The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-19
SILVER REPUBLICAN ADDRESS.
Leaders Issue statement About Passage of
House Currency Bill.

After the passage Yesterday by the
House of the financial bill. the Silver Re-
publican leaders in the city held a meet
ing and adopted an address setting forth
their views as TO its effect. The address
is as follows:
To the members OF the Republican party
who still believe In bimetalism:
The passage by the House of Represen-
tatives to-day of tie gold standard and
bank currency bill, exactly as agreed upon
by the Republican caucus and without the
opposition OF a single Republican vote,
marks the culmiEstion OF a policy long
carefully pursued by certain influences in
control OF the leadership OF the Republi-
can party. and justifies the action of the
men who. in 1896, refused TO remain III
that organization afte: the adoption Of the
St Louis platform.
THE Republican national platforms OF
1855 and 1882 had been UnequivOcally in IA
yOr Of bimetallism and the use of both
gold and silver as standard money. Never
lhe!ess IL was apparent several months
before the assembling OF the national con-
VeLti0n Of 1886 that the machinery of the
Republican party had passed wholly into
The hands of the banking and creditor
interests, and that il was the purpose Of
Tie latter TO commit the party to the ad-
VOcaCy and achievement OF the gold stand
ard. Against this danger the undersigned
and many other Rel ublicans, bimetallists
al that time vainly attempted To arouse
The masses OF the party. The politicians
and newspapers privy TO the scheme de-
nOunced our fears as unfounded or simu-
lated. and, by skllful use of catch-woTds
and generalities succeeded i'm fOrestalling
. u-ff OF TbaiF do
signs. When he convention met SIM
Lar ingenuity governed the framing or the
declaration on the money question. It's es-
sential part Is a follows:
Ingenuity Of the Convention.
We are Therefore opposed to the free coinage OF
silver except By international agreement with the
leading commercial nations OF tie world which We
ledge oUrgely~s 10 promote and until such agree
leuI can be obtained the existing GOLD standard
must be preserved. An silver and paper cur
Esncy must be maintained al pant, with gold. &c.
I'll s. strange that so manifest an in
sincerity should have deceived ANYBODY.
Clearly. II the gold standard was desira-
BILE the free coinage OF silver was unde-
slrable however secured. II the gold
standard was right. free coinage Of silver
must Dee wrong. Nobody could intelligent
.y and honestly demand the International
free coinage Of silver and al the same
tine express such emphatic satisfaction
with the gold standard as an alternative.
As q matter OF fact this declaration was
Intended As a definite assurance TO the
speculative hanks and their allies that the
Republican party. II successful in the
Election would proceed. with all polite
speed 10 the establishment OF the single
gold standard In all its rigor.
TIe promise 10 promote the interna-
t1nal free coinage OF silver was never
meant 10 be observed IN good faith, We,
u proved a good enough Morgan until
after The election Relying upon Il. en-
forced az IL was throughout the Wes:
aud central portions Of the country by the
'+llprs and orators OF the Republican
IarJy, millions OF voters were held In ine
Tor The ticket; for as stated In the Re-.
publican Campaign Textbook for 1889 the
republican party was a bmetallIc party
Would Have Elected Mr.. Bryan.
no one whose political judgment had
the slightest weight will deny that a
TANK pTonOuncemtnt for the gold stand,
ard IN that platform. or straightfor.
Ward Interpretation Of Il by the Repub
Ae4n candidate Tor President. az meaning
he gold standard and nothing less woula
have elected Mr. Bryan by All OyerWhelm.
~ majority. 70 constFue the election oi
~ a. "a mandate by the American people
III lie establishment 81 the gold stand
arc = 10 a""' Opriate political goods
s.asr fsiss pretenses-
Al soon a. the election Was over sns