Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-03-25
BRYAN'S ARGUMENT.
SAYS COOPERATION IS WISE
AND NECESSARY.
Enemies of Independent Btmetallism
and Advocates of the Gold Standard
Find no Difficulty In Uniting-Scveral
Issues Urged.

While 1t 10 always difficult to secure
harmonious cooperation between dis
tinct and separate political organiza-
tions, there are times when this coop
Grafton is both wise and necessary
In the campaign of 1896 the Demo
Gratis, Populists and Silver Republicans
united in demanding the immediate
restoration of independent bimetallism
at the existing ratio of 16 to 1, and
money question was of paramount Inn
portance at that time.
The question now arises, should
these three political organizations act
together in the congressional cam
paign Of 1898.
l answer without hesitation, Yes.
Those who answer No must assume
the burden Of proving first. that CO.
operation was unwise in 1896, or Sec
ond, that conditions have so changed
as to make unwise now what was wise
then. The defeat that befell the allied
forces does not prove cooperation at
that time to have been unwise, unless
1t can be shown that some one party
would have been more successful than
the three combined.
Cooperation does not contemplate
the abandonment Of party organization
or the surrender of any political prin-
ciples; nor is cooperation defended on
the ground that the platforms of the
three parties are identical. Cam
paigns generally turn upon few is
sues. sometimes upon one, and events
do much to determine which issue shall
most absorb public attention.
If the Democrats, Populists and Sill
yer Republicans were agreed upon
but one question, that question might
| be important enough to justify CO.
operation although the parties differed
on all other subjects; but those who
advocate the union of the principal
reform forces against the common
enemy can point not to one, but to a
number of reforms which are demand
ed with equal emphasis by Democrats,
Populists and Silver Republicans
First. They are unalterably opposed
to gold monometallism.
Second. They demand the immediate
restoration of bimetallism at the pres
ent ratio by the Independent action of
this country.
Third. They oppose the retirement
of the greenbacks.
Fourth. They oppose the issue Of pa
per money by national banks.
Fifth. They oppose the issue Of in
terest- bearing bonds in time of peace.
Sixth. They favor the income tax as
means of raising part Of the reve-
nue. necessary to administer the fed
eral government.
Seventh. They favor the abolition of
trusts.
Eighth. They are opposed to govern
ment by injunction.
Ninth. They are in favor of arbitra-
ton as means of settling disputes be-
tween labor and capital
Here are e issues which are not
only import lin themselves, but are
now promin .ntly before the people.
Are not these reforms worth securing?
These questions were submitted to the
people at the last election, but they
were not settled, and will not be set
tied until they are settled right.
The Republican party is trying to
commit the country more thoroughly
to the gold standard Even now it is
endeavoring to secure legislative in
dorsement of the policy of paying all
coin obligations in gold. 1t pretends
to be much concerned about national
honor and the public credit. The lead
ers Of the party know that the debtor,
whether a public debtor or private
debtor, meets all the requirements of
the law, moral as we'll as statutory,
when he discharges his obligation ac-
cording to the terms of the contract.
They know that all through the war
the government, and private debtors |
as we'll, paid coin obligations in gold,
although gold was worth three cents
on the dollar less than silver. And
yet these leaders would accuse Abra-
ham Lincoln Of dishonor rather than
incur the displeasure Of the Wall street
magnates, who now control the finan-
cial policy of the Republican party.
These leaders know that If the
federal government declares its pur-
pose to pay all coin obligations in
gold, its example will be used as an
argument to force gold contracts upon
state and municipal governments, and
upon private citizens. These leaders
know that il their scheme is carried
out, the very existence Of these gold
will be urged as a reason
why bimetallism should not be re-
stored.
If the Republicans obtain control of
the senate and house in the elections
Of 1898, there is no doubt that they
WILL by law, surrender the contract
right which the government now has,
70 pay coin obligations in silver (of
which we are large producers), and to
bind the nation to pay in gold Gan ap-
,reciating metal, the production Of
which is largely controlled by Eng
and)
n |