificent benevolent
institutions as an evidence Of Democratic
philant throphy and statesmhnship. The
law that overthrew the notorious school
book trust and reduced fully one-half the
cost Of a chilc's education, was passed by
a Democratic legislature. PinAcrronism
was driven from the state and the power
to rob the wage Garner was denied the pro
prietors Of the ''pluck-me" stores 10y the
Democratic party. The tax law that in
CURED the special enmity of Republican
leaders. while 1t was In process Of enact
meat. and that since has been condemned
by the Republican press and Republican
speakers a. also passed by Democratic
legislature and upheld by Democratic ofii-
cisls until the courts sustained 1t. I'm
dor this law the corporate wealth OF the
state hss been forced To bear its fair share
OF the expenses of our state government
and the state debt has been set in process
OF liquidation
And in this connection Ii is especially
pleasing to a Democrat, who Is always a
stronger patriot than a partisan. to be
able to recall that his party gave this state
the law having for its object the prcserva-
tion and perpetuity Of our free institu-
tions through tine purity of the ballot.
The suppression Of corruption at the polls,
however, has never met the approval Of
the Republican party. and consequently
IL has never lost an opportunity To cecry
the election law and To change and weak
EN- Its most salutary provisions.
Unlimited and Independent BImetaIlism.
But. gentlemen, while in the campaign
we are preparing To enter. we shall con-
slider state issues, and the records the two
great parties have lrade touching state
affairs, we propose To go further and re-
submit to the voters of Indiana the lnan-
cial question. am not Indifferent 20 the
charge frequently heard that the silver
question Is dead. but L remind those who
talk thus that no question Is ever settled
in this country until il has been settled
right
Gold triumphcd in ls96. but victory
achieved through Islander, villifcation,
coercion and Wholesale corruption, can
never be permanent. The methods Of
Colonel w. w. Dudley. the notorious
refugee from justice. in his blocks .of-five
scoundrclism in isss. were the methods Of
the sunday school teacher when compared
with the means resortcd To In 1895 to
pinion this nation to the accursed gold
standard
We will enter the contest then in sup
port Of the doctrine If free unlimited and
Independent bimetallism. In demanding
tho unlimited coinage Of both gold and
silver into standard money at IA fixed ratio
by law. We are not departing from the
traditions Of our party. nor are we seek
Ing to engraft a new or novel scheme Of
finance upon the country. We are but
pleading for the restoration of the none
tary system Of our fathers, whose virtuous
operation can be cited by Its supporters In
the absence Of famine starvation and the
application Of the gamblers art on the
board OF trade.
Our position. we know, Is imprcgnable.
We insist that gold and silver at rates
"A od hx ha nlv
standard Of value allowable under our
constitution, and that the people have the
right to the use OF both metals In the
monetary form. in the discharge Of all
debts. both priv and public. We sub
init that, II the constitution has made the
standard Of value to consist of the two
metals, congress has no authority to In
crease the value Of the measuring stand
ard In the interest Of the ey-changor
and against the wealth producer by do
monetizing silver. and thereby shifting
the monetary demand responded to By
the two metals onto gold alone.
ststssman.hlp and the Supreme Court on
the side Of silver.
We are not without authority, high and
respectable, I'm support Of our theory. Tho
rspest scholar ship, the ablest statesman
ship and the evenly poised judicial mind
have indorscd It. II has been taught In
the foremost colleges ana universities In
the world II has been expounded In the
forum Of statesmanship and approved
judicinlly from the bench.
Daniel Webster, perhaps the greatest
constitutional lawyer the world ever
knew said In speech In 1886 from his
scat In the United States senate that THE
legal tender, therefore. the constitutional
standard Of value. Is established and can
not be ovcrtnrown. lam certainly Of the
opinion that gold and silver, at rates fixed
by congress-, constitute the legal standard
Of value a. this country. and that neither
congress nor any state has authority to
establish any other standard or to dis
place this.
James q. Blaine, once the idol Of Re-
publicans. took strong ground against the