The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-29
THE ONLY BRYAN.
Mr.. Bryan. in his speech at Greenfield on
Thursday, said:

Mr.. Bryan, in his speech at Greenfield on
Thursday, said:
The only gold standard party that ever
existed was organized at Indianapolis and
States The only party that ever sprang
into existence and adopted a gold platform
had no record in the past to go back on and
fore it had nothing to restrain it from doing
what II did. 1t organized before the cleo
ton and disbanded just as soon as the eiec-
ton was over.
France is full of bimetallism Germany
has bimetallism and England has bimetal-
lism. English financiers control the policy
of the English government and the English
government controls the policy of Europe,
and the policy of Europe through the Re-
publican party dictates the policy Of the
United States.
The Republican party is unfortunate IL 1t
has not yet succeeded in making people
understand that 1t is gold standard party.
The convention that nominated Mr. Bryan
for President helped to define the position
of the Republican party by declaring in
favor of the free and unlimited coinage of
silver at the ratio of 16 to i, and the St.
Louis convention declared against the free
coinage of silver except by international
agreement with the leading commercial ma
tons of the world. and until such agreement
can be obtained the existing gold standard
must be preserved" During the campaign
of 1896 the Republican party. through it's
press and speakers. tried to make the peo-
pie understand that it was gold standard
party. and the record shows that 1t carried
considerably more than one precinct in the
United States
Mr.. Bryan's contemptuous allusion to the
sound-money Democrats who refused to
support him In 1896 is characteristic. In his
speech at Greenfield he descended to the
vulgar level of calling them ''goldbugs," and
said: ut Is difficult to talk to a goldbue
without getting mad because the strongest
argument that he uses is a look of scorn
and expression Of contempt" Some of them
| used stronger arguments than these in 1896
and, fortunately for the country, these ar
guments affected enough business men and
independent voters. in conjunction with Re-
publicans. to defeat Mr.. Bryan. Perhaps
| that is the reason he continues to call them
| names. If he should be nominated again
next year he will not have the support OF
the Populist party, which contributed a
idrsS percentage OF MS vote In 1895. The
| certain loss of this vote ought to suggest &c
| him the propriety of trying to make it good
in some other quarter and the folly of CON
| tinuing to sheer at Democratic ''goldbugs.'
but he does not seem to see the matter In
| that light.
The allusion to bimetallism in other coun.
tries. In the extract above quoted, has ne
point except as vehicle for Mr.. Bryan's
stale charge. worn threadbare in 1896, thai
the financial policy Of the United States il
dictated by England. which, he says, also
controls that of Europe. England, France
| and Germany are full of bimetallism" In
| exactly the same sense that this country is
| viz. all have the single gold standard anC
are on gold basis. with a large amount OF
| silver circulating subsidiary coin. Eacf
country has adopted this policy for reason.
| that are recognized as controlling through
| out the civilized world, and Mr.. Bryar
might as well assert that England dictates
the law of gravitation to the United State
| as that she dictates the laws Of finance an,
commercial values. But. bray a fool in ,
mortar yet will not his foolishness depar
from him.