The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-14
SOME GOOD WORK FOR SILVER

/ am IN recelpt of several recent letters
requesting that some information be given
regarding the objects and the present
status Of the work Of the ways and means
committee OF this city.
The ways and means COMMITTEES Is COM
posed OF fye members, as follows: sena-
tors James X. Jones OF Arkansas, VIM. V.
Allen OF Nebraska. Henry III. Teller OF
Colorado, Ex-Governor John r. Altgeld OF
Illinois and Ex-Governor VIM. j. stone
OF Missouri II was appointed September
81, 1898, by Senator ]. x. Jones, chairman
OF the democratic National committee, by
virtue OF the authority vested In him BY
the National committee. The personnel
of the committee will be seen to repre-
sent the three National parties that have
declared in their platforms for the free
and unlimited coinage of silver at the his
toric ratio Of 16 to /, regardless OF the
action OF any other nation.
Immediately on being appointed the
! members Of the ways and means commit
tee held meeting In st. Louis. Mo-. and
named w. II. Harvey OF Chicago as gen.
erai manager. Mr.. Harvey, as author OF
Coins Financial School, and other works
ON the same subject. had become known
to the people OF the entire country as an
uncompromising, honest bimetallist, and
possessed Of the confidence Of the thinking
masses. Offices of the committee were at
once opened In Chicago, in suite loii
Unity building, and active work COM
menced. The whole plan of the committee
was TO appeal to the people to furnish
funds wherewith to wage the campaign
OF 1900 for "blmetalllsm and ant-monop-
oily"
An address to the people, signed by the
whole committee, was issued, setting forth
the necessity Of contributions from the
people to fight the battle against organ
lied greed
1t was shown that the declaration OF thu
democratic platform OF 1896 for bimetal-
| lism had severed whatever bond OF SYM
pathy that might have previously existed
between this party and all wealthy class
| Interests. No trust, no corporation would
| contribute TO Its campaign fund, nor,
| on the other hand. could the party ask it
with self-respect. when it had begun war
three allied free silver parties, while pre-
pairing to again fight the battle of the
people in 1900 against the money trust and
kindred class interests, could see no prob
| able source of money wherewith 10 meet
| the legitimate expenses made necessary by
the impending conflict.
~
Appeal to the people who are to be the
| benefcaries of oui success" suggested
| one. and the idea was at once adopted.
| Pledges, oblgating the signer to pay 81
| per month from the date of the signing up
| 10 and including the month OF October,
| 1900, were drawn up and circulated in
every State in the Union. The response was
almost instantaneous. and these pledges,
| signed and duly executed, came back to
the committee by nearly every mail. One
| was sent to William jennings Bryan, tnen
on duty with his regiment at Jacksonville,
Fla. and the next mali brought back his
answer. which reads as follows:
l enclose piedge Tor monthly con-
tributtons to the cause OF blmetallsm,
until october, 1900, together with the
instaliment for this montn. most cor
daily indorse the plan ADOPTED by the
committee, aud am confident 1t will re-
suit In the collection oil u large fund tor
the circulation OF bimetailic literature.
Since our fight is in the interest OF
The pain people. to use Lincolns
phrase, or the common people, to bor-
row Bible term. we must appeal to
them for the means of carrying on the
contest.
The hnanciers can contribute large
sums to support the gold standard, be-
cause the monopoly of money gives
them great pecuniary profit. Surely
you can appeal with confidence to the
millions who suffer from rising dol
lar and falling prices
Having brought freedom to Cuba, tho
American people can renew the strug-
gle for the financial independence OF
the United States.
49,
1t next became necessary to appoint
treasurer TO receive the donations which
We're flowing in, and the Union Trust COM
pany bank OF this city was designated
and fully clothed with authority to re-
celyc and receipt in the name OF the conf
mittee, for all moneys contributed to the
fund. Week after week fhe pledges In
creased and the cash receipts grew apaeo
until long since the experiment of asking
the people to financier their own campaign
has been pronounced an unqualified sue
cess
call yesterday at the office of the
committee found the assistant general
manager, Sam p. Cook cf Missouri, at
work. and asked him II results were still
as gratifying as desired by the committee
Yes" he replied, without hesitation,
the SNOWFALL is growing larger and larger
as time passes and each week eclipses the
record OF the previous week, Last week
was the banner seven days in the history
of the movement, and the pledges received
exceeded in volume those OF the week be-
fore by 400 per cent.
Where is the greatest work OF the
committee being done?" asked.
In the Middle Western States Mr.. /
Cook replied, "Urey woodson, member of
the National committee from Kentucky Is /
hard at work In his State. and his efforts (
have brought that State up to third on !