The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-06-16
DTTY OF DEMOCRACY
,obn p. Altgeld's Address to the
Bimetallic League.
.-.att. Of Decentralization OF silver
-r,ii. of Gold ss"ndnrd-Ir"''"
aud Observation-Disclosures
ic Principles.

cribs which met at Louisville, Ky,
u.v a. John l.. Altgeld spoke az some
,.n,th upon the great issue OF bimetai-
,;sm and touched up with much vigor
the gold standard. trusts, monop pnes'
etc. In the course OF his speech MT.
Altgeld said:
..r, 1896 the true democrats OF America
dseiled that we did not need two poiucal
,,rtics TO represent the corrupt coinmer-
r4l interests. and they again mace Tue
a4mocraiic party stand for the interests
az the great masses OF the people i"es
d~.eiared for definite principles. they pro-
ruirated a second declaration OF Amer-
can independence. But there was an ere
utnt in the party which aid not approVeot
this-an element in the party when looks
"a he corrupt concentration OF capitai lot
,avors. an element which. while pretend
ing to be democratic, wants 70 play the
aristocrat. In All essential particulars this
element represents the same thlhEs that
the republican party represents h"t ~
formerly remained in the democratic par
~ because there n could achieve a prom
,nence and { personal p~rcferment. which
4, could not in the republican party. rms
element OF our party remained hostle anu
A. again seeking power. IL conlin"hns NasN
wealth ard Is seeking by secret means cor
runt and otherwise 10 secure control OF
our councils. IL Is pr~oclaiming that we
must change oar position. That We must
abandon the principles We stood Tor IN
iN4g or else be defeated. They tell Us lhat
we should adopt a platform broad enough
for All to stand on; that Is a meaningless
platform: they tell US that we should raise
some now cry. and that then we might
sweep the country. And We ma mat thosr
men throughout the land who have Only
an appetite for office. are inclined 70 listen
TO this talk. Let US look AZ this question
a moment and see what Is involved. We
are told that we must be silent on the
ratio and simply declare for bimetalhsm
Now, IL x were a new and an original queS-
ton, Al may be that theoretically a dif-
ferent ratio would he just as good as the
one we declared for. The book men have
told us that one reason why Europe gen.
orally adopted the ratio fifteen and one
half TO one was that that was about the
ratio at which the precious metals were
produced IN the world. Whether that be
correct or not. II is true that the financial
systems OF Europe rested on That ratio.
and that in our country for the last 60
years the ratio was sixteen 70 one, ana
our financial system was based upon that
And inasmuch as silver was wrongfuliy
and stealthily demonetizei by the aroi-
irary act OF government. and ~inasmuch
as a great wrong WAC done. ana We are
asking 10 have that wrong righted, are
asking simply for a restoration OF what
the world formerly had asking for Q res
t~orat.on OF conditions under which the
world had done business and prOsptrei
lOA ~ NtAl'f aH"1 49,
a good reason for adhcrirg 70 that ratio.
But there is another reason which rises
above all others. and that Is this; The
moment you abandon that ratio you are
at sea. No two men will agree upon what
the new ratio should be. For 20 year prior
10 1896 the country saw that the eastern
financial manipulators were able TO con-
troll congress and 10 dictate the policy oil
the government. and that just so long as
The matter was lett TO congress and the
government the people were helpless. This
fact led The people TO the determination &c
take the matter into their own hands and
rct leave II open. and they feel az strong
IL on that subject now as they cid then
The fact IS. my friends. If left open yot
would get no Legislation at the hands ol
our government in a thousand years, foi
wall street viii again be in absolute con
troll. This being SO. q; is apparent that tn
moment we abandon the ratio that mo
ntrt We abandon the cause. The question
which, therefore. presents itself is- arr
We prepared 10 abandon the cause. Every
thing that was predicted by the himetal
lists as the legitimate result OF the de
monetization OF silver has come 10 pass
hrst. universal paralysis of the world
business and Its industries. second. tn
starting anew on a lower basis for tn
great producing masses. The evils ina
result from the gold standard have no
been exaggerated or overstated. Time ha
sustained the bimeiallist. and that ma
makes a fatal mistake who thiIks tina
the American people are ready 70 abandon
this cause. and. inasmuch as the aban
conment of the ratio practically amount
10 the abandonment OF the cause. tina
politician makes a fatal mistake VII
thinks that the ratio can he 0bardonei
without disintegrating and destroying tn
democratic party For every score Q
wcalth-worshiping gold democrats VIII
would be brought 10 our standards by sue
en- abandonment of principle 10000 men Q
deep convictions would leave us.
but the money question Is not the onl
great question that confronts us. Calam
ties 20 in groups and the gold standar
has brought with II a brood of evils. eac
OF which threatens the ife Of the re
public You viii find that as a rule col
democrats are not willing 10 take a deiinii
position on any of these questions a
they look 10 corrupt and concentrate
wealth for favors. they are not willing
take a position which might incur its !
Will. There IS the great question of COY
eminent by Injunction. a system und'
which a federal judge elevated to ofiie
by corporation influences strikes down n
right of free speech. and with a contempt
Gus wave Of the hand brushes aside II
right of trial by jury. that hulwark
English liberty. at the more request OF
cor. Grafton agent. The Anglo-Sax on rat
his shed more blood to maintain the rig
OF free speech. and the right OF trial l
jury. than for any other purpose, ar
yet here In free America we see the vel
- 'r'' If'"t f+
aside. and | have not heard a Nigorol
protest against this practice from a 81
gle gold standard man in America. Agai
with this CONNIE realism. the ,stablisl
ment OF this gold standard. has come {
era Of corruption. OF bribery In GOVERNED
whereby the national. the state and m
nicipal legislatures are debauched and Il
rights OF people betrayed The only e
fective remedy for this evil that has v
been suggested Is what Is termed "initi
tive and referendum" The temptation
offered by corrupt capital being too gee,
for the ordinary man to withstand, IL
widen that as long as these tempt.tio
are offered they will be effective. BY q
establishment OF the system OF '%.ritiati
and referendum the fruits OF bribc
could be taken away, and thus the Undue
ment TO bride would be destroyed. vnd
that system, when a city council or a legi
lature passed an &C, beiraying the ints
ests Of the people a given lumber Of CT
zcns could have that act submitted TO
popular vote with the provision that
not = istaincd there Il should be void. L.
IL