Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-12-28

money either in accordance with a ra-
ito to be fixed by an international
agreement, if that can be obtained, or
under such restrictions and such proyi-
sions to be determined by legislation
as will secure the maintenance of the
PARTIES of values of the two metals,
so that the purchasing and debt pay
ing power of the dollar, whether of
gold, silver or paper, shall at all times
be equal
With considerable rhetorical flourish
that ''straddle' was intended to be ''all
things to all men," hoping thereby to
win votes for Ohios fayorite son at st.
Louis. But the convention kicked that
'straddle" out of the door and got up a
sstraddle" of its own sufficiently in
genious to rope in enough of the I'M
wary to elect Mr.. Mckinley. Truly
1896 was a good year for catching
gudgeons!
The Democratic Position.
During the debate on the Atlantic
City money bill. knowing that certain
eastern Democrats were going to vote
with the Republicans, / took occasion
to fully and clearly set forth the Dem.
oeratic position on gold and silver and
did it as follows:
Certain representatives from the east, rated a,
Democrats in the directory and newspapers, avow
their purpose to vote for this bill In so doing
they are out of touch with the great body Of tbs
party. The vast majority of Democrats are az
much in favor of the free and unlimited coinage
of silver as they ever were. Not as matter of ex
pediency, but a matter of principle, they and
believe in the second Declaration of independence
with our whole hearts. The true situation NIGH
well be clearly understood first as last, and il
is this We intend to readopt-not simply reafirm
but readopt-the financial plank of the Chicago
platform word for word, syllable by syllable
abating neither iot nor title of that great con
fession of Democratic faith.
The free and unlimited coinage of gold and sill
yer at The historical ratio of Is to l, without
waiting for the consent of any other nation OF
earth, viii be the supreme issue in 1900, il
was in 1896. Upon that platform will place
Bryan and elect him. Self seeking politicians
timorous souls, may fall away from US, but tbs
paramount issue and the peerless candidate viii
remain. Politicians do not make issues; the PEG
pie make them. And they make something else
they make politicians. And when politicians d.
not do to suit them they unmake the politicians
and make a new set who will do to suit them
The plain Democrats-those who seek no Office ant
who expect none-know exactly what they want
They want Bryan and the free and unlimited
coinage of gold and silver at TO to l, and thest
they intend to have. We would stultify ourselves
by changing position in front of the enemy Ever
as matter Of expedeney would lose by suct
a move, for every time we gained one vote in the
east we would lose two three half dozer
in the south and west. To abandon the Chicago
platform would not only be wrong, it would BIZ
suicidal
OF course other issues will be presented, but
they will be subsidiary to that of the free and IN
limited coinage Of gold and silver at l6 to l. We
will have strong antitrust and anti-imperialistiC
planks strong as language make them; also
plank in favor of income tax and another
in favor of economy in the public service that
labor may be lightly burdened but the oyershad
owing issue, the one on which the decisive battle
VIII be fought and which the victory will be
won, is free coinage Of gold and silver at the old
ratio of l6 to without asking anybody's consent
or waiting for anybody's assistance This is the
programme, and gentlemen may well govern
themselves accordingly. One swallow does not
make summer The desertion Of a soldier now
and then does rot portend that the silver hosts
are either detected or dsintegrating. We know
we are right, and we viii persevere until com
pleIe FlcIOfy DefcneS upon our DaD0eT-
The average citizen has sense than he is
credited with and he knows that the prosperity
so widely bruited here grows out of accidental
and ephemersl causes which have turned the bal
ance of trade in our favor. which have increased
our stock of gold: that should the balance Of trade
turn against US, It may do next year. this
country will be drained of its gold, and times
viii grow harder, and, having no adequate guam
tity of basic money. conditions viii be worse than
no nap5c n he is sill.
yer, all we can get Of it by free and unlimited
coinage at 16 to l. Consequently he does not in
tend to permit that issue TO be side tracked.
shunted out Of the way overshadowed by any
other issue, and the Democratic politician who
tries to play him that trick will get his neck
broken off as short you can break piece Of
glass. II we were right in 1896, we are right now,
and we propose to stand by our guns, neither ask
ing nor giving quarter.
General Grosvenor and the Wilson
Bill.
General Grosvenor of Ohio having in
the debate repeated the threadbare fic-
ton that the Wilson bill was a free
trade measure, l replied as follows:
Out in my county there dwelt lawyer Colonel
George W. Anderson, who for four years q
member of this house. He always brilliant
orator, but in his younger days not well up in
the technicaities of his profession. On one occa-
sion he was about to be knocked out of court,
when Judge Porter, who was presiding, a very
kind hearted man, undertook to help him by say
ing, Colonel Anderson, you taken by sur
priseY' Whereupon Anderson electrified bench
and bar by replying: Good Cod your honorl
am not only surprised, but utterly astoundedi''
/ was likewise astounded when l heard the gen
tleman from Ohio General Grosvenor, say that
the Wilson tariff bill was a free trade measure.
There is nowhere on earth or under the earth or
in the air above the earth scintiIla of evidence
on which to base that statement. 1t is absolutely
preposterous. That bill carried an average tariff
duty Of nearly 40 per cent about 1900 articles
Of everyday consumption Surely no sane man
can believe OF does believe that such bill was q
free trade measure. Free traders voted for it
holding their noses. They voted for it because il
was the best they could get and cut down the
rates of the Mckinley bill of denominations about
8 per cent. 1t is a poor cause that necessitates
such wrenching Of historic facts to support il
and only shows to what straits Republicans are
driven TO defend their present course.
A characterless, obscure and ignorant stump
speaker might be excused for making such a
groundless assertion in the heat Of debate out in
the backwoods of Ohio, but General CrosvenoT
cannot be excused any such theory. He can
not afford to make such ridiculous statement.
He certainly cannot be excused the grounds Of
nor on grounds Of inexperienee, for he has long
since passed the efersescent period Of youth.
Sixty-six winters have frosted his head with sill
yer, and be is a veteran, conspicuous, an able.
member Of this house. He is great historic per
sonage. Younger men look to him for guidance.
He is the only real. simon pure, major prophet
now known to be on terra frma.
The public regards him a sort Of walking
delegate for the administration. its mouthpiece on
this floor, the keeper Of the kings conscience and
groom of the presidential posset.
He owes it to his own fame, to the dignity Of
this house and to the cause Of truth and justice
to expunge that charge from his speech, for it is
baseless the fabric Of a vision
Indecent Haste.
The indecent and inexcusable haste
with which the Atlantic City money
bill was railroaded through must for
ever remain a blot upon the history OF
the Republican majority of the Fifty
sixth congress. and they need not be
surprised if IN the days to come this
unseemly and outrageous precedent
arises to plague its inventors. All sum
mer the leaders Of the majority have
known the provisions of the bin and
have had months ia which to prepare