The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-06-09
DUTY OF DEMOCRACY
John p. Altgeld's Address to the
Bimetallic League.
Results Of Decentralization of SILVER
Evils Of Gold standsrd-Trusts
and Mon opoIies-Demo
ic Principles.

Before the League of Bimetaliic
Clubs. which met at Louisville, KY
May IS, John r. Altgeld spoke at some
length upon the great issue OF bimetai-
ism and touched up with much vigor
the gold standard, trusts, monopolies'
etc. In the course OF his speech MI
Altgeld said:
"In 1896 the true democrats OF America
decided that We did not need two political
parties to represent the corrupt CONNER
cial interests, and they again mace tue
democratic party stand for the Interests
of the great masses Of the people. Thty
declared for definite principles. they pro
muigatcd a second declaration OF Amer
can Independence. But there was an ele
ment In the party which did not approve OF
thfs--an element In the party which look
to the corrupt concentra ton of capital io'
favors; an element which. while pretend
ing to be democratic, wants 30 play the
aristocrat In all essential particulars TINS
element represents the same things ina
the republican party represents but u
formerly remained In the democratic par
ty because there II could achieve prom
nencc and personal preferment whl,h
u could NOT in the republican parry. TINS
element OF our party remained hostIe anu
II again seeking power. II commands vas'
wealth and il seeking by secret means cor
rupt and otherwise to secure coBtroi 81
our councils II IL proclaimins that We
must change our position; that We mus.
abandon the principles We stood for IN
1896. or else be defeaied They tell W ina
We should adopt platform broad enough
for all TO stand on. that ~ "A meaningless
platform: they tell Us that We should ralsc
some new cry. and that then we might
sweep the country. And We find that those
men through out the land who have only
an appetite for office, are inclined TO listen
to this talk. Let US look at this question:
"A moment and see What Il involved. W.
are told that We must he silent on the
ratio and simply DECLARE for bimetflisin
Now, II u 'wtrc a ne@ and a n original cues
tion. ~. nsy be that theor.tically dif-
fereni FaSio weu1d o. Just az good as the
one we declared for. The book men have
told IN that one reason why Europe gen
orally adopted the ratio fifteen and one
half 70 one was that that was about the
ratio al which the precious metals were
produced IN the world wbather' Ehat be
correct or noi.,ht iRtTpf that the financial
Systems OF Europe rested on thai ratio,
ard that IN our country FOR 'tht fast ~
years the ratio was sixteen to one, and
our financial system was based upon that
And nasmuch AZ sisNeF~was wrongfDls
and stcaiolu yS . monsiized by the arhi'
trary act OF government and inasmuch
a. "a great wrong was done. and We ard
asking 20 have that wrong righted, are
asking simply f6rfaf testoration OF what
the world formerly had qsking tqr res
toration Of fs1aiiiInts hinder swhhh the
world had done business and prospered
FOR sg, years. THIS fact alone would be
~ sod is.a,ss,r sfofs adhering to that ratio
But there - another reason which rises
above all others. and that Is this: Tbs
uopcnt wv abandon pat ratioyPu are
t9ehkESSVouid p, Ftr(s9yfsrs prio,
| nnarcial manipuators were able to con
troi convrsss nrtd u. sretets the pollessq,:
the governmcnt ana that Jus, "a ions -
the matter was len to'csusfs<ss and w
| rovcrnmenf the people WIRE helpless. This
fact LED the people 10 the determination e
| take the matter into their own hands AMI
not leave n obehl ind they feel as strong
| ~ on that subject now as they did the /
The fact h.. my friends. II left open you
/ would get 90 legislation ~ tht hands e
| our government IN a thousand years. for
Wall street viii again be in absolute cor
| frol. This being so. Il IL apparent that the
| rtoment We abandon the ratio that mo-
nent We abandon the cause The question
| which, thtrarore@ prcsents 1890 u. arr
! We ptdpat>.i ~ "A ba nduA thecAnJd Every
thing that was predicted ny the bimetsi-
lists a. the legitimate result OF the de
| monesizaton Of SILVER has come TO pass
| hrst, universal paralysis of the world
| business and It's industries; second. the
starting anew on "A lower basis FOR this
great producing masses. The evils that
| result from the gold standard have no,
| been exaggerated or overstated Time has
| sustained the bimetsllist. and that mar
makes a fatal mistake who thinks tina
| the american people are ready to abandon
| this cause, and inasmuch as the aban.
Comment of the ratio practically amounts
70 the abandonment OF the cause. that
politician makes fatal mistake who
thinks that the ratio can be abandoned
without disintegrating and destroying the
democratic party. For every score OF
iwsIth; soTshiping golt dtusurats who
lwppS Re brought to qut stsnf$tt ~ such
tsn Ahahdonmeht OF Tirfht ME ~ boo men OF
| deep convictions would leave us
But the money question Is not the only
great question that confronts us. Gallant
| ties 20 in groups and the gold standard
5paffh y,h i q brood II ,eyIs, each
public. You will ind that as rule gold
democrats are not willing to take definite
weithTJr nybrs. my are hon Wiilins ID
take a position which might incur its 81
| will, There Is the great question of gov
trnmet shy iniunetion, . system under
whEhsa t~dergl tghge elevated TO Office
by ienrporstsonh nAgecaY irk<- down the
oas 9skS sfst sand Jiushe Sssid@ The
righfS ~ trini by JLry. that lpilwark OF
| E1serh nteriy. al the, "a <e&tfytuest OF a
epfporatibn az, nj. The Ak6Ad Ssxon race
| M sl<tsd more blood % m &lRt h,the right
| 81 five speech. and the Jsahi ~ trial by
| JufSs, than for any cthet hbufpose. ana
yet hene in free America v stsetsthe very
fotndaiion OF liberty nippa ntly brushed
ASIDE Ind I have mot heard A.eigorous
iotes, against The praEtice ION a sin
sc gold standard Jnpn In Amerit3 Again.
Win this CommefSalism. tho Establish
inent OF this gold standard, hss come an
| 'rp Pfcprruption, of bribf ry in s:overnmeu,.
whefeby the national, the stat .tand mu-
sichal legislatures are dabauckeh and the
| rights OF people betrayed The only eG-
| fcctive remedy FOR this evil that has yet
been suggested Is what is termed 'initil-
| tive and referendum" The temptations
offered by corrupt capital being too great
| tor the ordinary man TO withstand. n is
| evident that aa hong as these temptatiors
| are offered thsS viii be effective. BY the
] establishment Or the system of "initiatlve
| and referendum" the fruits of bribery
| could be taken away. and thus the induce
ment to bride would be destroyed Under
| thai system, when city council or a legis-
lstnre passed an aet betraying the inter
tsts orJthe p4opat u giyen number of cid
zcns could have that act submitted 10 a
popular vote with the provision that II
| GOT Sustained there itShould ~ void. I'm,
1 = \ D.. a 1 -.